Dedicated to the citizens of Mason County, Washington since 1886
Dedicated to the citizens of Mason County, Washington since 1886
Allyn's Janice Jones poses for a photo after winning the U.S. Women's Amateur Master 60+ Championship in Madison, Wisconsin, on July 3.
Mason County Disc Golf Club vice president Janice Jones won the women's Amateur Master 60+ Championship tournament at the 2022 Pro Disc Golf Association U.S. Championships on June 30 to July 3 in Madison, Wisconsin.
Jones, 64, won with a score of +14, four shots better than second-place Janet Cranshaw.
"I'm thrilled. In the last year, I think I've worked very hard, deliberately, to put myself in that position," Jones told the Journal.
Jones said she moved back to the state about a year ago after living in Utah for about 20 years. She's been playing disc golf for the past four years and has been playing three times a week and since the beginning of the new year, she tries to sink 100 putts per day.
"I would say my first tournament was in May 2018. That's what really got me hooked was the women's global event," Jones said. "The event this year is Aug. 6 but for the first time, I played with a group of women and having been a former athletic director, it was so much fun. The women were great, there were prizes, and just like any sport, you can find a way to compete not only with a group of people, but with yourself. Improvement can be made along the way."
She said she loves disc golf and started playing because of the community. She wanted to join the Mason County Disc Golf Club because she likes the Shelton Springs course, to give back to the community and give a voice to women's disc golfers.
Jones said she had never played a major tournament before entering the Amateur Master 60+ Championship Tournament. It was a four-round tournament, the first two rounds at Hiestand Park and the final two rounds were at Capital Springs. She said she did well in the wooded parts of the courses thanks to her practice at Shelton Springs.
After the first round, she had the lead and tried to stay consistent and throw it like she had practiced, she said
"After day two, even though I had, kind of fell apart the last four holes, like I said, it was hot, I'm old, I fell apart the last four holes but was still maintaining a lead," Jones said. "After day two, I was convinced that if I stayed the course and did what I practiced leading into this event that I would be OK."
Jones shot a 62 in the first round and led by one shot. The lead increased to three shots after a second round 64. Jones had the best round of the third round with a 58 to build a six-shot lead and recorded a final round 60 to win by four shots.
"It was pretty awesome," Jones said. "Sitting down waiting for me was the woman I traveled with, Toni Morgan, another woman we played with, Riley Murray from Portland, and I could see them down there grinning from ear to ear because they were following the live scoring. I have competed in athletics since I was 11 or 12, won a variety of basketball games, softball games, but nothing of this caliber so I'm still thinking, wow, that's pretty cool."
Next year's tournament is scheduled for Sept. 21 to 24 in Burlington, North Carolina. In the meantime, she'll compete in the Washington State Senior Games at Shelton Springs on July 23. Jones will be running a tournament with Morgan at The Evergreen State College on July 30 as part of the Evergreen women's series. She has two tournaments in August and two more in September.
Jones said she plans on playing disc golf until she can't play anymore.
"The nice thing about disc golf is you're really out for a stroll, throwing plastic discs at metal chains and enjoying the company of people you're playing with," Jones said. "If I can keep throwing until I'm 70, 75, 80, I'm going to do it."
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