By Colleen Kane
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Cathy Almquist chips up onto the tenth green. (Glenn Hartong photo) | ZOOM |

Cathy Almquist was met by a fan club on the 16th hole Friday afternoon at Four Bridges - complete with Cathy stickers and masks.

Home-course advantage? Maybe.

Home-course favorite? Clearly.

Almquist defeated Jennifer Taylor 4 and 2 to win her first Greater Cincinnati Women's Amateur in her second try. A group of 15-20 friends, including fellow Four Bridges member Kim Keyer-Scott, whom Almquist eliminated Thursday, was there to watch her receive her trophy.

"They're so funny out here. How could you not want to play really well for them?" Almquist said. "It's the most laid-back, fun, happy club I've ever been in."

And the 35-year-old Almquist gave them something to cheer. Despite nervousness, she never trailed the 20-year-old Taylor.

Taylor stayed close to Almquist most of the match, but problems like those on holes 5, 9 and 14 - a sand trap, a pond and some trees - finished her. Almquist didn't have those problems, but Taylor didn't dismiss it as home-course advantage.

"She played her 'A' game. Home course or not, she would have beaten me today," Taylor said. "I'm tired. Those two matches (Thursday) mentally exhausted me."

Almquist was up two holes early, but Taylor broke even when Almquist missed putts on Nos. 7 and 8. Almquist came back when Taylor hit her tee shot on No. 9 into a pond. Almquist won No. 10, and she said that's when she finally felt comfortable.

Jennifer Taylor hits out of the trees near a cart path on the 14th hole. (Glenn Hartong photo) | ZOOM |

"I was pretty nervous when I was putting, so I was timid," Almquist said. "I hide it well. I was pretty nauseous after the front side, but No. 9 helped a whole lot when I won that hole ... and the back side is generally easier than the front. I was feeling pretty good after 10."

Almquist went up two when Taylor hit her second shot into some trees on No. 14 and had trouble getting back on the green. Almquist won No. 15 and 16 for the trophy.

"If she could have turned it around by pulling it within 1-up on those holes, it would have played a lot on my psyche, but she helped me out a bit," Almquist said. "It's an incredible mind game."

Taylor, a sophomore from Western Kentucky, was playing in her first match-play tournament.

"It's more of a mental game, this match play, than I'm used to," Taylor said. "I'm used to chit-chatting. I'm not a very serious player. I have to realize coming against more mature players that they need to stay focused."

Almquist has had more experience, but not recently. This is Almquist's second year playing competitively after a 12-year break to begin her family. She still plays with the same golf clubs she used as a freshman at Ohio State in 1985.

She joined Four Bridges when it opened four years ago and began competing again last year when Keyer-Scott and other members persuaded her to try the Met.

"It's pretty awesome," Almquist said. "I have a lot of support here."

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E-mail ckane@enquirer.com