McGill shakes off nerves to win U.S. Senior Women’s Open

KETTERING – Jill McGill walked onto the first tee Sunday at the fourth U.S. Senior Women’s Open one shot off the lead and full of nerves.

Brian Huffer, one of the tournament’s volunteer walking marshals, asked McGill how she was doing before her first tee shot at NCR Country Club. She said she was nervous, to which Huffer responded: “That’s as honest of an answer as I’ve ever heard.”

McGill had reason to be nervous. The two names ahead of her were Laura Davies and Helen Alfredsson. The name tied with her and next to her on the tee was Annika Sorenstam. Those three have won more majors and tournaments than McGill can even dream about, including each of the three previous Senior Opens. Her claim to fame was the U.S. Women’s Amateur title in 1993 and the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links in 1994 and some good finishes on the LPGA Tour, including two top 10s in majors, but never a victory.

But McGill, 50 and eligible to play in her first open, showed more calm than the rest of the field, especially the big three around her. One of them was supposed to win. But McGill got to a four-shot lead with four holes to play and held on for a one-shot victory over Leta Lindley.

“I’d always been a little bit disappointed that I couldn’t figure out how to get it done,” said McGill, who finished at 3-under par. “I was a different person out there this week, truly, in terms of just acceptance of hey, you’re making the best decision you can. You’re trying to execute the best you can. That’s all you can do. I can’t control anything else that anybody else is doing in the field.”

McGill was one of four players to shoot even par 73s Sunday, and no one broke par. She didn’t realize the contenders were collapsing around her other than seeing Sorenstam struggle to a 77 and finish tied for fifth.

McGill didn’t know that she became the leader when Davies, one hole behind her, quadruple bogeyed the 12th hole to fall from a 5 under to 1 under. Davies, who was hobbled by a sore Achilles and had played 38 straight holes with a par or better, shot 78 to drop to fifth, and Alfredsson shot 76 to drop into a tie for third.

“About as tough as I’ve ever known it,” Davies said. “I just think the overall week, it just wore me down, and then the heat today.”

McGill, who earned a spot in next year’s U.S. Women’s Open at Pebble Beach, didn’t even know she was about to win when she walked up to tap in a bogey putt on 18. Sorenstam stopped her.

“She goes, ‘No, no, no, mark,’” McGill said. ”I’m like, ‘Why? I’m this far.’ She goes, ‘You’re going to win.’ I was like, ‘What?’ I really had no idea.”

She could finally relax.

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