Carolinas Women's Four-Ball Champions Crowned

Reona Hirai and Kelli Murphy finished 5-under 66 to win the 40th Carolinas Women's Four-Ball Amateur

SOUTHERN PINES, N.C. (May 24, 2017) -- Final results of the 40^th Carolinas Women's Four-Ball at Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club in Southern Pines, N.C. on Wednesday, May 24^th (Championship Division: 5,985 yards, Par 35-36--71, Course Rating 74.5/132).

Related: Championship Web Site | Championship History | Scoring | Photos

Auburn University rising senior Kelli Murphy and Furman University rising sophomore Reona Hirai finished 5-under-par 66 to claim the championship division of the 40th Carolinas Women's Four-Ball. The championship was reduced to an 18-hole format after inclement weather canceled the first round.

Hirai, a native of Summerville, S.C. captured her first CGA title. Murphy, a native of Elgin, S.C. claimed her fifth, her first since 2014, when she won both the Carolinas Young Amateur and Vicki DiSantis Junior Girls'.

"We were able to work really well together," said Murphy. "We grew up playing junior golf together since we were about eight, so our games fit really well. We don't get to play in many college tournaments together so it was a really good opportunity."

This was the first time that the Murphy/Hirai duo had played together since their junior golf days in South Carolina, so the pair came out with an "all-or-nothing" mentality. In total, they posted five birdies, including four in a six hole span on the front nine.  "We had a goal set for ourselves," said Hirai. "We were just trying to get as many birdies as we could and make as much use of the opportunities that we were able to get."

Lea Venable of Simpsonville, S.C. and Kayla Thompson of Whiteville, N.C. finished alone in second, just one-stroke behind Murphy/Hirai at four-under 67.

Stewart made two clutch birdies to help seal the win. A birdie on their last hole, the par-4 14th, sent them to the playoff. Then, on the third playoff hole, she drained an eight-foot birdie to seal the win. In the first two holes of the playoff, Stewart struggled with the short approach shot on the 300-yard par-4 18th. A change to her three-wood gave her the ability for a full wedge shot. "I was able to place [the ball] where I wanted too, so we could have a good opportunity for birdie," said Stewart. "Normally I ride Pat, but today I helped her out a bit."

"That is as close as we have ever played," Brogden said. "We needed every stroke of it."

With the win, Brogden claims her 12th CGA title, while Stewart claimed her second.

The overall champion and the senior champion teams automatically qualify for the 2017 Carolinas Team that will compete in the Carolinas-Virginias Women's Team Matches on July 17-19, 2017 at Spring Creek Golf Club in Gordonsville, VA.

The CGA would like to thank the members and staff of the Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club for hosting the Carolinas Women's Four-Ball. Special gratitude is extended to General Manager and Director of Golf Graham Gilmore, and golf course superintendent Dave Fruchte.

40th Carolinas Women's Amateur Four-Ball
Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club | Southern Pines, N.C.
Final Results
 

Championship Division
1	Reona Hirai, Summerville, S.C. -  Kelli Murphy, Elgin, S.C.		31-35--66 (-5)
2	Lea Venable, Simpsonville, S.C. -  Kayla Thompson, Whiteville, N.C.		34-33--67 (-4)
3	Morgan Laird, Waxhaw, N.C. -  Krysta Schaus, Boiling Springs, N.C.		33-37--70 (-1)
T4	Jaelyn Tindal, Rock Hill, S.C. -  Jodee Tindal, Rock Hill, S.C.		35-36--71 (Even)
T4	Taylor Dodson, Aiken, S.C. -  Sarah Bertram, Concord, N.C.		37-34--71 (Even)
T4	Madison Overbey, Winston Salem, N.C. -  Cecily Overbey, High Point, N.C.		34-37--71 (Even)
T4	Annika Winebarger, State Road, N.C. -  Savanna Wood, Boone, N.C.		33-38--71 (Even)
8	Elizabeth Nguyen, Pinehurst, N.C. -  Hailey Freedman, Chapel Hill, N.C.		35-37--72 (+1)
T9	Casey Burroughs, Wake Forest, N.C. -  Katy Flax, Wilmington, N.C.		37-39--76 (+5)
T9	Savannah Thompson, West End, N.C. -  Alexandria Bare, Kannapolis, N.C.		38-38--76 (+5)
Senior Division - First Flight
T1	Angela Stewart, Greenville, N.C. -  Pat Brogden, Garner, N.C.		35-34--69 (-2)
T1	Patty Moore, Charlotte, N.C. -  Kim Briele, New Bern, N.C.		34-35--69 (-2)
T3	Anne Washington, Conway, S.C. -  Cynthia Curry, Charlotte, N.C.		37-34--71 (Even)
T3	Leigh Armentrout, Greensboro, N.C. -  Linda Daniel, Huntersville, N.C.		35-36--71 (Even)
5	Dianne Yelovich, Pinehurst, N.C. -  Carole Jones, Hillsborough, N.C.		36-36--72 (+1)
T6	Lynn Roloff, Greensboro, N.C. -  Sook Hee Yang, Jamestown, N.C.		37-36--73 (+2)
T6	Susan Beaupied, Pittsboro, N.C. -  Leigh Coulter, Hopkins, S.C.		37-36--73 (+2)
8	Kathy Binkley, Cornelius, N.C. -  Lisa Mooneyham, Graham, N.C.		36-38--74 (+3)
9	Betty Zvarich, Fayetteville, N.C. -  Katherine DeVore, High Point, N.C.		36-41--77 (+6)
10	Peggy Yountz, Denver, N.C. -  Murrie Ives, Charlotte, N.C.		37-42--79 (+8)
11	Beth Umberger, Myrtle Beach, S.C. -  Suzanne Moro, Myrtle Beach, S.C.		NC-NC--NC (NC)
Senior Division - Second Flight
1	Janis Romeo-Dinschel, Charlotte, N.C. -  Laura Quillin, Charlotte, N.C.		33-36--69 (-2)
2	Becca McKinney, Raleigh, N.C. -  Jo Ann Sluder, Pinehurst, N.C.		36-39--75 (+4)
3	Paula Fitzpatrick, Pinehurst, N.C. -  June Wang, Huntersville, N.C.		37-39--76 (+5)
4	Mary Chamberlin, Rock Hill, S.C. -  Cindy Altieri, Lake Wylie, S.C.		38-39--77 (+6)
5	Therese St. Peter, Pittsboro, N.C. -  Maureen Buck, Durham, N.C.		38-40--78 (+7)
T6	Ellen Murphy, New London, N.C. -  Vicki Lambert, New London, N.C.		38-41--79 (+8)
T6	Lib Kelly-smith, Vass, N.C. -  Pam Congelosi, Vass, N.C.		40-39--79 (+8)
8	Brenda Frye, Mt Pleasant, S.C. -  Susan Harden, Beaufort, S.C.		37-43--80 (+9)
9	Lu Hauser, Conover, N.C. -  Robbie Knotts, Huntersville, N.C.		38-43--81 (+10)
10	Donna Gill, Chapel Hill, N.C. -  Ellen Ollett, Sanford, N.C.		40-43--83 (+12)
11	Bonnie Montgomery, Jamestown, N.C. -  Carmen Andia, Whitsett, N.C.		42-43--85 (+14)
Senior Division - Third Flight
T1	Gail Ford, Pinehurst, N.C. -  Debbie Hockman, Pinehurst, N.C		39-39--78 (+7)
T1	Peggy Cahill, Wilmington, N.C. -  Gwen Smyth, Cary, N.C.		40-38--78 (+7)
T3	Dokim Elphick, Cary, N.C. -  Shelly Canals, Raleigh, N.C.		39-43--82 (+11)
T3	Julie Shore, Raleigh, N.C. -  Elaine Simon, Southern Pines, N.C.		40-42--82 (+11)
T3	Teddy Stockwell, Charleston, S.C. -  Laura Rawl, Charleston, S.C.		40-42--82 (+11)
6	Beverly Cassels, Charlotte, N.C. -  Peggy Hall, Belmont, N.C.		39-44--83 (+12)
T7	Gail Hafley, Raleigh, N.C. -  Christine Merrill, Raleigh, N.C.		39-45--84 (+13)
T7	Karen Blanchard, Hillsborough, N.C. -  Ginny Meihaus, Raleigh, N.C.		42-42--84 (+13)
9	Linda Yankes, Durham, N.C. -  Barb St Clair, Durham, N.C.		44-46--90 (+19)
10	Kathy Lishawa, West End, N.C. -  Sue Durham, Jackson Springs, N.C.		46-46--92 (+21)

 

Championship Facts
Event: 40th Carolinas Amateur Championship
Playing Dates: May 23-24
Host Site: Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club, Southern Pines, N.C.
Defending Champion: Taylor Dodson of Aiken, SC and Sarah Bertram of Concord, NC

Schedule of rounds:
Tuesday, May 23: First round. 18 holes of four-ball stroke play (tee times).
Wednesday, May 24: Final Round. 18 holes of four-ball stroke play (shotgun).
Luncheon and awards presentation immediately after play.

 

About the Carolinas Golf Association (CGA)

The CGA is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit educational organization that was founded in 1909 to promote and to protect the game of golf in the Carolinas by providing competitions, education, support and benefits to golf clubs and golfers. The CGA is the second largest golf association in the country with over 700 member clubs represented by nearly 150,000 individuals.

The CGA annually conducts 48 championships and five team match competitions for men, women, juniors, and seniors. It also runs over 150 One-Day (net and gross) events as well as qualifying for USGA national championships. The CGA serves golf in the Carolinas with numerous programs such as: the USGA Handicap System; tournament management software and support; course measuring and course/slope ratings; agronomy consultation; answers about the Rules of Golf, Rules of Amateur Status, and Handicapping; Carolinas Golf Magazine; Interclub series; Tarheel Youth Golf Association; Carolinas Golf Hall of Fame; expense assistance for USGA Junior and Girls' Junior qualifiers from the Carolinas; and the Carolinas Golf Foundation (CGF). The CGF has distributed nearly $2,000,000 since 1977 to benefit Carolinas' golf initiatives including junior and women's programs.    

For more information about the CGA, visit our website.
 

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