READING, Massachusetts – Cloudy skies and rainy weather couldn’t hold back Tracy Welch and Amanda Adams (Winchester Country Club) as they won their fourth Massachusetts Mother Daughter/Member Junior Modified Scotch Tournament at Meadow Brook Golf Club on Monday.
Two divisions of mothers and daughters competed in 27th annual tournament, while the member junior category was filled by a group of female First Tee participants that were paired with female Mass Golf members to gain tournament experience. This is the third year First Tee Massachusetts has been involved in the team tournament.
Welch and Adams played steady golf as they cruised to the clubhouse in 2-over-par their final nine holes to post 4-over 76. This marks the fourth consecutive title for the duo as they have won at least a share of the title every year since 2020. This year they took home the overall, as well as junior division title.
Welch also teamed up with her daughter Victoria Adams, and they too had a strong performance. They finished 6-over 78 highlighted with a strong bogey free, 2-under finish in their last eight holes.
Jackie Gonzalez (Charles River Country Club), a former Division I golfer at Holy Cross, teamed up with her mother, Sheila Gonzalez, again after co-winning last year’s Mother Daughter Championship. The Gonzalez duo cruised to another victory in the senior division thanks to 10 pars which saw their lead finish at a comfortable five shots.
Finishing runner-up in the senior division were Jenny Ceppi (Bass Rocks Country Club) and Milan Ceppi (Salem Country Club) who shot 14-over 86.
Fresh off her Women’s Four-Ball Championship victory with Megan Buck, Shannon Johnson (Thorny Lea Golf Club) teamed up with First Tee member Olivia Jatzcak (Student Member/MIAA). Having a different partner didn’t change the outcome as Johnson and Jatzcak carded four birdies and cruised to victory. This is Jatzcak’s second consecutive Member/Junior Championship victory, as she won last year at Whitinsville Golf Club with teammate Sarah Forbes.
Golf is one of the most unique and rewarding games for many reasons, but perhaps the most special are the relationships that are built. That couldn’t be more true for Massachusetts Golf Hall of Famer Anne Marie Tobin (Thomson Country Club) and 2021 Denny Goodrich Ouimet Honorary Alumnus recipient Mary Heffernan (Sagamore Spring Golf Club). Tobin and Heffernan first crossed paths back in 2002 when their daughters were competing in junior golf. Fast forward 21 years and the four women were having a great time as they played together.
“Competing in the parent child tournaments has become tradition for me and my family,” said Heffernan. “We love coming out here to see everyone. It was great reconnecting with Anne Marie today. We first met when Abby and Kate were in the mite division for the Girls’ Junior Amateur Championship. It was a real treat to play with them today.”
Despite the poor weather and some errant golf shots here and there, Anne Marie enjoyed being back at a course she used to play in her junior career, and doing so with her daughter at her side.
“It was a strange feeling being back at Meadow Brook today” she commented. “I don’t believe I have played here since high school when it was our home course. There were a few holes I didn’t remember, but I can say that playing that course and having to play from the back tees with the boys, in high school, did help my game get better. We (Team Tobin) had a few pars and Abby rolled in a nice 10-footer for a birdie on 16.”
For the third year, First Tee teamed up to deliver a unique experience for some of the program participants, a chance to play in a competitive event with women who have experience playing tournament golf. The opportunity to mentor these young women came from the female members of Mass Golf’s Board of Directors as an opportunity to create stronger connections with the youth development program that the organization supports, not to mention, to grow the game with younger generations.
“I am glad the First Tee gets involved in this tournament every year. It’s nice to meet the First Tee participants and get to know them,” said four time Massachusetts Women’s Player of The Year, Shannon Johnson. “It’s a fun opportunity for everyone to get involved.”
The young women had a chance to display some of the life skills that they’re learning in the First Tee program, while also putting their golf skills to the test and getting out of their comfort zone.
First Tee Massachusetts started as a way to bring an affordable junior golf program to youth and communities that did not have them. What The First Tee soon discovered was that by blending the rules of the game with life and leadership skills, kids and teens didn’t just learn how to putt – they were learning important values. Mass Golf currently offers programming at 10 program locations across the Bay State, with the most recent additions being at Cyprian Keyes and Sagamore Spring Golf Club.
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