FALMOUTH, Massachusetts (September 2, 2025) – The 78th Massachusetts Women’s Senior Amateur Championship brought a near-identical top three to the leaderboard on Wednesday afternoon at the Cape Club as last year. Tara Connelly (The Kittansett Club), grabbing second place in her debut appearance in 2024, pulled away from the field on the 15th hole Wednesday to secure her first Senior Women’s Amateur win. Pam Kuong (Charles River Country Club) and Jayne Pardus (Boston Golf Club) grabbing second and third.
“I hadn’t really made any putts until 15, I finally made one,” Connelly said. “They have been skating over the edge, and I had to keep telling myself, it’ll drop when it needs to.”
After pulling two strokes ahead on 15, Connelly continued her lead through the remainder of the back nine on Kuong, and with a barely missed up-and-down for par, won the Championship division by one stroke.
“It feels great, the course was in beautiful shape and we had two perfect weather days,” Connelly said. “It’s visually intimidating off the tee, so I knew I was under pressure, and I feel good about things.”
In the last tee time of the day, Connelly was joined by Kuong and Danielle Lee (Renaissance), the Legends winner in the Championship division. Sitting at 1-under-par until the 13th hole, Kuong set the pace and energy for the group.
“I think we fed off of Pam’s good play, trying to keep things going,” Connelly said. “Watching her putt is an inspiration, and I was just trying to keep level-headed and steady.”
Also grabbing her first ever win in the Tournament Division, and Legends Tournament Division, was Diane Carter (Salem Country Club), who took advantage of the gap at the top of the leaderboard on her Wednesday back nine. “Ten out of ten camaraderie, friends, and competition, it was a great group of women and fun golf all around,” Carter said.
Tied for first with Connie Hayton (Sagamore Springs Golf Club) and Jenny Ceppi (Salem Country Club) after day one, Carter didn’t start Wednesday in first, but stayed steady throughout her round, although her strongest competitors were playing with her.
“I definitely just tried to mind my own game, and I obviously knew what they were doing, but to play the golf course is all you can do,” Carter said. “And that was my best focused round in a while.”
Both members at Salem Country Club, Carter and Ceppi are not rookies to playing together. In 2021, Ceppi defeated Carter in the Salem Country Club Championship, and they meet on the golf course often.
“We play a lot of golf together,” Carter said. “We’re rooting for each other and hoping, and we’re very relaxed, I think everyone plays their best golf when they’re having fun.”
The trophy for the Legends Tournament Division – Net found a new owner, Val Casella (Beverly Golf & Tennis Club), and taking home the trophy for the Tournament Division – Net, was Lynn Wahlquist (Fairway Ladies of Franklin Park).
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