2004 GA-FL Women’s Team Matches

Florida Tops Georgia in 24th Annual Women's Team Matches

Lecanto, Fla. - The Florida team held off Georgia to win 29-25 in the 24th annual Georgia-Florida Women's Team Matches, which took place at the Black Diamond Ranch in Lecanto, Fla., August 17-18. Florida started the day with a 10-point advantage after the opening round and claimed the title by a four-point margin after Wednesday'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 started the day off slow as Marietta's Julie Bartholomew dropped all three points in the opening match. In the day's second match, Jennifer Cassidy of Dalton brought Georgia back after shutting out Taffy Brower of Boynton Beach, Fla., 3-0. Laura Coble of Augusta, the reigning GSGA Women's Player of the Year also contributed three points from her match and Charlotte Grant of Greensboro tallied 2 ½ points of her own. However, in match number nine, Mary Jane Hiestand of Naples, Fla. clinched the victory for Florida when she claimed two points in winning her match against Sea Island's Cheryl Grigg.

Earning points towards Georgia's team total were Lee Burton of Newnan (2), Stone Mountain's Ginette Spinucci (2), Ellen Dempsey of St. Simons Island (1), Claudeen Lindberg of Atlanta (1), and Bonaire's Katie Davidson (½).

Florida needed just 13 ½ points to clinch the title at the start of play Wednesday morning. After Hiestand collected her match point, Florida, in a gesture of sportsmanship, conceded the remaining six points to Team Georgia.

Florida, having won three of the last four Women's Team Matches held in their state, reclaimed the title they lost last year at Augusta Country Club, 32-22. This was the 24th 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 leads the all-time series 13-11.

GSGA conducts 18 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 college scholarship programs.

Final Points: Florida 29, Georgia 25

 

Second Round Points: Georgia 21, Florida 15 (Singles Matches)
Mary Ann Plunkett (Fla.) def. Julie Bartholomew (Ga.), 3-0
Jennifer Cassidy (Ga.) def. Taffy Brower (Fla.), 3-0
Natalia Nichols (Fla.) def. Katie Davidson (Ga.), 2 ½ -½
Laura Coble (Ga.) def. Kim Goedecke (Fla.), 3-0
Jessica Castle (Fla.) def. Ellen Dempsey (Ga.), 2-1
Ginette Spinucci (Ga.) def. Nancy Smith (Fla.), 2-1
Sharon Keil (Fla.) def. Claudeen Lindberg (Ga.), 2-1
Charlotte Grant (Ga.) def. Terrell Italiano (Fla.), 2 ½ -½
Mary Jane Hiestand (Fla.) def. Cheryl Grigg (Ga.), 2-1*
Danielle Davis (Ga.) def. Pamela Crikelair (Fla.), 2-1**
Ena Harvey (Ga.) def. Diane Lang (Fla.), 2-1**
Lee Burton (Ga.) vs. Susie Fonde (Fla.), 3-0*

*-The back nine point was conceded.
**-The back nine point and the total match point were conceded.