The SLWGA Match Play Championship, played over several days, follows a hole-by-hole format in which 2 players square off with a point awarded for each hole won. The player winning the most holes for the round is declared the winner of the match.
This year, 12 ladies competed in Round One. Four players re-ceived a bye for this round, granting them automatic advancement to the next round. The winners of Round One and the players who took a bye competed in the second round, which decided the semi-finalists.
In the semi-final, Janet Sandeen and Judy Jones engaged in a fierce battle across all 18 holes. Janet and Judy re-mained closely matched until Judy faltered on holes six and nine when she missed two par putts. She began the back nine two holes down, but was able to tie the score by hole 15 and then took the lead after the 16th hole. Janet won hole 17 to tie the score, so it came down to hole 18. On the 18th green, Judy putted first and made a bogey. Janet, needing only to sink a par putt to win, cleanly sank it, securing her win of the hole and the match.
While Judy and Janet battled it out, Peggy Thomas and Colleen McCoy were competing in their semifinal match. This pairing was equally competitive and decided on the last hole. Both ladies brought strong performances, with Colleen scoring an 86, including one birdie, while Peggy shot an 83 with two birdies to win the match one up.
The final match between Janet Sandeen and Peggy Thomas was closely fought on Thursday, July 27. By the end of the front nine, Janet held a four-hole advantage. However, Peggy regained her footing, and after hole 14 found herself only one hole behind. But an unfortunate penalty cost Peggy hole 15.