SUTTON, Massachusetts – On a warm Monday in May at Pleasant Valley Country Club, 66 teams of two competed in the first Mass Golf Women’s Tournament of the 2021 season. Having to cancel the event in 2020, competitors were excited to get back to playing competitive golf in early spring.
ONLINE: RESULTS | CRIS EATON TOURNAMENT HOMEPAGE | WOMEN’S TOURNAMENTS HOMEPAGE
“Unfortunately last year’s Cris Eaton Chapman Tournament was canceled but we are very excited to have it back this year at the beautiful Pleasant Valley Country Club,” said Naomi Nesenoff, Manager of Women’s Events & Player Development. “Many players reached out over the winter looking forward to this event as it is the start to the women’s tournament schedule. The weather was perfect today, the golf course superb and all players thoroughly enjoyed the day!”
The Tournament follows the “Chapman System,” which states that the teammates competing in the 18-hole tournament each drive the ball off the tee, hitting their partner’s ball, and then selecting a ball which they alternate hits until it’s in the hole. The double-shotgun tournament was adjusted from a lettered flight system to a division system for the event with low gross and net being awarded for each respective division.
DIVISION 1 (Handicap Indexes up to 18.0)
The duo of Kris Henderson (Bedrock Golf Club) and Elizabeth Derwin (Brookmeadow Country Club) led the field shooting a 2-under 71. The duo carded 5 birdies on the day including a final stretch of 2 birdies and a par to end the round.
“Other than the double we had on the third hole we were never in trouble,” Derwin said. “We never had to use a shot that wasn’t in the fairway or on the green.”
“We are also both taking lessons from PGA Professionals,” said Henderson. “It is not only giving us the confidence but it is giving us better swings.”
With the only under par round in the tournament, Henderson and Derwin were extremely pleased with the way the season has started for them. The women are looking forward to teaming up again in the Curtis Bowl Scotch on May 10th at Northern Spy Golf Club.
“It’s not going to happen all the time, but it felt amazing for things to go the way they did today,” Henderson said.
Four strokes back off the leaders, Christine Gagner and Rita Bedard from Bedrock Country Club shot a 2-over 75 for a solo second-place finish.
Low net honors for the day in Division 1 go to Meghan Lynch (Presidents Golf Course) and Frances Rush (Brookmeadow Country Club) with an impressive 7-under 66.
DIVISION 2 RESULTS (Handicap Indexes up to 18.1 – 54.0)
Sharon Christian (Poquoy Brook Golf Club) and Lori Keegan (Acushnet River Valley Golf Course) topped the Division 2 board with a total gross score of 92, 19-over par.
Only three strokes behind the leaders, the team from Garden Municipal Golf Course, Sharon Ialenti and Ann Twohig carded a 22-over par, 95.
The low net honors for Division 2 go to the pair from Walpole Country club, Jane Keaveney and Joan Morin with a net score of 5-under 68.
Congratulations to all the competitors in both shotguns today.
A DIFFERENT KIND OF HOMECOMING
Jennifer Street (Chequessett Yacht & Country Club) arrived at Pleasant Valley today feeling nostalgic. While looking out onto the course she shared that her family farmed this land after arriving in America in the late 1800s.
“They were a Swedish family by the last name of Moe and they farmed this land until 1940 when they sold the property,” Street said. “There was once apple and peach trees on this land but unfortunately a hurricane came through in 1938 and completely devastated the area. It is nice to see a beautiful golf course here and the land being kept so green. I enjoyed coming here today.”
INSPIRED BY OTHERS
During her post-round interview, Elizabeth Derwin shared a story that we hope will resonate with other competitors this season. After watching one of the Mass Golf interviews with Shannon Johnson (fellow Massachusetts Amateur competitor and 2018 Women’s U.S. Mid-Amateur Champion), where Johnson mentions she works with a PGA Professional, Derwin was inspired to do the same and to take her game to another level. In reaching out to a game improvement facility in Massachusetts, Derwin came across her new coach with whom she attributes her positive change in her golf game.
“Kris (Henderson) is ready to write my coach, Luke, a letter of appreciation now,” said Derwin. “It was honestly a few key things that have made a huge difference to me. Last year I knew there was something wrong with my swing and COVID prevented me from getting help with it. I took the first lesson the day after my two weeks passed from my second shot and it wasn’t a huge change that he needed to make but he could see it and he fixed it in three lessons.”
“Huge thank you to Luke Cantelo at Kohr Golf in Natick!”
PHOTOS FROM THE EVENT COMING SOON!
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