ELYRIA — Suzi Spotelson’s 41 years on this planet still puts her many years away from AARP membership eligibility, but can anyone blame her for feeling like a chaperone at the Ohio Women’s Amateur Golf Tournament?
Certainly no one should blame her for feeling especially proud of  what she did against women half her age Thursday at Elyria Country Club.
“I told you I could hit it with these kids,” Spotelson said after advancing to the championship round with victories over a pair of college girls.
The big one for Spotelson came in her morning quarterfinal match, when she knocked off two-time defending champion Emma Jandel in 18 holes. Jandel is a junior at Ohio State University and the No. 1 player of the Buckeyes’ golf team.
Spotelson, a Canton resident, then reached the 36-hole championship by defeating Marianne Erb, a senior on the University of Cincinnati golf team, 4 and 3 in her afternoon match.
“I’d say I’m happy with how I’ve played here,” Spotelson said. “My putting has been pretty solid this week. My caddie has been reading the greens phenomenally.
“I didn’t think I could make it to the finals until this morning,” Spotelson added. “I didn’t even bring enough money this week to pay my caddie.”
The caddies will have to take an IOU. Spotelson will play Frederique Bruell of Shaker Heights, a junior on the Elon University golf team, this morning at 8:15 for the title.
Bruell beat Heather Arison 3 and 2 in the quarterfinals and downed Maddi Swaney 2 and 1 in the semifinal round.
Spotelson trailed Jandel, from Dayton, by one going to the 15th hole. She pulled even with a birdie on No. 15 to Jandel’s par. Spotelson added a birdie on No. 16 while Jandel made par. Both golfers bogeyed the final two holes.
Spotelson went up by two on Erb through the front nine. She took a three-hole lead on No. 12 and went up by four on No. 14 before closing out the match with a par on No. 15. Spotelson benefited from Erb’s poor chipping, in which she consistently overshot the pins.
“That was not her usual chipping performance, I’m sure,” Spotelson said. “You didn’t see her real game today.”
Spotelson and Bruell met in last year’s Ohio Amateur Tournament in Ashland.
“She killed me in the quarterfinals,” Bruell said. “I think it was 4 and 3.”
Bruell earned her chance for redemption by sinking a 3-foot putt on No. 17. She had given Swaney, a senior at Kent State University and a Marietta resident, an extra hole by missing a 4-foot birdie putt on the 16th.
“I made the putts,” Bruell said. “My short game was pretty good. My long shots were weak but my chipping and putting made up for it.”
Bruell has been playing sick through the tournament, which she began Monday by tying a course record (since broken) with a 69. She said she is awaiting test results for mononucleosis. She added that being ill has made her less nervous on the course.
“I just want to get through the round and go rest,” she said. “I’ve been taking naps, soaking in the tub, popping Advil like Dr. House pops Vicodin.”
The highlight of the Bruell-Swaney match was Swaney’s hole-in-one on No. 4. She used an 8-iron.
“I just didn’t putt very well,” Swaney said. “I gave her a lot of holes.”
One local golfer will be playing for a championship today. Laurel Friesen of Westlake defeated Lynn Grunkemeyer in 19 holes in a first flight semifinal Thursday. Friesen will play Erin Misheff today, with the two teeing off at 8:50.
Alexis Brent of Avon Lake lost her second flight semifinal match Thursday, 7 and 6 to Jenny King.

Championship flight

QUARTERFINAL ROUND: Suzi Spotelson def. Emma Jandel, 1 up; Marianne Erb def. Mary Ann Bierman, 4 and 3; Maddi Swaney def. Gina Besozzi, 1 up; Frederique Bruell def. Heather Arison, 3 and 2.
SEMIFINAL ROUND: Spotelson def. Erb, 4 and 3; Bruell def. Swaney, 2 and 1.
CHAMPIONSHIP PAIRING: Spotelson vs. Bruell, 8:15.

First flight

SEMIFINAL ROUND: Laurel Friesen def. Lynn Grunkemeyer, 19 holes; Erin Misheff def. Annie Miles, 5 and 4.
CHAMPIONSHIP PAIRING: Friesen vs. Misheff, 8:50.

Second flight

SEMIFINAL ROUND: Christina Thomas def. Rachel Nelson, 5 and 4; Jenny King def. Alexis Brent, 7 and 6.
CHAMPIONSHIP PAIRING: Thomas vs. King, 8:30.

Third flight

SEMIFINAL ROUND: Maureen Carey def. Lauren Bliwas, 2 up; Connie Russell def. Andrea Buccilla, default.
CHAMPIONSHIP PAIRING: Carey vs. Russell, 9:10.
 

 

 

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