Jan Peyrot became a Bay Area golf legend on June 20 when she turned 90 years old and won the President’s Cup tournament all in the same day. The two-day tournament—which has been played in Alameda since 1953, when Peyrot was just 19—featured a field of talented women, many of whom were 30 to 40 years younger than the nonagenarian.
Peyrot says golf has saved her. She talks about all the friendships she has made as well as the physical part of the game that keeps her walking, swinging, bending, and laughing. Golf is what got her through COVID, she says, because courses were open to play during much of the pandemic.
Having served as a school principal in the past, Peyrot now uses her skills to help other golfers learn the game. Her dedication has earned many admirers. She was met on the 18th hole by fellow golfers who surprised her by wearing masks of her face and cheering as she approached the green.
Her oldest friend from Virginia traveled to Alameda to celebrate Peyrot’s birthday, and watched as she sunk the last putt to win by six strokes over the closest competitor.
Peyrot took her hard-earned trophy home to admire it over the weekend and share it with family and friends who celebrated her 90 years of good living.
As a side note, Peyrot also won her flight in match play last month. She is at the top of her game right now and thankful for golf, her health, and her many friends she has made playing the sport.
Alameda is home to the oldest and largest women’s 18-hole golf club in the East Bay. The Alameda Women’s Golf Club has more than 100 members who compete weekly in various kinds of tournaments or just for the fun of the game.
