VICTORIA—The first round lead of the 2012 British Columbia Golf Senior Women's Open at Highland Pacific Golf belongs to Port Alberni's Jackie Little.
Little, a pre-tournament favourite and defending champion from 2011, posted a three-over par 75 that included two birdies and five bogeys to take the lead in the overall Championship. Two strokes back of Little is a familiar face to competitive golf. Perennial challenger Alison Murdoch of Victoria carded a five-over par 77, keeping her in an excellent position relative to the lead going into the second round.
2012 PNGA Cup Team member Penny Baziuk of North Saanich and Surrey's Elaine Blatchford sit tied for third after the opening day compliments of their identical seven-over par 79's. Both players look to put together excellent second day scores in the hopes of clawing back into the Championship.
In the Super Senior's division, Murdoch leads the way followed by three players. Kelowna's Lynda Palahniuk, Vancouver's Holly Horwood and Diana Williams of Calgary all fired nine-over par 81's to sit T2nd after round one. With only a four shot advantage, defending Super Senior division champion Murdoch has anything but a run-a-way repeat victory in her back pocket.
The Zone and Club Team Championship are running concurrently during rounds one and two of the Championship. The team from Zone 5 (Baziuk and Murdoch) are ahead by three strokes in the gross division and on the net side, Zone 6 (Little and Nanaimo's Georgina Hermans) sit ten strokes ahead of their nearest competitors.
The format for the Senior Women's Championship is a 54-hole stroke play competition between women aged 50 and over as of the first day of competition. All players challenge for the overall title and golfers aged 60+ are classified in the Super Senior division.
Round two began at 7:30 am (June 19) on the first tee. The final round is scheduled for Wednesday, June 20.