While playing in the final round of the Cayuga County Women's District Tournament, defending champion Kathy Kusniernczyk turned to her companion in the final pairing, Sue Cunliffe.
“You're just like steady eddie,” she said.
How appropriate.
“I'm very boring,” Cunliffe said of her golf style. “I don't make any spectacular shots, but I just stay right down the middle.”
Boring might sound like an insult, but on a golf course it can be the most effective way to win - and Cunliffe proved it Sunday, walking away from Dutch Hollow Country Club with the District trophy in her hands for the sixth time, after a round of 81 for a two-stroke victory.
“I was just happy to be able to do it again,” said Cunliffe, whose last District win was in 2001.
“We all don't see each other all the time because we play at different clubs. But I enjoy the competition. It's nerve-wracking, but I enjoy it.”
Cunliffe and Kusniernczyk were tied after Saturday's round at Owasco Country Club, shooting matching 90s. She held a four-stroke lead after nine holes Sunday but had some sand trouble on the later holes before sinking a long par putt on No. 18 to seal the victory.
“The last few years she's always been able to bear me,” Cunliffe said of Kusniernczyk. “I get a little more nervous than she does. I just kept thinking, ‘I got to stay in the middle and try to stay steady.'”
But winning is certainly nothing new to her.
In the beginning of the month, Cunliffe took first place in the Women's Finger Lakes Seniors Tournament. The competition, held at Bath Country Club draws around 100 golfers from all over the Finger Lakes region, but none of them could top the 81 Cunliffe carded that day.
She'll go for another victory - her third tournament win in August - when she heads to Cedar Lakes Golf Course for the state golf tournament, which begins today. Last year, she won her age bracket (60-64) but isn't sure she'll be able to defend her crown.
“We got the pairings in the mail, and it looks like a lot of good players will be there,” Cunliffe said. “I don't know if I will (repeat), but it'll be exciting.”
But as summer winds down, so will the competition. Or will it?
Cunliffe also keeps busy with tennis - and she's just as good with a racquet as she is with a club. In June she won in the Empire State Senior Games in mixed doubles with Walt Schoonmaker and in doubles with Jean Poole, both of Auburn.
Cunliffe grew up playing tennis and coached the game at Auburn High School for a number of years, before making the switch to golf.
“It seemed like more people were playing golf and it was easier to find matches,” Cunliffe said. “Tennis has kind of gone downhill. Golf seemed like the way to go.”
Now she gets the best of both worlds. She spends her summers playing golf - about four times a week - and her winters playing tennis.
That way, all year round she can play with that same, “boring” style: winning.
How appropriate.
“I'm very boring,” Cunliffe said of her golf style. “I don't make any spectacular shots, but I just stay right down the middle.”
Boring might sound like an insult, but on a golf course it can be the most effective way to win - and Cunliffe proved it Sunday, walking away from Dutch Hollow Country Club with the District trophy in her hands for the sixth time, after a round of 81 for a two-stroke victory.
“I was just happy to be able to do it again,” said Cunliffe, whose last District win was in 2001.
“We all don't see each other all the time because we play at different clubs. But I enjoy the competition. It's nerve-wracking, but I enjoy it.”
Cunliffe and Kusniernczyk were tied after Saturday's round at Owasco Country Club, shooting matching 90s. She held a four-stroke lead after nine holes Sunday but had some sand trouble on the later holes before sinking a long par putt on No. 18 to seal the victory.
“The last few years she's always been able to bear me,” Cunliffe said of Kusniernczyk. “I get a little more nervous than she does. I just kept thinking, ‘I got to stay in the middle and try to stay steady.'”
But winning is certainly nothing new to her.
In the beginning of the month, Cunliffe took first place in the Women's Finger Lakes Seniors Tournament. The competition, held at Bath Country Club draws around 100 golfers from all over the Finger Lakes region, but none of them could top the 81 Cunliffe carded that day.
She'll go for another victory - her third tournament win in August - when she heads to Cedar Lakes Golf Course for the state golf tournament, which begins today. Last year, she won her age bracket (60-64) but isn't sure she'll be able to defend her crown.
“We got the pairings in the mail, and it looks like a lot of good players will be there,” Cunliffe said. “I don't know if I will (repeat), but it'll be exciting.”
But as summer winds down, so will the competition. Or will it?
Cunliffe also keeps busy with tennis - and she's just as good with a racquet as she is with a club. In June she won in the Empire State Senior Games in mixed doubles with Walt Schoonmaker and in doubles with Jean Poole, both of Auburn.
Cunliffe grew up playing tennis and coached the game at Auburn High School for a number of years, before making the switch to golf.
“It seemed like more people were playing golf and it was easier to find matches,” Cunliffe said. “Tennis has kind of gone downhill. Golf seemed like the way to go.”
Now she gets the best of both worlds. She spends her summers playing golf - about four times a week - and her winters playing tennis.
That way, all year round she can play with that same, “boring” style: winning.
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