Monterey Peninsula Country Club member Lara Tennant has yet another major amateur title, but it was also bittersweet.
Tennant, a 57-year-old native of Portland, carded a final-round even-par 72 at Seven Oaks Country Club to win the California Senior Women’s Amateur Championship by seven shots over runner-up Karen Garcia. A three-time U.S. Senior Women's Amateur champion, Tennant also won the CWAC Senior in 2020.
The victory, however, came with a heavy heart. Tennant was very close with former Cal-Berkeley women's golf coach legend Nancy McDaniel, who passed away just days prior due to cancer. They became friends while growing up in Portland. McDaniel was inducted into the NCGA Hall of Fame on Oct. 16.
"I really wanted to win this and dedicate it to her," Tennant said. "I was pretty determined. She was with me. There's a lot of great players in this tournament, so I'm very proud of myself for winning."
Tennant, who finished the event with a three-day total of even-par 216, made her big move in the first round with a 69. By the end of the second round, she still held a three-shot lead. The 69 was the only score under par for the championship.
"The course essentially played longer than the actual yardage, and the pin placements were difficult," Tennant said. "It took a lot of great course management just to get pars."
Garcia, the NCGA's Senior Women's Player of the Year for the 2022-23 season, came in at 7-over 223 after a final round 76. Third place went to three-time event champion Corey Weworski at 224.
Tina Barker, another 2024 NCGA Hall of Fame inductee, took the title in the Super Senior Championship (ages 65-over), finishing with a three-day score of 242 (82-80-80).