# Par for the Course, Perfect for the Comeback: Sandra Turbide’s Playoff Redemption

**By Amelie Fontaine**  \nPublished August 4, 2026  \nUpdated September 9, 2026

> From back surgery to the winner's circle: Sandra Turbide outlasted Karen Johnson in a high-stakes playoff at Sudden Valley to claim the Washington State Senior Women's Amateur title.

The silence of a golf playoff is never truly silent; it is heavy with the weight of every swing and the ghosts of every missed opportunity. For Sandra Turbide, that weight included the memory of an eighteen-month hiatus from the sport. But at the 20th Washington State Senior Women’s Amateur, the pressure didn't break her—it became the catalyst for one of the most impressive comebacks in recent memory.

## The Sudden Valley Duel

The championship, held at the Sudden Valley Golf and Country Club in Bellingham, Washington, reached a fever pitch when Turbide found herself locked in a dead heat with Auburn’s Karen Johnson. Both players finished the two-day tournament tied at 14-over par, necessitating a sudden-death playoff to decide the title.

Turbide’s path to that playoff was nothing short of a climb. Entering the second round, she sat two shots behind Johnson, but she methodically erased the deficit to force the tie. When the playoff began, Turbide found a gear that had been missing for over a year. She secured the championship with a composed par on the second hole of the playoff, leaving Johnson to face what is now a recurring heartbreak: this marks the second consecutive year Johnson has lost the Washington State Senior Women’s Amateur in a playoff.

For Turbide, the intensity of the extra holes was a welcome return to form. First of all I love playoffs. They’re very exciting. I probably played my best two holes of the whole event in the playoff. Fairways and greens, and a putt. Sandra Turbide

## The Architecture of a Comeback

To understand the magnitude of this victory, one must look past the scorecard and toward the medical records. Turbide has been sidelined for the past year and a half, a period defined by recovery from back surgery. For a golfer, a back injury isn't just a physical hurdle; it is a fundamental threat to the mechanics of the swing and the confidence required to compete at a championship level.

Her victory represents more than just a trophy; it is a validation of her return to the game. It’s great to play golf again, Turbide I’ve been out of the game for the past year and a half because of back surgery, so just being here and playing was great, and winning is a bonus.

The Jonquière native, who has since made her home in Maple Ridge, B.C., managed to navigate the transition from rehabilitation back to the high-stakes environment of a Washington State Golf Association (WSGA) event with remarkable precision.

## A Weekend of Champions

Turbide’s victory was the centerpiece of a massive concurrent slate of championships conducted by the WSGA at Sudden Valley. While the Senior division provided the most dramatic narrative, the entire weekend showcased a high level of talent across multiple age brackets:

- **Super Senior Women’s Amateur:** Linda Skwarski of Fall City, Wash., claimed the title after a solid round of 80, pulling away for a two-shot victory over Robin Lee Monroe and Karen Madison.
- **Women’s Amateur:** Rino Sasaki, a sophomore at the University of Washington, seized a three-shot lead heading into the final round after a steady even-par performance.
- **Women’s Mid-Amateur:** Tina Papatolis of Issaquah established a commanding eight-shot lead over two-time defending champion Victoria Fallgren.As the dust settles at Bellingham, the story remains the resilience of the veteran. Sandra Turbide didn't just return to the course; she returned to the top of it.

## Sources

- [Mickaël Meunier, Le Quotidien](https://www.ledroit.com/sports/2026/07/06/golf-la-creme-de-la-creme-de-la-releve-quebecoise-en-action-a-saint-gedeon-APU3J547VFCMLCBL5ZOANJOXOE/) — original
- [wagolf.org](https://wagolf.org/news/turbide-wins-senior-womens-amateur-in-playoff-skwarski-takes-super-senior-sasaki-on-top-in-womens-am-papatolis-has-big-lead-in-mid-am) — original
- [Jonathan Hudon, Le Quotidien](https://www.lequotidien.com/sports/golf/2024/08/29/une-jonquieroise-a-lomnium-senior-amateur-des-etats-unis-PGKVJQWLWZBMJNWDYJPHZLLWIY/) — original
- [golfcanada.ca](https://www.golfcanada.ca/fr/articles/ronald-kilby-sinstalle-au-premier-rang-du-championnat-canadien-senior-masculin/) — original
- [GML](https://golf-ml.com/chroniques-vie-de-club/premiere-femme-capitaine-en-151-annees-au-royal-quebec/) — original