NEWRY, Maine -- Over 100 amateur women golfers from the six New England state golf associations will compete for the 54-hole NEWGA championship title at the recently completed, Robert Trent Jones Jr. designed, Sunday River Golf Club. The Maine Women’s Golf Association is the host for this 50th anniversary tournament to be played July 11, 12, and 13th at the Sunday River Golf Club, Golfweek magazine’s #1 ranked public course in Maine.
“We’re really excited to show off the course,” said Jeffrey Bickford, Sunday River Golf Club Director of Golf. “Our unique mountain layout will surely lead to a deserving winner. Our wide fairways will offer some forgiveness off the tee, but I urge players not to let their guard down as our sloping greens and elevation changes require accurate approach shots to score low.”
Joanne Catlin of Winchedon Golf Club, MA will defend her 2005 title. Other former champions entered in the tournament are Anna Grzebien, Point Judith CC, RI (2003); Louise Billy, Derryfield CC NH (2000) and Tara Joy-Connelly, Cohasset GC MA (1995).
Junior girls playing are Paige Gauthier, Claremont CC, NH; Kimberly Greenwood, Portsmouth CC, NH; Katherine Murphy, Wanumetonomy Golf & CC, RI; Molly Aronsson Burlington CC, VT; Teo Poplawski, Champlain CC, VT; Catherine Shomo, Rutland CC, VT; and Danielle Sullivan, Woodland GC, MA;
The New England Women’s Golf Association was formed on November 13, 1956 at The Country Club, Brookline, MA. The first Championship was held in 1957 at Wampanoag Country Club, West Hartford, CT. The champion was Joanne Goodwin, Haverhill, MA with a total score of 230 for 54 holes. A 50th anniversary banquet for players and guests will be held at Sunday River’s Jordan Grand Resort Hotel and Conference Center on Tuesday, July 11.
The tournament is held in a different New England state each year. Notable LPGA players who were NEWGA champions are Pat Bradley (1972, 1973), Jane Blalock (1968) and Joanne Carner (1966, 1967).
More information about the New England Women’s Golf Association is available at http://www.wgam.org/Tournaments/newga.htm. More information about the Sunday River Golf Club is available at www.sundayriver.com.
Sunday River is proud to be a part of the American Skiing Company family of resorts, which also includes Sugarloaf/USA in Maine, Killington and Mount Snow in Vermont, Attitash in New Hampshire, Steamboat in Colorado, and The Canyons in Utah.
