Scoring [icon name="external-link" class="" unprefixed_class=""] | Preview [icon name="file-pdf-o" class="" unprefixed_class=""] | Round 1 recap
By Arthur Utley
WILLIAMSBURG — The Virginia State Golf Association might as well stamp “Property of Natalie Easterly and Amy Ellertson” on the Senior Championship Division trophy for the Women’s Four-Ball Championship.
This was third edition of the tournament and the first to be contested at 36 holes. Reigning VSGA Women’s Senior Stroke play champion Easterly (Country Club of Virginia) and recent U.S. Senior Women’s Open qualifier Ellertson (Farmington Country Club) won for the third year in a row.
In the Regular Championship Division, defending VSGA Women’s Amateur champion Lauren Greenlief (International CC) successfully defended the Four-Ball title she won a year ago with Alexandra Austin, but this year her partner was Shabril Derco (Cedar Point CC), the former Shabril Brewer.
Easterly and Ellertson added a 3-under-par 69 on the Marsh Hawk course at Ford’s Colony to their first-day 65 for a 36-hole aggregate of 10-under 134. They had an eight-stroke lead beginning the final round and won by 13 over the Belle Haven CC tandem of Kay Tyler and Mimi Hoffman, who posted 73-147.
The championship division played from tees that measured 6,023 yards; the seniors played from 5,461yards.
Ellertson and Easterly logged five birdies against two birdies on Sunday.
“It always feels great to win,” Ellertson said. “I felt like there were much harder pin placements today. Yesterday, they were pretty easy as you can imagine by the scores. Today they were much more difficult.”
Said Easterly, “To have as many birdies as she had the day before is hard to repeat.”
Both liked the expansion to two days.
“I think it was a better test because anybody can have one lucky day like we did and walk away with it,” Ellertson said.
“Two days weed it out,” added Easterly.
Greenlief and Derco also shot 3-under 69 on Sunday to finish at 10-under 134. They were four shots clear of runners-up Danielle Suh and Skylar Sload (both part of the VSGA Junior Circuit) who carded 71-138.
Although they have known each other for a long time, this was the first time Derco and Greenlief have partnered in a tournament. This was also Derco’s first event since she regained her amateur status.
“I told Lauren [Saturday] after the first hole (both made bogey) I was really nervous…coming back no matter what it is those nerves got to me and I finally settled down and we had it going,” Derco said. “Today was a lot better. The nerves were gone…I’m just happy to be playing golf at the amateur level again.”
The partnership developed when Derco sent Greenlief a message that she had gotten her amateur status back and wanted to play in the Four-Ball.
“I figured the Four-Ball would be a good way to start [playing tournament golf again],” Derco said.
The pair logged three birdies and didn’t make a bogey.
“It was hard coming off the back nine [Saturday when they shot 7-under 29] where we just made everything. I thought both of us hit the ball just as well today and we had a lot of chances, especially the opening nine, we just couldn’t get the putts to drop,” Greenlief said. “It was a pretty easy, stress-free day.”
The net division was a runaway for Jan Carlson (Westpark CC) and Patti Anctil (Cypress Point CC). The duo added a 14-under 58 on Sunday to their first-day 60 for a 118 aggregate. The finished four shots clear of the Blue Hills GC side of Debbie Young-Janet Cochrane (62-60-122) and five ahead of Kinderton CC members Anna Ingram and Karen Hagwood (62-61-123).
“We wanted to play a shorter course. It’s more fun. We don’t hit them as far so it’s more fun playing a course we can play,” said Carlson, who posted her first round in the 80s this season on Saturday. She did it again Sunday. “We ham and egged it really well, otherwise you’re not going to shoot that.”
Anctil had her best round in a couple of years on Sunday. They teamed to log four natural birdies. Carlson’s came on a chip in.
“The real reason we won is because the Washington Capitals are Stanley Cup champions,” Carlson said. “This is my lucky week. Forty-four year Capitals fan, season-ticket holder for 10 years…golf was fun but I didn’t care if I hit a bad shot because we’re still Stanley Cup champions.”