Rathbone and Charles Come Back to Win the Carolinas Women's Four-Ball

 

LAKE LURE, N.C. (June 29, 2022) -- Final round results of the 45th Carolinas Women’s Four-Ball Championship at Apple Valley Golf Club in Lake Lure, N.C. on June 29, 2022. The Championship Division competed at 6,123 yards and the Senior Division competed at 5,220 yards (36-36–72).

Related: Championship Website | Full Field of Players | Starting Times | Scoring | Championship Photos

Surrounded by the beautiful views of the Blue Ridge foothills, Emma Charles of Hartsville, S.C. and Jessica Rathbone of Anderson, S.C. captured the 45th Carolinas Women’s Four-Ball Championship with a walk-in birdie on the third playoff hole at Apple Valley Golf Club at Rumbling Bald.

Coming into the final round, Charles and Rathbone were tied for ninth, seven shots back from the leaders who are also their Anderson University teammates, Kennedy McGaha of Honea Path, S.C. and Kerington Lamb of Easley, S.C. They didn’t have high hopes for the title at this point, they just had one simple goal.

“After packing up in the hotel this morning we told ourselves, ‘let’s just shoot a red number today and we can probably make it into the top-5’ and we thought if we could do that then we would be fine,” said Charles.

Charles and Rathbone’s front-nine reflected that energy going 2-under through the turn with two birdies both by Rathbone on Nos. 3 and 6. They were well on their way to a solid under-par round until they reached the clubhouse at the turn and checked the live scoring leaderboard.

“The energy really changed for us when we made the turn and looked at the live scoring,” said Charles. “We were 2-under on the day and only five strokes back and we realized we could actually try and make a run for this. Then the putts just started to drop on the back-nine and we got into a good groove.”

That realization lit the fire for the Anderson University teammates and they went on an unbelievable stretch birdieing seven of the last nine holes at Apple Valley. Charles, the 2019 Carolinas Women’s Four-Ball Champion, drained each opportunity she had carding birdies on Nos. 10, 11, 14, 15, 16 and 17. Then Rathbone finished the round with a birdie on No. 18 to complete an unforgettable final round for the side.

Since Charles and Rathbone started the day tied for ninth, they teed off a full hour before the final pairing, which also left them waiting and watching the leaderboard for an hour as the leaders finished their rounds.

Meanwhile, McGaha and Lamb were playing a steady round. They started the day at 6-under-par, 66 and had a rollercoaster front-nine with three birdies and three bogeys to make the turn even-par on the day. On the back-nine, they carded birdies on Nos. 10, 13 and 14. With a bogey on No. 15, they came into No. 18 at 8-under-par, tied for the lead with Charles and Rathbone.

“We thought they (McGaha and Lamb) were going to finish it out,” said Rathbone. “We were just calling some of our teammates telling them about our 63 and then we checked live scoring while we watched them par No. 18 and we realized we were going into a playoff with our friends.”

The playoff between the four Anderson University teammates and future roommates began on the par-4 368 yard, No. 9. They all hit their approach shots within 10 feet of each other and about 20 feet from the hole. Both sides made their par putts and headed to No. 1 for the second playoff hole. No. 1 is also a par-4 and both sides carded pars yet again. The third playoff hole took them back to No. 9.

“The playoff was honestly really fun,” said Rathbone. “We all played together in the practice round, so it felt just like the practice round for me. We are so competitive at school so it was like a switch flipped from laughing on the tee box to getting back into competitive mode as soon as we teed off.”

On the third playoff hole, all four of the players hit solid drives and decent approach shots with the exception of Rathbone who hit a great shot into the green to about 8 feet, giving her the best look at birdie.

Standing over a birdie putt that could seal the win for Rathbone and Charles, Rathbone read the putt going left and Charles read it right which led to a debate on the green. After a few back-and-forths over it, Rathbone stepped up to the putt and decided to just hit it straight. That proved to be a good call as it dropped in the middle of the cup for the 45th Carolinas Women’s Four-Ball Championship title.

Utlimately, McGaha and Lamb earned runner-up and Rathbone captured her first CGA Championship and Charles won her second CGA Championship title. “It is such an honor and a blessing to be able to win this event again. I am so lucky and happy to be able to do it with another one of my teammates, it just means so much more,” said Charles.

“There were so many great players out here and I just feel really thankful to win in this field and in one of my first four-ball events,” said Rathbone. “This win is just really special and I am happy to do it with her (Charles).”

Grace Holcomb of Wilmington, N.C. and Macie Burcham of Greensboro, N.C. made a valiant effort for the title with a 5-under-par, 67 in the final round, but fell just one stroke shy of the playoff to earn solo third at 7-under-par, 137. Burcham’s eagle on the 450 yard par-5, No. 6 was a highlight of their round. Lydia Randell of Winston-Salem, N.C. and the reigning Carolinas Women’s Match Play Champion, Mallory Fobes of East Bend, N.C. earned fourth at 6-under-par, 138.

Patty Moore and Judy Penman of Pinehurst, N.C. came into the final round seven strokes off of the lead and with a stellar 3-under-par, 69 today, they climbed their way atop the leaderboard to capture the Senior Division title. Penman carded two birdies on the day to begin the side’s ascention and Moore topped it off with an eagle on No. 18 to seal the deal at 1-under-par, 143. Moore is a five-time Carolinas Women’s Four-Ball Champion and she continues to showcase her prowess with this win.

Kerry Rutan of Daniel Island, S.C. and Lee Burton of Orangeburg, S.C. tied for second with June Wang of Huntersville, N.C. and Lea Anne Brown of Mount Pleasant, S.C. at even-par, 144. Notably, Rutan and Burton carded the low-round of the week in their division with an opening round 5-under-par, 67.

The Carolinas Golf Association would like to extend our appreciation to the members and staff at Apple Valley Golf Club, especially Director of Golf Adam Bowles and Golf Course Superintendent Matt Lovell for their hospitality in hosting the 45th Carolinas Women’s Four-Ball Championship.


45th Carolinas Women’s Four-Ball Championship

Apple Valley Golf Club, Lake Lure, N.C.

Final Results: Championship Division

 

Pos.	Team	City, State	To Par	R1	R2	Total	Details
1	Emma Charles  +  Jessica Rathbone	Hartsville, SC, Anderson, SC	-8	73	63	136	Won in a 3 hole playoff with birdie
2	Kennedy McGaha  +  Kerington Lamb	Easley, SC, Honea Path, SC	-8	66	70	136
3	Grace Holcomb  +  Macie Burcham	Greensboro, NC, Wilmington, NC	-7	70	67	137
4	Lydia Randell  +  Mallory Fobes	East Bend, NC, Winston-Salem, NC	-6	68	70	138
T5	Gabriela Cruz  +  Kayla Dowell	Mebane, NC, High Point, NC	-5	70	69	139
T5	Courtney Stiles  +  Kristina Tucker	Pinehurst, NC, Waxhaw, NC	-5	69	70	139
7	Kathryn Carson  +  Mary Donovan	Hampstead, NC, Mooresville, NC	-1	75	68	143
8	Ava Romfo  +  Victoria Cook	Reidsville, NC, Charleston, SC	E	73	71	144
T9	Joliana Hodges  +  Patricia Thompson	Fort Mill, SC, Lenoir, NC	+1	73	72	145
T9	Lea Venable  +  Stephanie Johnson	Simpsonville, SC	+1	70	75	145
T11	Caleigh Noonan  +  Gracie McCoy	Greenville, SC, Columbia, SC	+2	73	73	146
T11	Grayson Warren  +  Mary Sears Brown	Washington, NC, Pinehurst, NC	+2	71	75	146
T13	Caitlyn Cash  +  Caroline Hardee	Chesnee, SC, Greer, SC	+4	75	73	148
T13	Albany Bock  +  Lauren Denhard	Morganton, NC, Salisbury, NC	+4	72	76	148
15	Lextyn Petz  +  Sarah Boteler	Columbia, SC, Greenville, SC	+5	76	73	149
16	Adrienne O'Brien  +  Gillian O'Brien	Clemson, SC	+12	76	80	156

45th Carolinas Women’s Four-Ball Championship

Apple Valley Golf Club, Lake Lure, N.C.

Final Results: Senior Division

 

Pos.	Team	City, State	To Par	R1	R2	Total
1	Judy Penman  +  Patty Moore	Pinehurst, NC	-1	74	69	143
T2	June Wang  +  Lea Anne Brown	Mount Pleasant, SC, Huntersville, NC	E	74	70	144
T2	Kerry Rutan  +  Lee Burton	Daniel Island, SC, Orangeburg, SC	E	67	77	144
4	Leigh Armentrout  +  Linda Daniel	Huntersville, NC, Greensboro, NC	+1	72	73	145
5	Natalie Huff  +  Suzann Bartley	Columbia, SC, Elgin, SC	+5	76	73	149
6	Kendra Muir  +  Murrie Ives	Pinehurst, NC	+7	76	75	151
7	Ramona Jackson  +  Teresa Taylor	Wilmington, NC	+8	77	75	152
8	Carol Ackerson  +  Janis Romeo	Charlotte, NC, New Bern, NC	+9	77	76	153
9	Julie Snider  +  Suzy Ellison	Columbia, SC	+12	81	75	156
10	Kathy Binkley  +  Lisa Mooneyham	Graham, NC, Cornelius, NC	+13	82	75	157
T11	Kay Hall  +  Linda Morris	Greenville, SC, Roebuck, SC	+14	81	77	158
T11	Jamie McDevitt  +  Paula Fitzpatrick	Southern Pines, NC, Pinehurst, NC	+14	79	79	158
13	Dana Halliday  +  Leah Bohnen	Spartanburg, SC, Inman, SC	+21	79	86	165
14	Lu Hauser  +  Robbie Knotts	Conover, NC, Huntersville, NC	+26	89	81	170

 

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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