Gole and White secure Senior Amateur honours at Saunton
Todd White and Nadene Gole were crowned champions in the R&A Men’s and Women’s Senior Amateur championships at Saunton, where two pieces of golfing history were made.
Gole became the first Australian to win the women’s championship, while men’s champion Todd White joined a select group as winners of the R&A Men’s Senior Amateur and US Senior Amateur.
Both players had to put up strong fights to defy the respective 2023 champions. American White pipped defending champion Brent Paterson by a shot, while Gole defeated last year’s winner Jackie Foster at the second hole of a sudden death play-off.
White was making his debut in the championship. It was Gole’s second appearance after finishing runner-up to Foster at Woodhall Spa last year.
Tough test of golf
Saunton provided the ultimate test for the world’s best senior men and women. White won the men’s trophy with a seven-over-par 291 to pip New Zealander Paterson. Northern Ireland’s David Mulholland, runner up in 2021, was third on nine-over. Englishman John Kemp, second last year, and 2021 champion Gene Elliott shared fourth on 10-over.
Gole won with an 18-over-par 311 total, but said that tally came with a proviso.
“If anyone looks at the scores then just disregard them because this is the hardest golf course I’ve ever played,” she said.
“I think I was lying when I said the rough was knee high: it’s actually waist high in many places! I only hit three or four bad shots all week and I took a couple of triple bogeys – I started with triple today – but I just kept hanging in there.”
It looked as if the Victoria Golf Club member would come up just short once again. She was two shots off the lead when she finished, only to find herself in a play-off when Foster doubled bogeyed the 72nd hole.
Both players made bogey down the first playoff hole, the first. Gole split the fairway with her tee shot on the second extra hole, the 18th, while Foster pushed her tee shot 50 yards wide of the fairway into a horrible lie. Her second shot found long grass and she conceded the title when she couldn’t find her ball.
Biggest of wins
“I was with Jackie last year so I know what it’s like to lose,” Gole said. “She’s a great player and for me to come on top this year is in many ways one of my biggest wins in golf. The fact no Australian had ever won it was on my radar and was a huge driver in me coming over again, because it’s a long way to travel. It’s a thrill, and to share it with my husband Sam makes it an even bigger thrill. I also had a lot of people back at my golf club who have supported me to come over here the last two years. I owe them a huge thanks.
“It’s unbelievable. What a week.”
White joins countrymen Dale Moray (1985), William Shean Jr (1999), Kemp Richardson (2001, 2004) Paul Simson (2008, 2010), Chip Lutz (2011, 2012, 2016), Patrick Tallent (2015) and Elliott (2021) in a select group of players to have won the US Senior and Senior Amateur championships. It’s a fitting accomplishment considering White teaches history back in his hometown of Spartanburg, South Carolina.
“That’s some rather nice company to join,” said White, who returned a two-under par closing 69.
Difficult scoring conditions
He was the only player in the field to return two sub-70 scores, having opened with a 68. Indeed, his were two of only four sub-70 scores recorded all week.
The 56-year-old’s performance was all the more impressive considering he was making his links golf debut. White, who will play in the Senior Open presented by Rolex at Carnoustie in two weeks’ time, is making his first trip to Europe along with wife Sherri, who caddied for him this week.
“It was a team effort out there because her companionship, our conversations, allowed me not to get caught up in the moment. It helped me relax. I couldn’t have done it without her.
“I have had a little experience back home playing courses like Chambers Bay where you often have to run the ball into greens, but nothing like this week. Saunton is just a superb golf course.
Winning is obviously a thrill but, as I was telling Sherri, whatever happened this week was always going to be a fabulous experience.”