By Dan Manoyan, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Hartland – Moments after repeating as champion of the Wisconsin State Women’s Open, Carolyn Barnett-Howe said she was going to look into playing in the Illinois and Michigan State Opens, as well.

“I hear they are open (to outsiders), so I think I’ll look into playing in Illinois and Michigan,” Barnett-Howe said. “Why not try to pull off the tri-state trio?

“I’m 44 and I’m ready to play.”

That could be bad news for the Flatlanders and Yoopers. Barnett-Howe, a teaching pro at Irish Waters Golf Club who also runs a youth golf program in the Appleton area called “Swing Solutions,” added a 3-over-par 74 on Thursday to her 73 on Wednesday to run away with the title at Bristlecone Pines.

It was Barnett-Howe’s third state title and it seems to be getting easier. Her 147 total was five strokes better than Quit-Qui-Oc Golf Club professional Rachel Montaba and Hartland amateur Jessie Hauser, both at 152. Joellyn Crooks, who retired from the LPGA and competitive golf after suffering a shoulder injury last year, rebounded from her disappointing 81 on Wednesday with the low round of the tournament, a 72 on Thursday, to finish fourth at 153.

Barnett-Howe started the day a stroke ahead of Montaba and after 12 holes of head-to-head competition, they were still in that position. Montaba made up two strokes when she birdied 11 and Barnett-Howe made bogey at 12.

When Barnett-Howe flared her drive toward the out of bounds at 13, it appeared there would be even more momentum in Montaba’s favor. But a waste bunker saved Barnett-Howe from rolling out of bounds and she and Montaba both made bogeys on the hole.

“That was probably my poorest drive of the tournament,” Barnett-Howe said. “The adrenaline started to rush to my head when it looked like I was going out of bounds. To make a bogey there was like a gift.

“There could have been a huge swing there. Rachel is a great player and I have a lot of respect for her. I really didn’t feel comfortable with my lead all day.”

Well, at least not until the 16th hole. Trailing by two strokes heading into the 466-yard par-5 16th, Montaba took a gamble that cost her dearly.

Facing a 200-yard carry and 220 yards to the center of the green, Montaba gambled that she could carry the creek that protects the front of the green in two.

Instead, she dribbled her approach into the creek and made double-bogey 7 on the hole to fall four back with two holes to play.

“With three holes left and down two shots, I knew Carolyn wasn’t going to do anything stupid and she was in position to make a birdie there,” Montaba explained. “So, realistically, for me to have a chance, I had to go for it.”

“I had enough club to get over the water, but unfortunately it leaked on me. That’s my old nemesis. If I miss I usually miss to the right.”

Montaba made a bogey on the short but tricky 17th and when Barnett-Howe made par to go five up, she knew the title was hers.

Barnett-Howe played the 389-yard finishing hole conservatively, teeing off with her 3-wood, but still ended up in the steep, left green-side bunker

She hit a flier out of the trap but it caught the flag and dropped 5 feet from the cup, from where she made par. If the ball hadn’t caught the flag, she would have been well off the green.

“I got a lucky break there, but you need one of those every once in a while,” Barnett-Howe said.

“There are a lot of bad breaks in golf, so you have to get a good one once in a while,” Montaba said. “Even if she hadn’t hit the flag, Carolyn would have made a 5 anyhow.

“That’s the kind of player she is.”
State Open scores
Bristlecone Pines
Par 71; 6,015 yards
147 — Carolyn Barnett-Howe (73-74).152 — Rachel Montaha (74-78); Jessie Hauser (79-73).153 — Joellyn Crooks (81-72).154 — Sydney Moore (77-77); Andrea Nelson (75-79).157 — Katie Elliott (79-78).159 — Andrea Wieland (82-77).160 — Joyce Malison (81-79).161 — Melissa Martin (80-81).162 — Katie Falk (83-79).163 — Maggie Loney (81-82); Samara Kluever (86-77).164 — Nacheynah Green (78-86).165 — Ann Marie Sztukowski (79-86).166 — Rachel Roberg (82-84).167 — Lindsay Danielson (88-79).168 — Ellie Arkin (85-83).169 — Barb Casper (82-87).172 — Nicole Morse (86-86).174 — Amy Ranzen (88-86).175 — Lauren Brooks (92-83); Samantha Forster (89-86).176 — Analise Johnson (87-89); Morgan Heyman (89-87); Maureen Liddy (83-93).178 — Sarah Swanson (86-92).185 — Heather Herrick (97-88).186 — Elizabeth Warren (92-94).192 — Meagan Hayes (95-97).198 — Kallie Micklos (99-99).