In one-day golf tournaments, particularly team events involving shotgun starts, winning can come as a complete surprise.
Such was the case Monday in the final CWGA championship of 2013, the 10th annual Club Team competition held at the Omni Interlocken Resort Golf Club in Broomfield.
The four golfers representing Aurora-based Canongate at Blackstone Country Club had an inkling they might place, but they weren’t thinking victory.
But with a cumulative gross score of 81-over-par 369, Blackstone not only prevailed in the 29-team competition, but it did so by a relatively comfortable nine strokes over runner-up Cherry Hills Country Club. CommonGround and Hyland Hills shared third place at 383.
“It was really exciting because we didn’t think we played quite well enough to take first place,” said Ruth Van Zee, the “A” player in the ABCD format. “We thought we might place. We didn’t play a stellar round, but we played steady.
“We were all very surprised that we took first. Everybody just kept plugging along. We kept supporting each other and kept playing golf. That’s what you’ve got to do. We were ecstatic.”
Individually for Blackstone, Van Zee shot an 85, while Kim Gould had an 87, Riz Williams a 97 and Carol Iwata a 100. The winning foursome is pictured above, from left: Gould, Williams, Van Zee and Iwata.
Former CWGA Senior Player of the Year Christie Austin, until recently a member of the USGA Executive Committee, claimed low individual honors by firing a 4-over-par 76 for Cherry Hills. Tying for second place at 78 were Nikki Athey of the defending team champion Country Club of Colorado, Jane Ford of Hyland Hills and Cindy Snow of the Pinery.
Van Zee serves as the handicap chair at Blackstone, so she’s responsible for organizing the club’s team. Barring scheduling conflicts, the foursome usually falls together pretty easily.
“It’s kind of an honor to be able to play in this,” Van Zee notes.
And while no one from the Blackstone team was stellar on Monday, the four players teamed up the best of any of the clubs competing.
“Our C and D players (Williams and Iwata) played exceptionally well,” Van Zee said. “The A and B players, we each had a birdie. We each had our share of holes we did really well on and we each had our share of holes we got in trouble. Nobody played really outstanding, but we all played very steady.”
For Van Zee, it was her second CWGA championship in the last three years as she and Jessi McVay claimed the Chapman title in 2011.
“For me personally it’s quite an honor to win,” Van Zee said. “The CWGA has some great golfers.
“Team events are kind of nice because you have your team to support you and rally around you. Some people like individual (events) better because it’s just them. Either way, to win a CWGA tournament is quite an honor.”
CWGA Club Team Championship
At Par-72 Omni Interlocken Resort GC in Broomfield
Canongate at Blackstone CC — 184-185–369
Cherry Hills CC — 194-184–378
CommonGround GC — 194-189–383
Hyland Hills GC — 197-186–383
City Park GC — 188-200–388
Foothills GC — 192-198–390
The Pinery CC — 196-196–392
Red Rocks CC — 194-199–393
Fox Hollow GC — 197-198–395
Heritage Eagle Bend GC — 194-203–397
Pinehurst CC — 206-191–397
Saddle Rock GC — 182-216–398
Wellshire GC — 200-200–400
Westwoods GC — 209-191–400
Omni Interlocken Resort GC — 200-204–404
Broken Tee GC — 212-196–408
Deer Creek at Meadow Ranch GC — 199-210–409
The Club at Rolling Hills — 204-208–412
Coal Creek GC — 208-205–413
The Meadows GC — 204-209–413
CC of Colorado — 216-199–415
Willis Case GC — 201-214–415
South Suburban GC — 211-212–423
Glenmoor CC — 207-220–427
Meadow Hills GC — 208-220–428
Overland Park GC — 212-216–428
Patty Jewett GC — 208-227–435
The Club at Pradera — 229-206–435
Kissing Camels GC — WD
