DeCrow / Michel Crowned Women's Four-Ball Champions

June 04, 2024

COOPERSTOWN, NY -- Rheanna DeCrow (RaNic GC) and Annika Michel (NYSGA eClub - Western NY) completed a wire-to-wire victory at the 2024 NYS Women's Amateur Four-Ball Championships at Leatherstocking Golf Course

Kim Kaul (East Aurora CC) / Janice Lavigne (Durand Eastman GC) refused to relinquish their first round lead and captured the title in the senior category.

Related: Final Results / Rd 1 Recap / Photos

DeCrow / Michel followed up their Monday performance with a two-over 74 on Tuesday, finishing at three over for the tournament. The pair from Ithaca College started with a strong, front-nine 35 in the final round, before successfully holding off a late surge from MerriLyn Gibbs and Lorraine Vultaggio whom they were paired up with for both days. A birdie on the Par 5 15th got the eventual champions back on track and they cruised into the clubhouse with three strokes to spare.

"I've played a lot of New York State Golf for a while, so it's nice to finally win one," said Michel, moments after the final putt fell. "To do it with Rheanna was extra special." 

"We tried to keep the mindset that anything could happen," said DeCrow in a post-round interview. "They [Gibbs and Vultaggio] were chasing us and we were going shot for shot for a while, but we held tight, we held strong and just tried to keep ourselves locked in." 

Gibbs (LPGA Amateur Golf Association - NYC) / Vultaggio (LPGA Amateur Golf Association - Long Island) finished as the runner-ups at six over par for the tournament, while Debra DiMaggio (Ballston Spa CC) / Michelle Krasodomski (Edison Club) cocluded play in solo third.  

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Kaul / Lavigne battled through some early adversity en route to victory on the senior side. At one point immersed in a four-way tie for first place, the former champions made two crucial birdies on 15 and 18 (both Par 5s) to pull away from their competition. The duo went 72-74 (+2) to win by two strokes.

"We had to keep eachother in it today, we just kept reassuring eachother," said the pair after the trophy ceremony. "When one of us would have a hiccup or a shot we weren't pleased with, the other one was there to build them up and keep the confidence going." 

Together, they've now won a combined total of seven state titles. Kaul has two Women's Senior Four-Balls, three Women's Senior Ams and a Senior Mixed Team. LaVigne has won the two four-ball titles and one Women's Senior.

Another highly decorated duo of Karen Feldman (Columbia G&CC)Mary Jo Kelly (Wolferts Roost CC), who've combined to win the last three NYS Women's Super Senior titles, were hot on their heels, finishing in solo second at four over. Deborah Enders (Foxfire GC) / Nikki Fowler (Stone Creek GC) held a solo share of third place after going 76-74 (+6), while 2018-19 champions Teresa Cleland (Bellevue CC) / Carina Watkins (Drumlins GC) tied in fourth with Heidi Harkins / Susan Kahler (Ballston Spa CC).

The net winners were Corning Country Club's Janice Lobdell and Jennifer McLaughlin who finished with a net total of 6-under par. The senior net winners were Mary Diefendorf (Canajoharie G&CC) and Debora Langevin (Cobleskill G&CC).