Lori Schlicher Rallies, Wins Michigan Women’s Senior Amateur

Lori Schlicher of Lewiston has let victory slip through her fingers before, but this time she got a good grip on it and won the 19th Michigan Women’s Senior Amateur Championship at Sugar Springs Golf Club. 

Schlicher, who recently turned 62, rallied from a 2-down deficit and beat defending champion and three-time winner Julie Massa of Pentwater 1-up in the final match to win a GAM state tournament for the first time. 

“I feel like the whole difference in my game is that I can make putts now and before I struggled with my putter, well, for my whole life,” she said after accepting the Jean Murray Trophy. “Happy birthday to me. It’s nice to win. I always thought I could do it.” 

Massa won the first two holes of the match and maintained at least a 1-up lead through 15 holes, before Schlicher’s rally started. She went birdie-birdie to tie the match then took a 1-up lead at 17 with a par when Massa made bogey.