Golf: Albright wins seventh straight club title

Richard Dunn

NEWPORT BEACH - Debbie Albright of Newport Beach Country Club

captured her seventh consecutive women’s club championship Friday, while

breaking club championship records for margin of victory (36 strokes) and

scoring (72-75-74-76--297).

“The party was over after 27 holes,” Newport Beach head professional

Paul Hahn said.

“It might be the first time anybody’s shot four rounds in the 70s.

It’s the first time she’s done it. That was kind of her big goal, to

shoot four rounds in the 70s, and I think she handled it pretty well.”

Albright, the course-record holder for women at 70, won the 2001 club

championship by a career-high 19 strokes after posting a four-round 305.

Albright finished ahead of runner-up Janice Sauter (84-85-80-84--333)

and third-place Nancy Curci (88-81-85-80--334). Marilyn Pope was fourth

and Brenda Parrott fifth.

“Debbie’s playing really well right now, and if she can keep this

consistency going, she’s going to be able to defend (her Tea Cup Classic

title this summer),” added Hahn, referring to the annual event for the

four women’s club champions in the Daily Pilot circulation.

Dee Dee White holds the club record for consecutive titles with nine

straight from 1967 through ’75 and is the club’s all-time leader in

career club titles with 17.

Albright, who finished second in the Tea Cup Classic in 1997, ’98 and

2000, won on her home course last year. She led the field after 13 holes

in the 18-hole Tea Cup and never looked back, carding a 6-over 78.

By winning her seventh straight Newport Beach Country Club women’s

title, Albright automatically qualified for Tea Cup Classic VI this

summer at Santa Ana Country Club (TBA). It is part of the Fletcher Jones

Motorcars/Daily Pilot Club Championship Series.

Olivia Slutzky (Big Canyon Country Club), Marianne Towersey (Santa

Ana) and first-time Tea Cup qualifier Akemi Khaiat (Mesa Verde Country

Club) will attempt to dethrone Albright in Tea Cup Classic VI.