The Peter Jackson Classic
The main event of the 1981 season was the $200,000 Peter Jackson LPGA Classic. To host a successful major golf tournament requires a great deal of advance planning, many volunteer hours and the cooperation of the entire membership. Summerlea members supported this undertaking with great enthusiasm. Brian McGuigan was appointed Chairman of the Peter Jackson Classic. Committees were formed to plan and organize all aspects of the event. Some changes were made in the clubhouse and grounds, and arrangements were made for members to play at other courses during the week that Summerlea would be closed.
In order to maintain easy communication and crowd control for the event, the front nines of both courses would be adapted to an 18-hole course. The front nine of Cascades was the first nine and the front nine of Dorion became the second nine. The practice area was turned into a very large parking lot.
The week of the tournament was clear, sunny and hot; temperatures exceeded 90F by the weekend. Golfers, volunteers and the galleries had to be kept well supplied with liquids and the medical department had to cope with many heat-related problems. The Pro-Am on Wednesday, July 1 included local sports celebrities Guy Lafleur, Gary Carter, Henri Richard and Sam Etcheverry.
On Thursday, July 2 the first round began on the 6,287-yard course. The field consisted of 107 women including defending champion Pat Bradley. Other well-known golfers included Nancy Lopez, Jan Stephenson, Donna Caponi, Joanne Carner, Beth Daniel, Amy Alcott and Canadians Sandra Post and Cathy Sherk. Other Canadians, playing in the amateur category included; Summerlea’s Michelle Guilbault, who had recently become the first Quebec lady golfer to earn an All-American collegiate rating, Mary Ann Hayward of Whitlock, Prince Rupert’s Lisa Young and Toronto’s Karen Mundinger, Barbara Bunkowsky and Marlene Stewart Streit. After the first two rounds the cut was made to the 70 low players, which included Sandra Post and Cathy Sherk.
The end of the first round saw the lead shared by Sandra Haynie and Janet Coles, both shooting four under-par 68. One shot behind were Pat Bradley, Jan Stephenson, Marlene Hagge and rookie Rosey Bartlett.
Friday, attacking the Summerlea course, defending champion Pat Bradley and Jan Stephenson both came in with six-under-par 66, tying for the lead at 135 after the first two rounds of play. Crowd favourites Nancy Lopez, Donna Caponi, Patty Sheehan and Mary Dwyer stood at two-under par 142.
Bradley and Stephenson matched scores again on Saturday, resulting in a great final round of golf on a very hot Sunday. Co-leaders Bradley and Stephenson played in a threesome with Nancy Lopez, whose four-under-par 68 the previous day suddenly put her in very strong contention. On the last 485-yard par 5 hole, Lopez put her second shot into a sand trap. Needing a birdie to take the lead and perhaps force a playoff, she blasted to within 12 feet of the hole but missed the putt, leaving her nine under par for the tournament. Close behind came Stephenson, needing a par, and Bradley, needing a birdie to stay at the same total. Stephenson was short but her approach shot landed within 12 feet of the hole. Bradley barely missed an eagle but got a birdie to finish at nine under, putting the pressure on Stephenson who had to sink her putt to win. Stroking the ball, “exactly like I wanted to do it,” Stephenson dropped her putt to win her first major tournament, a dramatic ending to a great exhibition of golf. Jan Stephenson was elated with her win, extra special as both her parents from Australia were present. Her father had caddied for her throughout the week.
A vote of thanks was extended to the volunteers who had turned out in great numbers from Summerlea and many local golf clubs.
Estimated attendance for the four days was 25,000.
Marion Dunn