Over 2400 Women Compete in Largest U. S. Amateur Women’s Golf Competition
Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., October 20, 2008 – Now in its 13th year, the 2008 EWGA Championship presented by Callaway Golf had over2400 competitors earning the distinction as the largest amateur women’s golf competition in the country. Starting with 120 local chapter competitions and 15 semi-finals, the 36-hole championship finals were held on September 26 and 27 at The Reserve Vineyards and Golf Club in Aloha, Oregon.
The PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Florida will be the site for the 2009 EWGA Championship Finals, scheduled for September 25 and 26.
Lori Whitaker of Cumming, Georgia, a member of the Atlanta chapter of the Executive Women’s Golf Association captured the 2008 title by shooting two rounds of 76 for a 36-hole score of 152. Patty Kimball of Scottsdale, Arizona and Jewel ‘Kip’ Malick of Rockwell, Texas placed second and third respectively, both shooting scores of 153 followed by a score card play-off.
“The EWGA championship was a wonderful experience. The level of competition was truly impressive and I feel fortunate to come out on top. This is most definitely my greatest golf accomplishment,” said the 41 year old Whitaker who played basketball in college for Furman University. She works in sales for Nortel and started playing golf about 10 years ago. “The EWGA is a great organization for women golfers of all skill levels. It brings together women who have lots of common interests and provides a strong network for business and golf. I would encourage all women to give it a try.”
The EWGA Championship begins at the chapter level with members competing in individual stoke play in five flights based on USGA handicaps and a scramble team competition. The championship flight is for women with handicaps of 8.0 or less. Net and gross winners in each flight and the winning scramble team advance to one of 15 semi-finals to determine the competitors for the 36-hole EWGA Championship Finals.
Shelly Armstrong, Teri Redmond, Sarah Dekraay and Ginger Zimmerman of the Madison, Wis. EWGA chapter successfully defended their scramble division title, winning for the fourth consecutive year with a net score of 126.
“EWGA and the scramble team have made such a difference. I had not played golf in 30 years when I came to Madison and joined the chapter,” said Armstrong, a financial planning manager. “We have met so many wonderful people. The fact that we won was incidental but still fabulous. My advice to other women is to get more out of life – play golf.”
The 2008 EWGA Championship Finals presented by Callaway Golf brought together a diverse field of nearly 200 women from throughout the United States and Canada. An Indiana women and her 21 year daughter competed in different flights and two sisters played on the Tampa Bay, Fla. scramble team.
“This is a premier event for women of all playing ability levels. For some of our members who did not grow up playing sports, this is one of their first experiences in competitive play,” says Pam Swensen, CEO of the EWGA. “The growth and continued excellence of the EWGA Championship demonstrates our ongoing commitment to providing women with more opportunities through the game of golf.”
Since the EWGA started in 1991, more than 100,000 women have benefited from membership in the organization which is dedicated to connecting women to learn, play, and enjoy golf for business and for fun. Chapters provide a wide range of golf, social and networking activities for both new and experienced golfers. The EWGA is headquartered in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. For more information about the association and its membership, visit www.ewga.com
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Following are the top 36-hole stroke play EWGA Championship winners, by flight. All first place winners are invited to defend at the coming year’s Championship Finals in Port St Lucie, Florida.
A complete list of the 2008 final results can be found at: www.ewga.com/improve_your_game/ewga_championship/finals/2008_finals_results.dot
* indicates won scorecard playoff
Championship Flight (Handicap 0 – 8.0):
First Place Low Gross: Lori Whitaker, Cumming, GA, Atlanta, GA chapter – 152
Second Place Low Gross: Patty Kimball, Scottsdale, AZ, Phoenix-Valley of the Sun, AZ chapter – 153*
Third Place Low Gross: Jewel Malick, Rockwell, TX, Dallas, TX chapter – 153
First Place Low Net: Robin Banner, Knoxville, TN, Greater Knoxville, TN chapter – 141
Second Place Low Net: Jeri Roche, Neptune Beach, FL, Jacksonville, FL chapter – 143*
Third Place Low Net: Beth Reinhold, Santa Barbara, CA, Santa Barbara, CA chapter – 143
First Flight (Handicap 8.1 – 16.0):
First Place Low Gross: Julie Shore, Raleigh, NC, Raleigh Triangle, NC chapter – 156
Second Place Low Gross: Kerry Timm, Tampa, FL, Tampa Bay, FL chapter – 161
Third Place Low Gross: Angie Browning, Neptune Beach, FL, Jacksonville, FL chapter – 165
First Place Low Net: Christine DeRienzo, Old Bethpage, NY, Long Island, NY chapter – 139
Second Place Low Net: Shelly Weiss, Southfield, MI, Metro Detroit, MI chapter – 141
Third Place Low Net: Marceia Cox, Bartlett, TN, Memphis, TN chapter – 142
Second Flight (Handicap 16.1 – 24.0)
First Place Low Gross: Stacey Weitzel, Pasadena, MD, Baltimore Regional, MD chapter – 169
Second Place Low Gross: Nancy Heldt, Boise, ID, Boise-Treasure Valley, ID chapter – 182
Third Place Low Gross: Angi Livermore, Princeton Junction, NJ, Central New Jersey – 183
First Place Low Net: Bridget Albosta, Walnut Creek, CA, Northeast Bay, CA chapter – 136
Second Place Low Net: Ingrid Roosild, Albuquerque, NM, Albuquerque, NM chapter – 143
Third Place Low Net: Gretchen Evanco, Twinsburg, OH, Akron, OH chapter – 145
Third Flight (Handicap 24.1 – 32.0)
First Place Low Gross: Jackie LeBlanc, Scarborough, Ontario, Greater Toronto, Ontario chapter – 193
Second Place Low Gross: Lisa Smith, Novato, CA, Sonoma-Marin-Napa, CA chapter – 194
Third Place Low Gross: Chris Mortensen, Glendale, WI, Milwaukee, WI chapter – 196
First Place Low Net: Diane Madigan, Fort Worth, TX, Fort Worth/Metroplex, TX chapter – 136
Second Place Low Net: CJ Ensign, Boise, ID, Boise-Treasure Valley, ID chapter – 140
Third Place Low Net: Mary Jo Burke, Bonita Springs, FL, Naples, FL chapter – 141
Fourth Flight (Handicap 32.1 – 40.4)
First Place Low Gross: Lisa Lowe, Overland Park, KS, Kansas City Metro, KS chapter – 199
Second Place Low Gross: Linda McAlister, Novato, CA, Sonoma-Marin-Napa, CA chapter – 207
Third Place Low Gross: Carol Hecht, Waukesha, WI, Milwaukee, WI chapter – 211
First Place Low Net: Michelle Boyer, Miami, FL Miami, FL chapter – 135
Second Place Low Net: Jackie Dixon, Bridgeton, MO, St Louis, MO chapter – 140*
Third Place Low Net: Madeleine Terenzio, Stamford, CT, Fairfield County, CT chapter- 140
The 36-hole scramble winners:
First Place Team: Madison WI chapter – net 126
Shelly Armstrong, Madison, WI Teri Redmond, Madison, WI
Sarah Dekraay, Madison, WI Ginger Zimmerman, Sun Prairie, WI
Second Place Team: Akron, OH chapter – net 133*
Terry Baxter, Solon, OH Sue Williams, Chardon, OH
Diane Rothers, Chargin Falls,OH Maria Kameros, Chardon, OH
Third Place Team: Tampa Bay, FL chapter – net 133
Chris Daywalt, Clearwater, FL Kim Byle, Dunedin, FL
Cathy Ford, Largo, FL Michele Pontious, Clearwater, FL
Contact:
Angie Niehoff
Niehoff Marketing Associates
561-868-0297
niehoff@bellsouth.net
