NORTH DARTMOUTH, Massachusetts (October 28, 2025) – Breaking their two-year streak of narrowly missing victory, including by a scorecard tiebreaker last year, Bay Club at Mattapoisett members Kim Walecka and Nicki Demakis finally seized the LaBonte Four-Ball Tournament title with a thrilling one-stroke win in the season finale at Allendale Country Club.
Walecka and Demakis finished with a score of 1-over-par 74, edging out the team playing from the same group: Pam Kuong, the reigning Mass Golf Women’s Senior Player of the Year, and Liz Gallinaro, both of Charles River Country Club.
Elizabeth Wilson and Winnie Cotter, of the Fairway Ladies of Franklin Park, ran away with the Net Division title at 11-under 62.
The 46-player field consisted of two-woman 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-woman teams with both players having up to a 54.0 Handicap Index.
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Starting from Hole No. 1, Kuong set the pace by shooting 38 on the front nine on her own ball, with consecutive birdies on holes 8 and 9. However, Demakis also made birdie on the par-5 9th as a string of pars prior kept them even. Walecka then made birdie on the par-4 10th to get the pair back to 1-over par for the round.
Kuong was able to equalize with a birdie on the 11th as the two teams were neck and neck coming all the way down to the final stretch of holes. Walecka was able to save par for the team on the 17th to keep the leading groups tied, stepping to the 319-yard, par-4 18th. Three of the four players in the group made bogey, but Demakis prevailed with a par save to lift the duo to the title.
Seana Gaherin (The Ridge Club) & Laura Hasenfus (Needham Golf Club) took third overall with a score of 5-over 78, with Hasenfus knocking down three birdies, including the 18th.
Meanwhile, in the Net Division, Wilson and Cotter took advantage of net eagles on the 8th and 11th holes, plus seven net birdies to earn the top spot. Both players represented the Fairway Ladies of Franklin Park, established in 1990 as part of a diverse group of women golfers who play mostly at William J. Devine Golf Course in Boston.
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