Collegians advance to OSWGA title round

07:44 AM EDT on Friday, July 27, 2007

BY PAUL KENYON
Journal Sports Writer

Amanda Sabitoni will play today for the Ocean State Women’s Golf Association Amateur Championship.

The Providence Journal / Bob Breidenbach

CRANSTON — Amanda Sabitoni and Ally Caffrey have a lot in common. They are both 21 years old. They graduated from parochial high schools the same year: Caffrey from Bay View and Sabitoni from La Salle. Both are getting ready to begin their senior year of college: Sabitoni at Lynn University in Florida, Caffrey at the University of Rhode Island.

Both also are outstanding golfers. Their work yesterday gave them still more common ground — they are the finalists in this year’s Ocean State Women’s Golf Association Amateur Championship.

Both posted impressive semifinal victories to reach today’s 18-hole title match. Caffrey topped the defending champion, Katherine Murphy, 4 and 3, while Sabitoni was eliminating Kibbe Reilly, the tournament medalist, 3 and 2.

When they met at the Cranston clubhouse after their victories, the two smiled, hugged and congratulated each other. They sounded like old friends.

“We’ve been going at it for many years now,” Sabitoni said. “We always have good matches. [Today] should be a lot of fun.”

If both continue playing as they have all week, it should be close, too.

As much as they have in common, they do have differences, notably in the way they came into the tournament. Sabitoni has come on strong this summer. She and Murphy earlier combined to win the OSWGA Four-Ball. She is hitting the ball longer than ever and, as she showed in her victory over Reilly, her iron play is outstanding, as well.

“I was even for the 16 holes we played,” Sabitoni said. “I’m playing smart. My caddy is helping me with the wind and the greens.”

Tim Duffy is her caddy.

“He knows the greens really well,” Sabitoni said. “I’m getting the confidence I need in my putting. The speed is a little different for me. Every day, I’m getting a little more used to the greens.”

Reilly saw enough to be convinced.

“She made three birdies and I didn’t make any. That pretty much sums it up,” she said.

Sabitoni had birdies at 3 and 6 to take control, and she never let up. She was 2-up at the turn. When Sabitoni hit her tee shot on the par-3 12th to within seven feet and canned the putt for bird, she was in control and on her way to the finals. Reilly, who at 51 was the only noncollegian among the semifinalists, took the result in stride.

“I played an awesome golfer today,” she said. “There isn’t anything I don’t like about Amanda. She’s a lovely human being, a beautiful golfer. I love her swing. That’s the kind of young person you like to see.”

The other finalist is in a different position. Caffrey is happy to be playing so well because she is not as focused on golf as she was coming out of high school.

Caffrey went from Bay View to the University of Richmond, where she not only made the golf team, but also was part of the Spiders’ regular rotation. She still plays using her Richmond bag. However, she left Richmond after three semesters and has been at URI the last three semesters. URI, of course, does not have a women’s golf team.

“I’m an animal science major,” she said. “I get a lot of questions all the time about ‘Why don’t you transfer to some place where you can play? Why don’t you try to get a club team in there?’

“I couldn’t do the program I’m in if I played golf,” Caffrey explained. “It’s very rigorous. Even if I stayed at Richmond I couldn’t do this program and play golf. Everything happens for a reason. I’m happy where I am.”

Caffrey is working three jobs this summer. She had not played much golf until competing in the Women’s New England Championships earlier this month. She realized she has not lost the bug to compete.

“I still love the game. I’m still very passionate about it. I still like to be competitive,” she said. “When I have time, I go play. I play with my boyfriend and other friends.”

She played reasonably well in the New Englands, but not as well as she would like.

“I was disappointed I couldn’t fix my swing the way I wanted to. When I came back, I called Troy Pare (an assistant pro) at Wannamoisett and said, ‘Will you work with me please?’

“I worked with him and he helped me,” Caffrey said. “He said he wanted to see me before the Amateur so he took time Sunday to see me. This week I’ve gone to see him after every round. We talk about how I played and he helps me.”

Caffrey was steady throughout in beating Murphy. She took the lead with a birdie on the par-4 fifth, where she stuffed her approach within five feet. She went 2-up when Murphy bunkered her approach on seven.

“After the seventh, I just started to play bad,” Murphy said. “I hit some bad shots off the tee and I made some bad putts.”

Caffrey kept running off pars, enough to earn a spot in the finals.

“I was nervous playing Katherine. She’s a great player. I’ve seen her grow up,” Caffrey said. “She’s been playing college golf for the last year (at Penn State).”

Caffrey just looked as if she has been. Today she gets to do it again against a familiar rival.