Defending champ wants to keep N. Ky. Women’s Amateur traveling trophy at home

By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter

The championship trophy for the Northern Kentucky Women’s Amateur golf tournament got a makeover last week courtesy of defending champion Lori Eberle.

Eberle had the wood base varnished and the silver cup polished on the traveling trophy to make it an even more attractive prize for the 48 golfers entered in this year’s tournament to be played Monday and Tuesday at Eagle Creek Country Club in Crittenden.

Of course, Eberle is going to do everything in her power to take the refurbished trophy back home with her. She has won the Amateur eight times over the last 30 years, so she’s used to having it around.

“It’s kind of been a real passion for me,” she said. “For some reason, the Amateur is something I’ve always taken so much pride in winning. I just love it so much.”

Eberle won her first Amateur title when she was a 19-year-old college student. She’s now a 49-year-old teacher and girls’ golf coach at Beechwood High School. Her playing time is pretty much limited to the summer months now. She said the first time she got to play at Eagle Creek this year was on Friday.

“I did shoot a 77, which is my best round all year, but I’m not sure if that’s any indication how I’ll play,” she said. “Hopefully, I’m peaking at the right time for the Amateur, but we’ll see.”

The two-day tournament format is 36 holes of stroke play. After Monday’s first round, the field will be divided into flights based on scores. The top eight scorers will compete in the 18-hole championship flight final on Tuesday. The golfer with the lowest 36-hole total in that flight will receive the traveling trophy.

Eberle broke a trend with her victory in last year’s Amateur. The eight previous champions were college-age golfers who usually have much more time to devote to the game than the older women who enter the tournament.

One of the top contenders in this year’s field is Kristen Smith, a senior on the Northern Kentucky University women’s golf team. She won the 2012 Amateur title and tied for third place last year. Other young golfers with low handicaps who will be in the lead foursome on Monday are Nadine Inness and Kathy Dodd.

“The amateur always has some excellent young college players, which I love to see,” Eberle said. “They asked me if I wanted to tee off on Monday with some other 9 handicap golfers like me or if I wanted to tee off first. And I thought, ‘You know what, it would be an honor to tee off with those young players,’ so I’m going off first.”

The defending champion said her 15-year-old daughter, Loren Brook Eberle, asked to be her caddy for the opening round of the Amateur on Monday. Her support will provide an added incentive for mom to win an unprecedented ninth Amateur title.

“Of course, I’m going to play my heart out as usual and have fun, but I am realistic,” Eberle said. “I enjoy watching these young girls play. They remind me of myself when I was young. I hung my whole heart on (golf) when I was that age. Now, I’m blessed with a family and a career, and I’m coaching young golfers myself.”