PORTLAND, Ore. — Judith Kyrinis won the first all-Canadian final in USGA history, beating Terrill Samuel 4 and 3 on Thursday in the U.S. Senior Women's Amateur at Waverley Country Club.
"It's very special, very surreal," said the 53-year-old Kyrinis, a registered nurse and mother of three in suburban Toronto. "I don't really believe that I've won yet."
Kyrinis joined Gayle Borthwick (1996 and 1998) and Marlene Stewart Streit (2003) as the only Canadian champions in the event for players 50 and over.
The 56-year-old Samuel is a teacher in the Toronto area.
Kyrinis was the U.S. Senior Women's Amateur runner-up three years ago at Hollywood Golf Club in Deal, N.J., losing 1 down to Joan Higgins.
Several of the nine Canadians in the field stayed to watch the final, including 2005 U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur champion Mary Ann Hayward, the most recent USGA champion from Canada and a quarter-finalist this year.
"I'm just so happy for Judith," said Hayward. "She's worked so hard. We flew down and watched her when she made the final in New Jersey, and I'm just so happy for her."
Three years after coming up just short, Kyrinis never trailed in this year's championship match.
The Associated Press