Australian Nadene Gole wins U.S. Women's Senior Amateur at Broadmoor Golf Club
Nadene Gole poses with the championship trophy after winning the 2024 U.S. Senior Women's Amateur at Broadmoor Golf Club in Seattle, Wash. on Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. (Steven Gibbons / USGA)
SEATTLE - Australian Nadene Gole won the 2024 U.S. Senior Women's Amateur at Broadmoor Golf Club with a 3 and 2 victory over Canadian Shelly Stouffer.
Gole, 56, also won the R&A Senior Women's Amateur at Saunton Golf Club in England. She is the highest-ranked senior in the Women's World Amateur Golf Ranking at 116th in the world.
"It's amazing. It really is," Gole said, via Julia Pine of the USGA. "It probably will not sink in for a while. I'm happy to be taking it back to Australia, I really am. I've just taken an R&A trophy back there, so hopefully it grows the sport and people are inspired by it and have a bit more fun with the game."
Gole was competing in just her second USGA championship after reaching the quarterfinals of last year's U.S. Senior Women's Amateur at Troon Country Club in Scottsdale, Ariz., losing to eventual champion Sarah Gallagher.
Stouffer earned medalist honors in the stroke play portion of the event this week with Gole and Brenda Corrie Kuehn finishing a shot back. They would ultimately all three make it to the semifinals alongside Ellen Port, who owns seven USGA titles including three U.S. Senior Women's Amateurs, and four U.S. Women's Mid-Amateurs.
Gole took a 3 up lead through 10 holes in her semifinal match with Corrie Kuehn, but Corrie Kuhen tied the match on the 17th hole as the match needed extra holes to earn a spot in the final. Gole birdied the first playoff hole to advance to the final against Stouffer, who earned a 2 and 1 victory over Port to advance.
Gole never trailed in the championship match, taking a 2 up lead on the seventh hole. Stouffer made birdie on the 9th, and par on the 10th to draw back level with Gole.
"It was a great week," Stouffer said, via the USGA. "It's awesome just to get in the finals. I'm very proud of myself. I'm not really disappointed. How do you be disappointed, really? I gave it my best effort, and it wasn't good enough today."
A birdie on the par 4 12th restored the lead for Gole. A par on the par 3 14th was enough to push the lead to 2 up, and a birdie on the par 5 15th gave Gole a commanding lead as holes ran out for Stouffer. Matching bogeys on the par 4 16th was enough to wrap up the title for Gole.
"For me, I just go and play golf," Gole said. "I knew I was playing really tough competitors yesterday and today, and every match, I always have respect for who I play. But I just go and try to play golf the best I can."
The title caps a stellar 2024 season for Gole as she's won the Victorian Senior Amateur, South Australia Senior Amateur, R&A Women’s Senior Amateur, New Zealand Senior Amateur, Tasmanian Senior Amateur, and U.S. Women's Senior Amateur.
Nadene Gole tees off on the 16th hole during the finals of the 2024 U.S. Senior Women's Amateur at Broadmoor Golf Club in Seattle, Wash. on Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. (Steven Gibbons / USGA)