Pilot Beats Dean to Win First MGA Women's Senior Match Play Title

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By Nick Hunter
nick@mngolf.org
 
 
 MONTICELLO, Minn. – Although she is one of the state’s winningest golfers, Minnesota Golf Hall of Fame inductee Claudia Pilot entered this week’s Minnesota Golf Association Women’s Senior Amateur Match Play Championship winless in her previous 14 appearances at the event.
 
A steady back nine Sunday at Monticello Country Club helped Pilot hold off Christine Dean, 3 and 2, to claim her first tournament win, adding to her staggering tally of 47 state victories.
 
“I’m really happy with a win and really thrilled to finally win this tournament. I’ve worked really hard on my swing over the winter, and I think I finally got something where I have some confidence in it.
 
“My mindset today was to hit the ball straight. There is so much trouble if you’re off the fairway. During my warmup I really concentrated on a compact swing and focused on the 150-yard marker on every hole. I didn’t really get in the trees where I had to punch out very much this week.”
 
Earning a victory at the MGA Women’s Senior Amateur Four-Ball Championship with partner Brenda Williams at Burl Oaks Golf Club earlier this month, Pilot collected her first win since 2016. Adding another victory Sunday, Pilot now has her first two-win season since 2010.
 
Pilot lost the first hole against Dean Sunday, but took advantage of a three-putt bogey by Dean at the third to tie the match. The 10-time MGA Player of the Year Pilot would roll in her par putt from six feet at the fifth before inclement weather stopped play for over an hour.
 
When play resumed, Pilot won the sixth hole to take a 2-up lead before Dean got up-and-down from a greenside bunker to win the eighth hole and pull within one.
 
Dean built momentum by sinking her birdie chance from 20 feet above the hole at the 12^th to tie the match, but a steady Pilot would shut the door by winning 13^th and 14^th to take a 2-up lead before closing out the match with a par at the par-4 16^th to claim her first Senior Match Play victory, 3 and 2.
 
“I’m happy that I was able to keep my focus and play as well as I did. It’s been a big problem for me,” Pilot said following her win Sunday. “Putting the last two days is what really got me to today. My putting was outstanding. I made everything inside of five feet on Friday and Saturday, so I was a little disappointed that I lost it on some of those putts today.”
 
Pilot edged Williams, 1-up, to begin the championship on Friday, advancing to the semifinal round against Barb Miller. Pilot pulled out a late victory against Miller Saturday to reach the final match for the first time since 2013.
 
“Having to play your best friend on the first day wasn’t very much fun,” Pilot said. “I haven’t been feeling well the last couple of weeks, and just that I survived it, I’m really happy. It takes a lot of energy to play tournament golf and I haven’t had much of it lately.”
 
Pilot has now won at least twice in a total of 10 seasons during her career, with her best performance coming in 2008 when she won five times to become the first golfer to win both MGA Women’s Player of the Year and MGA Senior Women’s Player of the Year honors during the same season.
 
Sunday’s win is Pilot’s second win at Monticello Country Club, claiming the Minnesota Women’s Public Golf Association State Public Links Championship in 2001.

Dean earns her best finish at a state championship since 2018 when she placed third at the MGA Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship at the Legends Club.
 
“[Pilot] is the dream partner to play with, she’s just lovely and one of my favorite people in the world. I’m really happy for her,” said Dean, who recently became eligible for the 50-and-over senior events. “I haven’t really played a tournament in a while, so it was a bit of a surprise to be in the finals. I didn’t have any expectations.
 
“I just kept fighting, but it seemed like I was always behind. I wish I could’ve played better, but I was happy to have a chance. I feel like I can compete and I look forward to the next event.”
 
Defending MGA Senior Women’s Player of the Year Betsy Aldrich made quick work of six-time champion Leigh Klasse Sunday, 6 and 4, to win the Consolation in the Championship Flight. Aldrich has won the championship three of the last four seasons.
 
Lynn Anderson earned a victory in the First Flight Sunday, defeating M.J. Graphenteen, 2 and 1, while Sheryl Raithel picked up a win in the Second Flight by downing Luanne Cortesi, 6 and 5.
 
Peggy Gazola got past Jeri Meola, 4 and 3, to claim the championship in the Third Flight Sunday and Alicia Barber cruised against Dolly Parcel, 5 and 3, to win the Fourth Flight.