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By Chris Lang
HAYMARKET — Joan Gardner knew her side had won. As the Mount Vernon Country Club captain waited in her cart near the scoreboard on another sweltering day, she wondered what was happening behind her.
Soon, teammates Shawn McCullough and Susan Podolsky arrived at the Evergreen Country Club scoreboard, McCullough excitedly flashing six fingers at Gardner. “Six up,” she said. At that point, it seemed clear. Mount Vernon’s second straight title at the Virginia State Golf Association Women’s State Team Matches was all but assured.
Mount Vernon, the top seed and stroke-play medalist, defeated fellow Alexandria club Belle Haven Country Club 32-22 Wednesday for its 14th title in the event, one short of the record held by Army Navy Country Club.
All 14 titles have come since 1990, the year that Belle Haven won its last championship by beating Mount Vernon.
“I’m just so proud of our team today,” Gardner said. “Especially playing Belle Haven. It had been since 1990 since we had played them, and they beat us in that one. And Miss Duncan (Belle Haven captain Nancy) always reminds us of that, that they came out on top. So at least we have that evened out now.”
Each club featured a six-member team split into three four-ball sides. In lieu of traditional four-ball match-play scoring, each hole was worth one point for a total of 54 points available in the match.
In the “A” match, Gardner and Katie Cox defeated Mimi Hoffman and Nancy Duncan 10-8. McCullough and Podolsky won the “B” match, topping Arline Hoffman and Maria Kirby 12-6. In the “C” match, Linda DiVall and Kim Franks beat Kay Tyler and Ashley Suska 10-8, completing the sweep of the title match.
“It was so great to hear how our B team did,” Gardner said. “They said they just ham and egged and played steady and didn’t give any room to Arline and Maria. I know Kim and Linda had a really tight match in the final group. We’re just thrilled.
“It was a difficult course today. I think early in the week, there were birdies flying, and we had some birdies in our group today. Whether it was the pins, I don’t know. We played some grind-it-out golf today.”
Mount Vernon won for the eighth time in 11 years. As the winner of the club’s women’s championship, Gardner chose the roster, and she stuck with a winning formula. Choices were made based on three factors: Handicap Index, performance in qualifying matches at the club and performance in VSGA championships and events.
Franks, who was overseas on a work assignment last year at this time, was the only new player on this year’s squad. She and DiVall combined for the most points on the Mount Vernon roster in the two matches and shot the club’s best score in stroke-play qualifying.
“Over the course of the years, we’ve added some players,” Gardner said. “Shawn has been there for a long, long time. Linda’s been there for a while. I came on a couple of years later with Katie. A couple of years later it was Susan. Then a couple of years after that, it was Kim.
“There were some great ladies there before us, and it’s been a real tribute to our club. We have a great group of ladies, and fortunately, we keep adding a few into the mix. It’s just a really good team effect.”
Winners of the other four flights on Wednesday were Golf Club at the Highlands (first flight); Belmont Golf Club (second flight); Williamsburg Golf Club (third flight) and Hermitage Country Club (fourth flight).
72nd VSGA Women’s State Team Matches
At Evergreen CC, Haymarket
Par 73, 5,573 yards
Tuesday’s semifinal matches
Championship flight
#1 Mount Vernon CC def. #4 CC of Virginia, 30½-23½
#2 Belle Haven CC def. #3 River Creek Club, 33½-20½
First flight
#1 Army Navy CC def. #4 Bayville GC, 30½-23½
#2 GC at the Highlands def. #3 Brandermill CC, 28-26
Second flight
#1 Belmont GC def. #4 Cavalier G&YC, 31-23
#3 Evergreen CC def. #2 Washington G&CC, 28½-25½
Third flight
#1 Williamsburg GC def. #4 Greenbrier CC, 29½-24½
#2 Ford’s Colony CC def. #3 Ivy Hill GC, 27-27 (FC won playoff)
Fourth flight
#1 Hermitage CC def. #4 International CC, 32½-21½
#3 Willow Oaks CC def. #2 Fort Belvoir CC, 30½-23½
Wednesday’s championship matches
Championship flight
#1 Mount Vernon CC def. #2 Belle Haven CC, 32-22
First flight
#2 GC at the Highlands def. #1 Army Navy CC, 29½-24½
Second flight
#1 Belmont GC def. #3 Evergreen CC, 31-23
Third flight
#1 Williamsburg GC def. #2 Ford’s Colony CC, 29-25
Fourth flight
#1 Hermitage CC def. #3 Willow Oaks CC, 31-23