2024 Women's Four-Ball Recap
Fedun, Dunigan win Amateur Division at Fourth Annual Women’s Four Ball Championship; Frazier, Siegel claim Senior title
Bryan Kast
WEST CHESTER, Pa. – Stefania Fedun and Mary Grace Dunigan, a pair of NCAA Division I golfers, made it a wire-to-wire win in the Amateur Division at the Fourth Annual Pennsylvania Golf Association (PAGA) Women’s Four Ball Championship with a second-round 70 (-3) to finish two strokes clear of the nearest competition thanks to an eagle from Dunigan on the 18th hole to clinch the title.
“I think I’m lucky it went in,” said Dunigan. “Maybe I should have even left the flagstick in there in case it knocked over the hole, but it went straight in. Probably could have gone a little further past, but I took a little break out of that one, right downhill.”
The duo, playing in their first tournament together despite being friends for a few years, complemented each other well. Yesterday it was Fedun (French Creek GC / Lehigh University) who held it together on the back nine with three birdies and three critical pars, while today it was Dunigan (Kennett Square CC / University of Delaware) who caught fire down the stretch, birdieing 15 and 16 and then bringing it all together with the clutch eagle on 18.
“Stefania helped us a lot yesterday,” said Dunigan. “So today was sort of the opposite. She also took care of the front nine for us today, so I’m glad I could put something in on the back nine.”
“Mary Grace carried me for sure today,” said Fedun. “I don’t know how she didn’t break her back. We had great putts and we were helping each read putts and figure out shots to hit with which clubs, so I think it was a very good team effort.”
Finishing just behind the medalists is a pair of sisters – Emily Christiansen and Clare Gimpel (Manufacturers’ CC / Whitemarsh Valley CC) – who shot a three-under-par 70 to finish with a two-day total of 140 (-6). They made a furious charge on the back nine, combining for seven birdies between them – but with four of them coming on the same holes, No. 11 and 15. A setback on the par-four fifth hole was unfortunate, with both players finishing with double bogey, and the only hiccup on the back nine was on the 17th, where both also bogeyed.
Third on the Amateur leaderboard was Ava O’Sullivan and Isabella Dilisio (Applecross CC / Philadelphia CC) who added a two-under par 71 in round two to finish the Championship with a combined score of 142 (-4). Dilisio, a former champion of the event, birdied holes No. 3, 5, and 18 while O’Sullivan added a birdie on No. 7, but the pair had to count bogeys on 8 and 15, which confirmed their third-place finish.
Over in the Senior Division, where three teams were tied for the lead at one-under-par after the first round, it was the duo of Alexandra Frazier and Karen Siegel (Gulph Mills GC / Commonwealth National GC) who pulled away with a two-under-par 72 to claim the championship. Siegel’s front nine was excellent, with birdies on holes No. 2, 4, and 6 – while Frazier, who did not birdie in round one, finally sank a couple putts to do so on holes 14 and 16 in round two.
“It was fun and I think we did really well in terms of making sure one, if not both of us, stayed in the hole,” said Siegel. “We did a good job helping each other read the greens. There was a lot of uphill, downhill, and figuring out where to come into the greens and what kind of yardage to play. We were very good at and synchronized well with course management, dissecting the course, and having each other’s backs.”
Melana Regan and Nicoll Keeney (Philadelphia CC / Wilmington CC) are your runner-ups after finishing the second round one-over-par but even par for the tournament with a two-day total of 148. Regan earned the pair’s only birdies of the round on holes No. 6 and 8.
The biggest movers of the day were defending champions Delia Keys and Lisa Klein (Moselem Springs GC / RiverCrest GC & Preserve), who were four strokes behind after round one but rocketed up the leaderboard with a two-under-par 72 today to claim third place. Klein finished her round with four birdies, including three on the front nine – on holes No. 2, 4, and 7.
Next up on this summer’s PAGA schedule is an Amateur Championship Qualifier for Central PA at Out Door Country Club in York, Pa. on Monday, June 17.
The Pennsylvania Golf Association would like to thank the staff and membership of Radley Run Country Club for the hospitality shown during this week’s Championship, with additional thanks going to DICK’S Sporting Goods for sponsorship of the event.