19-Year-Old Brenda Hall Wins Area Women’s Golf Tournament

Youth was served during the latest saga of SAWGA.

Just five days shy of her 20th birthday, Brenda Hall, playing out of Liberty Lake, won the 1997 Spokane Area Women’s Golfing Association City Tournament.

Hall is believed to be the youngest winner of the tournament, which dates back some 70 years.

Bouyed by a second-round 72 at Indian Canyon, Hall recorded a three-round total of 240. That was a stroke better than Megan Thrash of Downriver, and five up on Liberty Lake teammate Patty Aunan.

The SAWGA championship, played on three courses - Spokane Country Club, Indian Canyon and Hangman Valley - concluded last Thursday. Hall’s birthday was Tuesday.

“I played two really bad rounds and one really good one,” said Hall, of her performance. “The good one really helped a lot.”

It enabled her to hold off Thrash, who is just one year older than Hall.

Rounds of 85 at Spokane C.C. and 83 at Hangman surrounded her career competitive-best Indian Canyon score.

“Mentally, I love the course,” Hall said. “Driving into the parking lot I kind of knew I was going to play good.”

Although the scenic course is narrow and tree-lined, Hall’s shot-making was superb.

“When you come in with the attitude you feel you can play well, you usually do,” she said. “If you hate the course, you don’t.”

Hall found the greens too fast at the country club and played tight at Hangman while protecting a two-stroke lead over defending champion and ultimate fourth-place finisher Suzi Stone.

“I was a head case,” Hall said. “I was really nervous because I was winning, and shot terrible.”

Hall is an East Valley High School graduate who will be a junior at Eastern Washington University.

She was a three-time state qualifier for the Knights after taking up golf as a high school freshman. She finished third in state her senior year, then played a year for the University of Idaho before transferring to Eastern.

“I was homesick and wanted to come home,” said Hall.

She finished second in the EWU tournament as a Vandal freshman and fourth in the Big Sky championship. Last summer she participated in the Women’s National Public Links Tournament.

In October she placed sixth in the Big Sky for the fourth-place Eagle women with a best round of 76.

An ankle sprain during a practice round prevented her from playing this spring.

It hasn’t stopped her this summer, however. Hall has competed well in local tournaments and since high school has lowered her handicap from a nine to a five.

“I’m more consistent right now, although my short game needs to be improved,” she said.

Her play in the city tournament was anything but consistent, but it was good enough to win.

“It’s really good competition and a fun organization to play in,” said Hall. “Mostly you do it just to say you’re the city champion.”

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo