Higgins Becomes Oldest Winner of Women's Mid-Amateur

Joan Higgins, 52, of Glendora, Calif., beat Lynn Simmons of Phoenix, Ariz., 1 up, Thursday to become the oldest winner of the U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur Championship. With the victory, Higgins replaces Carol Semple Thompson, who won the championship at age 48 in 1997.

"I'm still in shock," said Higgins, a quarterfinalist in 2007. "I really am. I just can't believe it. Last night in bed I was tossing and turning all night, saying, 'You could be a national champion, don't think about it, don't think about it because it's probably not going to happen. She's probably going to go out and clean your clock.' "

Higgins won the first hole and never trailed in the 18-hole match at Barton Hills Country Club, a 6,189-yard, par-72 Donald Ross design in Ann Arbor, Mich., that also hosted the 1998 U.S. Women's Amateur.

The match was all square through nine holes but Higgins was steady on the inward nine, missing just one green. "I knew I had my work cut out for me," said Simmons, 40. "She doesn't make a lot of mistakes."

The champion received a gold medal and custody of the Mildred Gardiner Prunaret Trophy for the next year as well as a 10-year exemption from qualifying. All quarterfinalists are exempt from qualifying for the 2009 Women's Mid-Amateur at Golden Hills Golf and Turf Club in Ocala, Fla., October 3-8.

The above article is courtesy of the USGA.