News - Greater Toronto Area Golf Association

Samuel putts like a pro to win Star Women's Amateur

Defeats Lapointe 3 and 2 in final Year off to practise

pays dividends

MICHAEL CLARKSON

SPORTS REPORTER

It was tough to tell what Terrill Samuel was thinking or feeling yesterday in the final of the Toronto Star Women's Amateur at St. George's Golf and Country Club.

When she struggled with her tee shots, she didn't show much frustration. When she drained several key putts on the fast greens, she didn't pump her fist or do a little dance.

But when Samuel finally defeated Mary Ann Lapointe of North Halton 3 and 2 in match play for the GTA championship, she warmly hugged her friends and fellow members of Weston Golf and Country Club who had made up much of her gallery.

It was plain to tell at that moment that this meant nearly as much to her as winning the Ontario Amateur championship 15 years ago.

"Terrill is a gentle person, but she's determined," said her mother Cam, who caddied for her. "She loves golf and guts it out."

Indeed, Samuel could have choked early in the match when her driver was letting her down against the favoured Lapointe, a former Canadian champion who captured the 2001 Star tournament.

But Samuel recovered nicely with her second shots and, especially, with her putter.

Down by one hole, the 43-year-old sank a clutch 15-footer to halve the third hole, then birdied No.4 from 16 feet to square the match.

Following another clutch eight-footer for par on No.5, Samuel took the lead for good on No.7, again from eight feet.

"This was the first round of the tournament that I hit the ball terrible off the tee," Samuel said. "Mary Ann was better off the tee than I was, but her second shots weren't as good. I was pretty nervous, but I made some good up and downs and some crucial putts."

As her driver faltered, Samuel, a computer sciences teacher at C.W. Jefferys Collegiate, kept reminding herself to slow her swing down and make it flatter.

The usually consistent Lapointe had some of her own problems, notably two bad fairway shots, including No.14 when she plunked her ball into a creek after Samuel had already taken a penalty stroke from behind trees.

The hole was halved and the 44-year-old Lapointe had missed her chance.

"Those fairway shots hurt and I didn't make enough birdies," Lapointe said. "She played solid. I always knew her ball striking was good, but she putted better than normal. Sometimes, that's her weakness. When she putts like that, she's hard to beat."

Samuel grew up in Burlington and Toronto and was a competitive swimmer for the University of Toronto, following her brother Craig, who was on the Canadian national team.

"I think swimming taught me that it takes hard work to win," the soft-spoken Samuel said. "And it gave me discipline."

Samuel took this year off work and the extra practice time helped her prepare for this event.

In the morning semifinals, Samuel defeated Christina Yoon of Blue Springs 7 and 5, while Lapointe edged long-time rival Judith Allan-Kyrinis of Thornhill 2 and 1.

In the consolation final, Lauren Demerling of Glendale tallied seven birdies to bury Ashley Davis of Scarboro 8 and 7.