PNGA crowns Senior champions

Tina Papatolis (Issaquah, Wash.) shot rounds of 76-75-82 and won the 37th PNGA Senior Women’s Amateur at 20-over par, while Karen Darrington (Boise, Idaho) shot rounds of 78-77-81 to win 14th PNGA Super Senior Women’s Amateur at 23-over.

Both championships were held on Sept. 8-10, at Fairwood Golf & Country Club in Renton, Wash, over 54 holes of stroke play.

Papatolis entered the final round needing only to maintain a five-shot 36-hole lead to claim the title, and she delivered, though not without a bit of tightrope walking. Papatolis, newly eligible for senior competition this year, has an established track record in mid-amateur competition. She won the PNGA Women’s Mid-Amateur in 2019 and 2023 and won the Washington Women’s Mid-Am in 2019, 2025 and 2026. Earlier this year, Papatolis placed in a tie for second at the 2026 Washington Senior Women’s Amateur.

Behind Papatolis and Gallagher in third finished Kimberly Hulst (Sammamish, Wash., +25). Kim Titus (Fox Island, Wash.) and Rosie Cook (Redmond, Ore.) tied for fourth at 28-over.

In the Super Senior division, Darrington started and finished her final round 12 shots clear of the field. With what she credited to be solid driver play, Darrington went out in 37 and, despite two double bogeys on the back nine, had leeway to spare. Coming home in 44, her round of 81 still placed her 12 clear of second place Kathryn Wright (Camas, Wash., +35).

NW players at Senior Open    

Lara Tennant of Portland and Kim Shek of Bellevue both took part in the United State Senior Women’s Open which was held at Barton Hills Country Club in Ann Arbor, Mich.

Both players took part in the championship as amateurs.

Maris McBride of Sweden won the championship.

Tennant made the cut and finished tied for 44th in the championship shooting rounds of 78-75-80-79 for a 312 total. Shek shot rounds of 84 and 82 and missed the weekend cut.