2008 GA-FL Women’s Team Matches

Georgia Falls to Florida at 28th Georgia-Florida Women's Team Matches

Miami Beach, Fla. – Team Georgia fell just short of their Florida counterparts, 28 1/2 - 25 1/2, at the 28th annual Georgia-Florida Women's Team Matches, which took place at La Gorce Country Club in Miami Beach, Florida, August 28-29. Florida, needing 17 points to secure victory, began the final round with a three-point advantage and claimed the title by that same margin after splitting in Friday's 12 singles matches. The Nassau scoring format awards one point to the winner of each nine and one point for the overall match, with a half-point for any ties.

Georgia jumped out to an early lead as 14-year old Mariah Stackhouse of Riverdale, the 2008 Georgia Women's Match Play and Georgia Girls' Champion, dropped Natalie McNicholas of Naples, 3 - 0. In the day's second match, Georgia's reigning Women's Player of the Year – Laura Coble of Augusta – halved the points in her match with Mary Jane Hiestand of Naples. Roswell's Margaret Shirley managed to take two and a half points from Meghan Bolger of Fort Lauderdale.

The Sunshine State answered, however, in matches four and five. Sarasota's Wendi Golden defeated Alina Lee of Athens, 3 - 0, to retake the overall lead from Georgia and Orange Park's Rhonda Ferguson bested Brenda Pictor of Marietta to extend that advantage. Georgia reclaimed the lead, though, as Newnan's Jodie Shepard and Hartwell's Anna Rogers each dominated their opponenets and each posted three points.

Florida, in the late matches, evened the score and then pulled ahead for good, winning four of the final five matches by decisive margins. Nancy Smith of North Port defeated Mary Helen McElreath of Augusta, Monica Von Glahn of North Palm Beach ousted Danielle Davis of St. Simons Island, Weston's Diane Lang beat Cherry Bevis of Covington and Gennifer Mendez of North Port bested Greensboro's Susan Rheney. However, Kathryn Fowler of Americus was able to defeat Tampa's Mindy Smith, 3-0, to salvage the day. Florida's victory marks the eighth consecutive year that the host state has claimed victory at the Women's Team Matches. Georgia's last victory on Floridian soil came in 2000 when it won 33 1/2 - 20 1/2 at Disney's Eagle Pines Golf Club in Orlando. This was the 28th playing of the Georgia-Florida Women's Team Matches, which brings together the top women amateur golfers in the two neighboring states. Team members are selected by their state associations based on their performance in recent events. Florida now leads the all-time series 15-13.

Final Points: Florida 28 1/2, Georgia 25 1/2

Second Round Points: Georgia 18, Florida 18 (Singles Matches)
Mariah Stackhouse, Riverdale (Ga.) def. Natalie McNicholas, Naples (Fla.), 3 - 0
Laura Coble, Augusta (Ga.) halved with Mary Jane Hiestand, Naples (Fla.), 1 1/2 each
Margaret Shirley, Roswell (Ga.) def. Meghan Bolger, Fort Lauderdale (Fla.), 2 1/2 - 1/2
Wendi Golden, Sarasota (Fla.) def. Alina Lee, Athens (Ga.), 3 - 0
Rhonda Ferguson, Orange Park (Fla.) def. Brenda Pictor, Marietta (Ga.), 2 - 1
Jodie Shepard, Newnan (Ga.) def. Chris Epperly, Lady Lake (Fla.), 3 - 0
Anna Rogers, Hartwell (Ga) def. Shirley Trier, Jacksonville (Fla.), 3 - 0
Nancy Smith, North Port (Fla.) def. Mary Helen McElreath, Augusta (Ga.), 2 1/2 - 1/2
Monica Von Glahn, North Palm Beach (Fla.) def. Danielle Davis, St. Simons Island (Ga.), 2 1/2 - 1/2
Diane Lang, Weston (Fla.) def. Cherry Bevis, Covington (Ga.), 3 - 0
Kathryn Fowler, Americus (Ga.) def. Mindy Smith, Tampa (Fla.), 3 - 0
Gennifer Mendez, North Port (Fla.) def. Susan Rheney, Greensboro (Ga.), 3 - 0

First Round Points: Florida 10 1/2, Georgia 7 1/2 (Four-Ball Matches)
Meghan Bolger, Fort Lauderdale & Mary Jane Hiestand, Naples def. Alina Lee, Athens & Danielle Davis, St. Simons Island, 3 - 0
Laura Coble, Augusta & Margaret Shirley, Roswell def. Gennifer Mendez, North Port & Monica Von Glahn, North Palm Beach, 2 1/2 - 1/2
Nancy Smith, North Port & Chris Epperly, Lady Lake def. Mary Helen McElreath, Augusta & Jody Shepard, Newnan, 2 1/2 - 1/2
Wendi Golden, Sarasota & Diane Lang, Weston def. Brenda Pictor, Marietta & Katherine Fowler, Americus, 2 1/2 - 1/2
Natalie McNicholas, Naples & Mindy Smith, Tampa def. Anna Rogers, Hartwell & Cherry Bevis, Covington, 2 - 1
Mariah Stackhouse, Riverdale & Susan Rheney, Greensboro def. Rhonda Ferguson, Orange Park & Shirley Trier, Jacksonville, 3 - 0