Jean Smith

Jean Smith, of Boise, Idaho, who had led after the first two rounds of the 1994 USGA Senior Women's Amateur before faltering the final day, put together three excellent rounds this year to win the 34th Senior Women's Amateur played at Somerset Country Club, in Mendota Heights, Minn. With this event, Minnesota becomes the first state to serve as the host site of all 13 USGA national championships.

Smith, who runs a shop at Shadow Valley Golf Course located just outside of Boise, shies away from competing in many national events because of her desir eto spend time with her family and at her job. This decision hasn't kept her from winning many competitions in her home region, however, especially the Idaho Women's Amateur, which she has captured six times.

The mature trees and gusting winds of Somerset made it a demanding layout, and it played similarly to the way it did back in 1956 when the last USGA championship, the USGA Senior Amateur, was contested at the course. A particularly difficult stretch of four holes began at the 13th, and played to a par of 5-4-5-5.

This area spelled doom for most contestants. But Smith navigated these four holes and the final two with a cumulative total of only two over par. This prowess helped carry her to her first victory in the only USGA amateur championship contested solely at stroke play.

Defending champion Marlene Streit of Canada supplied Smith with her closest competition, finishing one stroke back at 229. Other former champions placing near the top of the leader board included: four-time winner Anne Sander, Tish Preuss, and Rosemary Thompson.