Klasse Wins 3rd Straight Women's Am Title by 9

FIFTY LAKES -- Leigh Klasse won her third Minnesota Women's State Senior Amateur Championship in a row on Wednesday. While she was at it, she virtually locked up her third consecutive MGA Senior Women's Player of the Year Award. 

The 52-year-old Klasse (she'll turn 53 on Sept. 22) shot the low round of the tournament, a 71, and completed 36 holes at Golden Eagle Golf Club with an aggregate score of 148. 

Claudia Pilot, who has been battling tendinitis all summer, came back from a first-round 81 with a 76. The resulting 157 was good for second place. Pilot, a former two-time Women's Senior Am champ, has bee the runner-up to Klasse twice in three years. 

Mary Flynn started the day tied with Pilot and shot a 78, which put her at 159, in third place. 

Brenda Williams, who was tied with Klasse for first place after the opening round, labored mightily on Wednesday but could do no better than an 85, which put her in a tie for fourth at 162, along with Luanne Cortesi. Cortesi closed with an 84. 

In a span of a little more than a month, Klasse has won the State Senior Publinx, the MWGA State Match Play (Senior Division) and the Women's Am. She has 450 MGA Player Points, or roughly tiwce as many as Williams, who is second in the points race with 244.5. Pilot is third with 224.5.

Klasse, Pilot and Williams will all be leaving Thursday for Hershey, Pa., where they will be playing the U.S. Senior Women's Amateur at Hershey Country Club. That tournament starts Saturday.  

MINNESOTA WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION

State Women's Senior Amateur

At Golden Eagle Golf Club

Fifty Lakes

Final results

1. Leigh Klasse                    77-71--148

2. Claudia Pilot                    81-76--157

3. Mary Flynn                        81-78--159

T4. Brenda Williams           77-85--162

T4. Luanne Cortesi             78-84--162 

T6. Ellie Layton                    83-81--164

T6. Alison Hurley                 82-82--164

8. Jo-Ann Lindsay               80-86--166

9. Kathy Hubert-Wyss         86-83--169

10. Bernie Brown                 90-84--174