FALMOUTH – Sherri Turner got emotional in her remarks on the 18th green during the post-tournament ceremony Sunday after winning the Hannaford Community Challenge at Falmouth Country Club.

Her mother, Jeri, died five weeks ago. Turner felt her guidance in getting her first Legends Tour win in four years.

“Living in Phoenix, I used to talk to my mom twice a day back in South Carolina,” said Turner. “She had the best sense of humor. Hopefully, I inherited that from her.

“Before my round Saturday when I was on the putting green, I heard my mom’s voice telling me to make birdies and eagles.”

On the 18th fairway Sunday, Turner’s ball just missed stopping in a divot by inches.

“I can thank my mom for that,” said Turner.

After her mother died, Turner spent another week in South Carolina with family before returning to Phoenix.

“I really worked hard on my game,” she said.

Turner was taught the game by her father, a golf professional who died six years ago.

“He started giving me lessons when I was 5. My mother didn’t play the game, but she knew a lot about it,” said Turner.

VAL SKINNER pulled off a shot on the ninth hole that has come to be known as “vintage Skinner.”

“That’s what Pat Bradley calls it,” said Skinner. “I’m good at hitting speciality shots.”

Skinner pushed her drive to the right on the par-4 hole. She was nearly blocked out by a group of trees just below the practice range, but had a little opening and hit a high wedge shot from just under 100 yards that stopped 3 feet away from the hole, setting up a birdie.

LAURIE RINKER shot a pair of 74s to finish tied for 12th. She won $4,000.

Rinker became a professional in 1982 after three seasons at the University of Florida. That summer, she was part of an exhibition with Sam Snead, then 70, at Riverside Golf Course prior to the former Casco Bay Classic, which was organized by the late John Mills Jr.

Ron Bibeau, the executive director of The First Tee of Maine, mentioned to Rinker that until this year he was the head professional at Riverside, although not at the time of the Classic.

Rinker asked Bibeau by chance if he still had the program from that Casco Bay Classic. The program included a picture of Rinker. A few years ago, Bibeau was rummaging through material in his office at Riverside and came across the 1982 tournament program.

Bibeau gave the program to Rinker.

“She was thrilled,” said Bibeau.

THE THREE CHARITIES for the Hannaford Community Challenge — The First Tee of Maine, the Good Shepherd Food Bank and Big Brothers Big Sisters — each received a check for $30,000.

ACCORDING TO the Legends Tour, 4,000 spectators watched the tournament over the weekend.

Staff Writer Tom Chard can be contacted at 791-6419 or at:

tchard@pressherald.com

Twitter: TomChardPPH