Warner was one shot back at 147. She shot even par 73 Thursday to go with her opening 74, but fell behind when she made bogeys on holes 12 and 13 while Combs went par-birdie to pick up three shots in two holes.
However, the deciding hole was the par-five 17th. Combs put her third shot about 12 feet past the hole. Warner was six feet short in three. But just when it looked like Warner might even the tourney, Combs rolled in the putt.
"That putt was a bonus," said Combs. "I really had no idea how I stood (in the tournament). I thought Kelli had the lead. I was just trying to play my game."
Warner did make her birdie putt to stay within one shot, but her approach shot on 18 hit a tree and left her short of the green.
She chipped on about 15 feet short and two-putted for par. Combs put her drive in the fairway and was 20 feet from the pin in two. She missed a one-foot par putt, but even with bogey she still walked away with the Tee Cup title again.
"I had no idea I won," Combs said.
Warner wasn't sure about the final outcome, either. However, she knew it was close.
"I was really happy to make that putt on 17," Warner said. "I just wish I could have finished better on 18. I am a short hitter and I have to depend on my short game. Today my putting was on, but my chipping and driving were off."
Putting thwarts Cornelius
Stanford's Jessica Cornelius hit the ball well except for her putting. She had 35 putts Wednesday when she shot 76 and didn't fare much better in her final round of 74. Still, she finished in a tie for third with Joan Rizer.
"I didn't get many birdies, but I didn't make many mistakes, either. I just couldn't get the ball in the hole," Cornelius said. "I am playing better, though, because I am playing more this year than I have. I decided working all the time isn't all it is cut out to be. I am getting out to play more and it shows in the way I am playing."
Former Casey golfer Sami Montgomery is just the opposite. She played only her fourth and fifth rounds of the year here, but still finished fifth with a 75-76.
Montgomery played in the final group with Combs and Warner. While Combs normally was in the middle of the fairway off the tee, Montgomery showed her other parts of the course.
"Anne stays in the middle all the time, but she was in the (golf) cart with me and I took her on a lot of adventures to find my ball," Montgomery said.
Combs played in the first Tee Cup
Combs says she never tires of playing here. She played in the first Tee Cup 30 years ago and has missed only a few tournaments.
She won the first two tournaments and six of the first 10 from 1976-1985.
"How could you get tired of being here? Everyone is so gracious and nice. I adore the course. It's marvelous competition here every year with such a strong field," Combs said. "You have to know how to finesse the front nine. There is not a bad hole on the course, which is unusual. Playing here is fun."
Warner and Cornelius hope their showings here mean they are ready for the upcoming Women's State Amateur. Play starts in less than two weeks at Shelbyville Country Club.
"I hope I saved my best putts for that," Cornelius, a former state amateur champion, said. "I feel like I am playing better than I have the last few years."
"I am not going to play many tournaments, but the amateur is one I will play," Warner said. "I had a good first year at Eastern and playing well in tournaments like this and the state am can only help make me a lot better next year."
