BREWSTER, Massachusetts (October 2, 2024) – While fall is upon us and the season for Team Tournaments heads to a close, the Cape Cod weather held onto its perfect golf day elements to host the LaBonte Four-Ball at Ocean Edge Resort & GC. The dynamic duo of Lani DeBonis and Amy Miller (Oak Hill C.C.) have captured their first victory at the Labonte Four-Ball via a scorecard playoff to defeat Kim Walecka and Nicki Demakis (Country Club of New Bedford).
The 56 team field was made up of two-women teams. The tournament utilizes a four-ball format, where players hit their own ball and the best score on the team is recorded. The event dates back to 1950, and in 1972 was renamed the “The Eleanor I. LaBonte” Tournament. LaBonte served as Executive Secretary of what was formerly known as the Women’s Golf Association of Massachusetts (WGAM) for over 25 years and was Handicap Chairperson for 33 years. The tournament is open to two-women teams with both players having up to 54.0 Handicap Index.
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Where everyone wants to start in a shotgun format, DeBonis and Miller had all 18 holes ahead as group 1A. Starting steady with a pair of pars, the par-4 second started to test each player. With a double from DeBonis a bounce back streak of Miller with a bogey save on the second, led them to a solid par-birdie-par-par-par run and another birdie on 8 would bring them around to the par-5 9th where Miller would once again save a DeBonis double with a comfortable bogey to bring them to even at the turn.
Not only was the course giving up quite the challenge, their playing partners Walecka and Demakis we’re showing signs of a competitive four-ball match. Matching the 2-birdies, they we’re able to escape any squares on the card for the front nine.
Demakis and Walecka are no strangers to the top of the leaderboard. Last year the duo was edged out by Christine Gagner and Rita Bedard at The Ridge Club just further up the cape in Sandwich.
The former runner-up team found themselves with two bogeys and two birdies on the card to post even on the back 9, a final score of 2-under.
DeBonis and Miller found a groove on the back nine. With no bogeys to card and an eagle on the par-4 14th from DeBonis, a 2-under, 70 was to tie their playing partners.
A tie-breaker was then decided via scorecard playoff, once again seeing Walecka and Demakis be edged out as DeBonis and Miller take home their first title.
Meanwhile, in the net division, two teams tied at 9-under, 63. Kathleen Partridge and Toni Bailey of The Bay Pointe Club and Claire Hollenbeck (Brookline Golf Course) and Cris Regan (LPGA Amateurs Boston) each had their fair share of net-birdies, but two-net eagles for Hollenbeck really sealed the deal.
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