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Dufault and Clary win OSWGA Team Championship |
NORTH KINGSTOWN-- When looking at the field of the Ocean State Women’s Golf Association’s eighth annual Team Championship, one couldn’t help but believe the twosome of Donna Warner of Wanumetonomy and Deb Cyronak of the West Warwick CC would be a very tough duo to beat. After all, Warner has been to the winner’s circle in this event a couple of times and Cyronak was coming off a brilliant 2002 season in which she was named Rhode Island’s Female Golfer of the Year. But past history didn’t mean a heck of a lot in this year’s event at the North Kingstown Municipal Golf Course. Warner and Cyronak didn’t live up to advance billing, partly because of the drizzly, chilly conditions, but mainly because Karen Dufault of Newport National and Carol Clary of Segreganset played a solid round and finished with the low score of the day in the A Division, winning with a 78. Warner and Cyronak finished fourth behind past winners Cheryl LaFontaine (Triggs) and Denise Turcotte (Triggs) who carded a 79, and Marisa White (Triggs) and Lynn Fandetti (Montaup) who combined for an 80. Warner and Cyronak ended up with a best ball 82. Low net honors in the A Division with a 65 went to the team of Wendy Jacobson and Judy Duarte, both of Segreganset. In the B Division, low gross winners were Chris Provost (Triggs) and Ann Perlow (Quidnessett) with a 93 while the low net winning team from Country View was Monique Boyajian and Brenda Martin with a 63. Dufault and Clary have been playing partners off and on over the past five or six years. “I am traditionally a slow starter but usually pick up by the fourth or fifth hole,’’ said Dufault. “Carol, on the other hand, is usually quick out of the gate. And that’s the way things worked in this tournament. We both leveled off and played well. I think I drove the ball pretty well and hit some good irons. Carol was consistent all the way and putted very well. Her putting made a big difference.’’ Each contributed a birdie to their winning round. Clary sank a 15-footer on the par five, 448 yard, fourth hole while Dufault dropped a short birdie putt on the 304-yard 17th. “We played pretty steady. We were one-under on the back nine and kind of fed off each other,’’ said Clary. ``The weather wasn’t the best but it was difficult for everyone.” Because of the shotgun start, no one really knew how the teams were doing until the actual competition ended and the scorecards were turned in. LaFontaine and Turcotte, past winners in this tournament, thought they were in the running with their 79. “We played the front nine extremely well and finished with a 39,” declared LaFontaine. “No question, the weather factor was big. There certainly wasn’t much roll out there.” Warner and Cyronak treated their disappointment in a lighthearted way. “We’re saving ourselves for the Four-ball in July,’’ joked Warner. Neither Warner nor Cyronak putted that well. Some greens had just been aerated and were a bit bumpy. But that didn’t matter, said Cyronak. “We both struggled on the same holes. Putting really killed us. We didn’t sink a putt all day.” Jacobson and Duarte were very pleased with their team performance. They finished with a solid gross score of 80 and with their handicap gave them a net winning round of 65. “I think our worst score was a seven. Otherwise, we played well,” said Jacobson. ``I think I one-putted six greens and we had birdies on the 15th and 18th holes. We started on the third hole and our seven didn’t come until our very last hole, the second.” OSWGA team notes: Defending champions Karen Adams and Kerry St. Pierre
did not compete in this year’s tournament. . .This year’s
field of 128 golfers was the largest for the OSWGA Team Tournament.
. .Karen Dufault is wearing a couple of hats for the OSWGA. She is vice
president of this fast growing women’s golfing organization and
is in charge of publicity, too.
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