By By Marty Stamper / EMG sports assistant
June 18, 2004
CHOCTAW Over the last dozen years, Greenwood's Cissye Gallagher has been the dominant force in amateur women's golf in Mississippi.
She added to that legacy Thursday at Dancing Rabbit Golf Club by winning a record 10th State Am championship, breaking a tie with Meridian's Lou Hart for the most titles.
Gallagher fended off any comeback hopes by Amanda Mathis to take a 5 and 4 win in Thursday morning's completion of Wednesday's semifinal match that was suspended by rain.
Gallagher then knocked off Pam Posey 7 and 5 in the finals of the 71st annual Mississippi Women's Golf Association tournament. Posey completed a rain-delayed 5 and 4 semifinal win over Jane Gatlin Thursday morning.
Over the last 12 years, Gallagher has won seven MWGA state titles and finished runner-up on at least two other occasions.
Jim Gallagher, who plays on the PGA Tour, hasn't caddied for his wife since the 1980s, Cissye said.
Each of her 10 titles have come on a different course.
Gallagher played on the LPGA Tour in 1990.
She quickly took the first hole against Posey with a par. Posey drew even with a birdie on No. 3, but Gallagher birdied the next two holes, including a long birdie putt on No. 5, to grab a two-up lead and was unyielding after that. She was even-par when the match ended on the 13th hole. Posey was 9-over.
Gallagher relentlessly closed the front nine with three pars, winning each of the holes to go five-up at the turn.
Gallagher struggled on Nos. 16, 17 and 18 in Monday's qualifying round as she double-bogeyed all three. She wouldn't see 17 or 18 in the four rounds of match play.
She acknowledged catching a few breaks in the bracket.
While the 10th title puts Gallagher atop the women's list in championships, she isn't likely to call herself the state's best female golfer.