2004 Women’s Match Play Championship

Laura Coble Cruises to Fourth-Straight Women's Match Play Title

CARROLLTON, Ga. - Defending Champion Laura Coble of Augusta defeated Lee Burton of Newnan, 5 and 4, to win her fourth-straight Georgia Women's Match Play Championship at Sunset Hills Country Club. Coble played the front nine in three-under par and held a 5-up lead by the turn, before closing out the match at 14.

Burton, who had drained a 40-footer on 11 for birdie, failed to capitalize on Coble's only bogey of the round when she misread her five-foot comeback putt for par at 12. Burton went on to bogey 13 to go back to five down. The two halved 14 with pars to end the match.

After taking the first hole with birdie, Burton lost the lead for good at three, four and five, where she could do no better than bogey. Coble took charge with a 40-footer for birdie on six, before stunning Burton with another long birdie putt at nine, where Burton thought she was safe after making a great sand save.

Coble, who has captured this event five times in six years, won each of her matches easily, with the closest margin of victory being 4 and 2 in her semifinal against Claudeen Lindberg of Atlanta. She opened with a 5-and-4 victory over Ellen Connors of Newnan before defeating Elaine Montano of Augusta, 4 and 3, in the quarterfinals.

Burton had defeated 2003 finalist Patti Huxford of Cumming in the semifinals to earn the match with Coble, her good friend and frequent four-ball partner. While she wished she had played better, Burton admitted the difference in the match was Coble's near flawless round. "Twelve was the only opening she gave me all day. She didn't leave the door open at all before that, not even any little cracks," Burton said.

Among her many titles, Coble has won the GSGA Women's Player of the Year Award for the last six years and won the Georgia Women's Amateur in 2003 and 1999, the same year she won her first match play title. This was only Burton's second individual tournament since returning to competitive golf after a five-year break. In addition to several team titles, Burton has three wins at the GSGA's Women's Top 40 Competition (1993, 1994, 1997) and the Greater Atlanta Women's Amateur (1993, 1994, 1997). She finished as runner-up at the Georgia Women's Amateur in 1994 and 1995. The pair last met in the Women's Match Play event in the late 1990s, where Coble sunk a 45-foot, downhill birdie on 18 to win their semifinal, 1 up.

This was the seventh playing of the Georgia Women's Match Play Championship, which has been held at Sunset Hills Country Club all seven years. Coble was awarded a newly donated trophy from Georgia Women's champion and LPGA founding member Louise Suggs, whose father Johnny was the first golf professional at Sunset Hills.

GSGA conducts 17 statewide competitions for men and women of all age groups, three interstate matches and 17 USGA qualifying events each year. Other services include computerized handicapping, course rating and measuring, a summer-long junior sectional competitions program, Golf Georgia magazine and two scholarship programs.

 

Final Results

Championship Flight
Laura Coble, Augusta def. Lee Burton, Newnan, 5 and 4
Championship Consolation
Virginia Tyson, Macon def. Darlene Werhnyak, Lawrenceville, 2 up

First Flight
Jackie Sexton, Cumming def. Bonnie Grizzard, Rome, 5 and 4
First Flight Consolation
Nancy Holm, Alpharetta def. Sarah Ro, Atlanta, 22 holes

Second Flight
Debra Partridge, Roswell def. Sherry Huchet, Peachtree City, 5 and 4
Second Flight Consolation
Marilyn Nolan-Johnson, Marietta def. Sandra Lee, Perry, 4 and 3

Third Flight
Sue King, Chatsworth def. Dale Perry, Carrollton, 1 up
Third Flight Consolation
Lucky Mahler, Warner Robins def. Olivia Flanagan, Marietta, 4 and 3

Fourth Flight
Joyce Doss, Carrollton def. Kristie McCollister, Alpharetta, 3 and 1
Fourth Flight Consolation
Carole Cavanaugh, Sharpsburg def. Lurisa Waldron, Lavonia, 2 up

Fifth Flight
Cheryl Drewyer, Newnan def. Jane Newbern, Bremen, 6 and 5
Fifth Flight Consolation
Sharon Loftin, Carrollton def. Anne Donaldson, Jesup, 2 up

Sixth Flight
Deanna McMurrain, Palmetto def. Gloria Hobbs, Douglasville, 19 holes
Sixth Flight Consolation
Mandy Parker, Powder Springs def. Diane Rowe, Carrollton, 3 and 2