BOOTHBAY HARBOR — As she watched Alyssa Hayes set a new course record and trim the lead in the WMSGA championship Wednesday, Abby Spector figured there might come a time where she’d have to respond.

The right moment came Thursday. Spector won her seventh WMSGA title while setting a new women’s course record at the Boothbay Country Club. Spector shot a two-under 69 to beat Hayes by 11 strokes.

“I read that in the paper this morning, that she’d set the course record,” said Spector, who also recently set the women’s mark at J.W. Parks. “I was thinking that it would be nice to win and have the course record the same day.”

Spector achieved that fantastic finish with another solid performance. After back-to-back rounds of 72, Spector stayed conservative but managed to finish some holes with a flourish.

“I was playing more steady today,” said Spector. “I tried hard to play to the 100-yard markers instead of overshooting them like I did (Wednesday). I was just putting better, and that helped me out. I set myself up for a lot more birdies than the first two days.”

Spector finished with a total of 213. Hayes, who shot 76 Thursday, finished at 224. Pennie Cummings took third at 233 while Norway’s Leslie Guenther was fourth at 238. Biddeford’s Megan Angis rounded out the top five at 239. Julie Treadwell had a 244 while Suzanne Robert and Martha White each finished at 246.

Spector said this WMSGA championship was likely to be her last. She’s playing in the Maine Open in a few weeks and said she may turn pro “anywhere between tomorrow and next fall.”

Entering the day with a four-stroke advantage, Spector knew she was in command. She was played steady, and some early mistakes by Hayes opened the door for Spector to put the lead out of reach early.

“I wanted to pick up a shot in the first few holes and I did,” said Spector. “I picked up another two on four. That was huge.”

Hayes was four-over on the front nine, a sharp contrast to the four birdies she had Wednesday over the same stretch.

“I didn’t feel very well,” said Hayes. “I didn’t feel comfortable under the ball before I went out to play. It got better throughout the round, but it didn’t get better quick enough. My swing didn’t feel very strong today.”

Hayes knew she had to make things happen but didn’t want to press the situation.

“I wanted to do (what she did Wednesday),” said Hayes, “but my front nine (Wednesday), you can’t force something like that. You just kind of go out and if you have that kind of a day, you have that kind of a day. Hopefully, it happens more often than not. You definitely can’t force something like that. I wasn’t trying to force it, and the more I tried to force it, the more uncomfortable I became under the ball.”

After a bogey on the second hole, Hayes saved par on the third hole by chipping in from 20 feet away. On the fourth hole, however, a two-stroke swing seemingly ended any hope for a Hayes rally.

Spector’s approach to the green landed below a ridge that runs across the green. Hayes landed above the ridge. Her downhill birdie putt subsequently rolled past the hole, and Spector sank an eight-foot birdie putt. Hayes knew the two-stroke swing put her seven strokes back.

“I wish I didn’t know that,” said Hayes. “Knowing that I only have a certain number of holes to make up a certain number of shots, then I’m playing badly and she birdies and I bogey, that’s two more shots I’ve got to make up. That gets into your head a little bit. That puts you more on the defensive.”

On the sixth hole, Spector sank a short birdie putt on the par-5 while Hayes settled for par. Both struggled on the eighth hole. Hayes landed in a ditch and was forced to take a drop. Spector landed just above the bunker and missed the green with a second chip. She settled for a bogey while Hayes had a double bogey. On the ninth hole, Hayes parred, and Spector sank a 10-foot birdie putt for a commanding 10-shot lead.

“I practiced putting this morning, keeping my head down,” said Spector. “My stroke has been good. I’ve just been anxious with my head. I did much better with that.”

Spector had a birdie on 10 but then lost two strokes with a bogey and Hayes’ only birdie of the day. That was as close as Hayes could get. Another Spector birdie and a Hayes bogey on the next hole ended that surge.

“I knew after eight or nine that I either had to go lights out or just have some fun,” said Hayes. “I wasn’t going lights out. So I was kind of having fun. I was a little more relaxed, and I played better on the back nine.”

kmills@sunjournal.com

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