PHILADELPHIA – For the first time since 2015, The Women’s Metropolitan Golf Association (New York) has won the Inter-City Matches to take home the Clement A. Griscom Cup. Team Mass Golf could not repeat its success from 2019 and ended up finishing third at this year’s event. The final points tally was 43 points for the WMGA, 33.5 for Women’s Golf Association of Philadelphia (WGAP) and 31.5 for Team Mass Golf.
After falling behind on Day 1, the Mass Golf group could not rally to defend their Griscom Cup Title from 2019. Day 2 of the action was played as singles matches and points were awarded to individuals for winning the front, the back nine or the 18-holes overall. Half points were given for halved matches.
“Obviously we were hoping to keep the trophy, but we ran up against a pretty tough New York team,” said Team Mass Golf captain Chelsea Curtis (The Country Club). “They had quite a few high school, college or recently graduated players that were definitely on top of their game this week. We held our own and we had some players who really shined through.”
One of those players on Tuesday for Mass Golf was 2019 returnee Krystal Knight (Bradford CC). “Krystal got 5.5 points today in the first position which is unbelievable for number one,” said Curtis. Tracy Welch (Winchester CC) also tallied 5.5 points for Team Mass Golf on Tuesday, tied with Knight for the most on the team. Jennifer Keim (Bayberry Hills GC) and Allison Paik (Ledgemont CC) both added 2.5 points for the group as part of the 22.5 total points accumulated on Tuesday. The total of 22.5 points for Team Mass Golf came in behind the WMGA (25.5 points) and the WGAP (24 points).
For Curtis and the other four returners, they may not have successfully defended their 2019 Cup win, but to just be out playing again after the event was canceled in 2020 meant a lot to everyone involved. Curtis and the rest of the team also have their eyes set on the future of the Griscom Cup.
“It was good to be able to get back in it,” said Curtis. “So, we look forward to being able to be on the home course.”
Out of the eight women representing Mass Golf at this year’s competition, just three of them were new to competing in the Griscom Cup. Lindsay Cone (Granite Links GC), Melissa Hem (Dedham C&PC), and Danielle Lee (Renaissance) were all first-time selections and they were excited to have the opportunity to be a part of the experience.
Hem had a particularly strong first round of the event where she paired with Welch for Nassau-style play and contributed to 4.5 of team Mass Golf’s nine total points. Together, the trio combined to score five points for Team Mass Golf during singles match play.
“We had some newer players who haven’t played in the event before who got some really good experience and exposure to it,” said Curtis. “I hope it piques their interest for playing in more Mass Golf events. To get player of the year points and be invited to play, I think they had a lot of fun and it was good exposure to a different type of an event where it’s three states versus what we’re used to for regular Mass Golf events.”
Pennsylvania has proved to be a fruitful location for the WMGA when it comes to Griscom Cup action. The team’s most recent victory prior to 2021 came in 2015 and that was at the Philadelphia Country Club, just 30 miles from the site of this year’s competition at The Union League Golf Club at Torresdale. For New York, it is their fifth Griscom Cup victory since 2000.
Alex Hios was a standout for the group scoring 4.5 points in foursome matches and another six in singles play. Kaitlyn Lee also played a big part in the winning effort for the WMGA tallying the maximum of six points in foursome matches on Monday and also adding another five points in singles matches on Tuesday.
Next year, the Griscom Cup competition will return to Massachusetts. The courses in which the Cup will be held have not yet been named. Team WMGA will look for a repeat of success, while Massachusetts and Philadelphia will both look to reclaim the trophy.
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Mass Golf is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that is dedicated to advancing golf in Massachusetts by building an engaged community around the sport. Made up of 90,000 golfers statewide, Mass Golf is one of the largest state golf associations in the country. Presently, more than two-thirds of the 360-member clubs are public-access facilities, while nearly one-half of member golfers are enrolled at public facilities. Mass Golf offers its member’s services including handicapping, event access, youth programming and exciting golf content.
