Maggie Scott playing for fun, wins Signal tourney

photo Maggie Scott, of Charleston, Tenn., practices her putt in 2011 at the Cleveland Country Club on Cleveland, Tenn.

Maggie Scott put so much pressure on herself last summer leading up to the U.S. Senior Women's Amateur that she couldn't enjoy playing golf.

After all, the one USGA championship she could win was being held at The Honors Course. The Charleston, Tenn., resident could sleep in her own bed and have friends and family follow her rounds.

Scott accomplished her first goal of reaching match play last September, but she lost in the first round of match play.

She's taken a different approach since then.

"I'm trying to play and have fun instead of playing and thinking," said Scott, a Cleveland Country Club member. "I did that today. We played for quarters and I actually won a quarter today."

She won more than 25 cents -- and on her 63rd birthday and 37th wedding anniversary -- Thursday at Signal Mountain Golf and Country Club.

Scott shot a 6-over-par 77 to win the Signal Mountain Ladies Invitational. She topped recent high school graduate Sarah Dolmovich by one stroke.

She beat a field of local stalwarts -- including Betty Probasco, Georgia McCravey, Debbie Durham and Linda Mullins -- by more than that.

"So many times my birthday and anniversary has fallen during the State Am, so I've been able to play golf on that day quite a bit," said Scott, who made three birdies Thursday, including a chip-in on No. 9. "But I can't say that I've ever won a tournament on this day."

Scott said she has similar goals this summer, especially after reaching the championship flight of the state amateur playing against girls young enough to be her granddaughters.

"Somebody asked me if I was going up there to chaperone or going up there to play," Scott joked.

She will play in a handful of Tennessee Golf Association events later this year and attempt to qualify for the Senior Women's Open from Chattanooga Golf and Country Club -- her favorite area course besides her home club.

"I never thought of myself as a competitive person, but I want to play and have fun," Scott said. "Last year was my worst year in terms of having fun. So this year I'm going to enjoy golf and enjoy the people."

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