LYNN — The annual Ladies Member-Guest Tournament took over the Gannon Golf Club Saturday and things went right down to the wire.
After 18 holes the group of Jane Fiste, Terry Condon, Dawn Baribeau and Cheryl Murtagh was tied with the team of Pat Ryback, Diane Muise, Joyce Agganis and Roseann Bourgeois with a score of 155. The tournament was decided by a match cards tiebreaker. Fiste, Condon, Baribeau and Murtagh were crowned winners after shooting a 77 through their final nine holes.
“We really weren’t sure what to expect coming in,” Fiste, who is a member at Gannon along with Baribeau said. “There’s a lot of different variations with handicaps so you never know how the rest of the field is doing. You just try to do your best when you’re out there and see what happens when you come in.”
“It’s hard to tell the competition because you’re all sort of in your own little world when you’re playing,” Baribeau said. “You can’t see what anyone else is doing when you’re out there. We tried not to worry about anyone else and just play our game.”
Condon and Murtagh came in as guests from Ipswich Country Club and were more than ready to bring their best for the hills at Gannon.
“(Jane and Dawn) are members here and there’s a lot of pride here,” Murtagh said. “I think there was a little competitiveness so we knew we had to bring our A-game.
“I’m a little bit familiar with Gannon because I’m from the area,” Murtagh said. “It looked beautiful out there. It was great to play on and lots of fun.
“This is my first time playing in this tournament,” Condon said. “It was great. We had a great day out on the course, it was fun. It’s a great group of ladies that you’re working with and it’s very competitive as well.”
The group of Patty Roderick, Sharon Sullivan, Jay Varriamia and Terry Blade shot the lowest net score before handicaps.
After rain put a damper on last year’s tournament, Tara Friedman of Gannon Golf Club, who helped organize the tournament, was glad this year’s weather allowed for all 18 holes.
“Last year it was raining all day,” Friedman said. “We only got in nine holes so this weather is great.”
Over 80 women competed in the tournament, which has been running for over 50 years, Friedman said.
“With raffles and everything it’s a great way to raise money for the club,” Friedman said. “There’s women here from all kinds of courses and clubs. It’s a real eclectic group.”
Roseann Bourgeois’ group may have came up short in the tournament but she didn’t come up empty handed in the putting competition.
Each golfer from each group participated in the competition, getting three chances to sink a challenging putt on the back-nine putting green.
Over 80 golfers tried their luck, each one failing throughout the day until Bourgeois’ group came up last. The Lynn native sunk the shot on the final putt of the day, winning an Alex and Ani bracelet.
“Long putts are actually something I’m pretty strong at, I call myself ‘Jordan Spieth,'” Bourgeois joked. “I lined up my final putt and told myself, ‘this would be pretty dramatic if I made it.’ Obviously it took some luck too.”
Next up for at Gannon is the Silver Classic Tournament August 17 and the Gold Classic Tournament September 21-22. Men’s and Women’s fourball tournaments are scheduled for October 12.