PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. (Aug. 5,2010) – Down nine points after the first day, Florida rallied in the final round of singles matches – collecting 25 of a possible 36 points – to overtake Georgia and win the Georgia-Florida Women's Team Matches. The 30th annual event took place at PGA National Resort and Spa, August 4-5.
Georgia won just three of the 12 singles matches on Thursday. Sarah Butts of Carrollton took 2 ½ of three possible points from Florida’s Diane Lang, a past USGA Senior Women’s Amateur champion. Lacey Fears of Bonaire also contributed 2 ½ points to Georgia’s effort with a win over Natalie McNicholas, while Mary Riley of Perry tallied two points for Team Georgia in her match over Linda McMillan. Anna Leigh Keith of Moultrie finished All Square with Frederique Bruell to add 1 ½ points to the team total. Florida, meanwhile, earned the maximum three points in three matches on Thursday to break down their deficit and eventually pull ahead for the win.
The matches were scored in Nassau format, which awards one point to the winner of each of the nines as well as one point for the winner of the overall match. Georgia had built a 13 ½ to 4 ½ lead after the first round of four-ball matches.
The victory marks Florida’s third-straight in the series, the longest such streak since Georgia posted three straight from 1999-2001. Florida, which won by the exact same score last year, now leads the all-time series 17-13.
This was the 30th playing of the Georgia-Florida Women's Team Matches, which brings together the top women amateur golfers in the two neighboring states. The 12 team members are selected by their state associations based on their performance in recent events.
Founded in 1916, the Georgia State Golf Association (GSGA) received its official charter on June 24, 1924. Since that date, the GSGA has grown to one of the largest state amateur golf associations in the country, with over 355 member clubs and 85,000 individual members. With a mission to promote and preserve amateur golf in the state of Georgia, GSGA offers a computerized handicapping service, course rating and measuring, and annually conducts a full schedule of statewide competitions for men and women of all age groups. Other services include a summer-long junior sectional program, award-winning Golf Georgia magazine, membership recognition and rewards programs and a charitable foundation administering two college scholarship programs.
30th Annual Georgia-Florida Women’s Team Matches
PGA National Resort and Spa
Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
August 4-5, 2010
Final Results
Florida 29 ½, Georgia 24 ½ (Nassau Format)
Second Round Points: Florida 25, Georgia 11
(Singles Matches)
Melanie Audette, Lakeland (FL) def. Margaret Shirley, Athens (GA) FL 2 ½, GA ½
Meghan Stasi, Ft. Lauderdale (FL) def. Kathryn Fowler, Americus (GA) FL 3, GA 0
Mary Jane Hiestand, Naples (FL) def. Brenda Pictor, Marietta (GA) FL 2 ½, GA ½
Gennifer Mendez, North Port (FL) def. Kaley Branton, Cartersville (GA) FL 2 ½, GA ½
Kristine Odaiyar, Ocala (FL) def. Carry Barbee, Cartersville (GA) FL 2 ½, GA ½
Debbie Mook Sang, Valrico (FL) def. Mary Helen McElreath, Augusta (GA) FL 3, GA 0
Mary Riley, Perry (GA) def. Linda McMillan, Ormond Beach (FL) GA 2, FL 1
Sarah Butts, Carrollton (GA) def. Diane Lang, Weston (FL) GA 2 ½, FL ½
Kim Keyer-Scott, Bonita Springs (FL) def. Susan Rheney, Greensboro (GA) FL 2 ½, GA ½
Tovie St. Louis, West Palm Beach (FL) def. Jane Duggan, Atlanta (GA) FL 3, GA 0
Lacey Fears, Bonaire (GA) def. Natalie McNicholas, Naples (FL) GA 2 ½, FL ½
Anna Leigh Keith, Moultrie (GA) vs. Frederique Bruell, Aventura (FL) GA 1 ½, FL 1 ½
First Round Points: Georgia 13 ½, Florida 4 ½
(Four-Ball Matches)
Kathryn Fowler, Americus & Brenda Pictor, Marietta (GA) def. Meghan Stasi, Ft. Lauderdale & Natalie McNicholas, Naples (FL)
GA – 3, FL – 0
Sarah Butts, Carrollton & Margaret Shirley, Athens (GA) def. Gennifer Mendez, North Port & Tovie St. Louis, West Palm Beach (FL)
GA –3, FL – 0
Mary Helen McElreath, Augusta & Mary Riley, Perry (GA) def. Debbie Mook Sang, Valrico & Linda McMillan, Ormond Beach (FL)
GA –3, FL – 0
Mary Jane Hiestand, Naples & Kristine Odaiyar, Ocala (FL) def. Jane Duggan, Atlanta & Susan Rheney, Greensboro (GA)
FL – 3, GA - 0
Kaley Branton, Cartersville & Lacey Fears, Bonaire (GA) def. Melanie Audette, Lakeland & Frederique Bruell, Aventura (FL)
GA – 2 ½, FL – ½
Anna Leigh Keith, Moultrie & Carry Barbee, Cartersville (GA) def. Diane Lang, Weston & Kim Keyer-Scott, Bonita Springs (FL)
GA –2, FL – 1
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