Tui Selvaratnam Wins AWGA
2005 State Amateur Match Play Championship

By: Mary Ann Souter

After four grueling days of competition, the 76th Annual State Amateur Match Play Championship, sponsored by the Arizona Women’s Golf Association, is over. Playing at Los Caballeros in Wickenburg on May 24-27, a full field of 68 of Arizona’s top amateur women golfers contended for the title of State Match Play Champion, which, until today, was held by Donna Marden of Tucson.

Tui Selvaratnam, a member of Desert Forest WGA in Carefree, played the final match against Kelly Schaub, a member of TPC of Scottsdale WGA. Tui won the round 6 & 5. Tui has held several AWGA championships including: the 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2003 State Stroke Play Championships, the 2003 Short Course Championship and the 2004 Weekend Classic Championship.

An 18-hole stroke play Qualifying Round on Tuesday determined the low 16 players who entered the Championship Flight. By the end of Wednesday, eight winners of the first round of the Championship Flight remained. Thursday brought one round of match play, which narrowed the field to four outstanding players who stayed in the Championship Flight. With competition fierce, the Championship Flight was now composed of Tui Selvaratnam and her opponent, Teri Schlang and Cindy Pallatino and her opponent, Kelly Schaub. Thursday’s match of Tui Selvaratnam and Teri Schlang ended with Tui winning 3 & 2. Kelly Schaub won her match with Cindy Pallatino 2 & 1. Friday’s Championship match was scheduled as an 18-hole round played by winners, Tui Selvaratnam and Kelly Schaub. At the end of 13 holes, Tui won 6 & 5.