Fanning and Smith tied with Carlo and Cupp after first round of Women's Amateur Four-Ball
COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. – The eighth New York State Women's Amateur and Senior Amateur Four-Ball started on Monday. Forty-nine (8 Amateur, 41 Senior) groups teed off at Leatherstocking Golf Course for the first round of the two-day competition.
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In the Amateur division, Jane Fanning of NYSGA eClub - Capital Region and Dannah Smith of Orchard Creek GC finished at even with a share of first place. It was their first time competing in this competition but definitely not their first time playing together.
"We were junior league partners growing up so I feel like we work really well together because we know each other's game pretty well," Smith said.
"We're both college golfers, we love a good team event," Fanning added. "To play in a four-ball, it's just a fun opportunity to play the game we love and enjoy it together."
The duo started on the ninth hole and birded four of their first six holes. They then recorded four consecutive bogies from holes 17 through 2. The pair rebounded just in time, notching birdies on three of their last five holes.
"It was a lot of birdie putts made, and par putts missed," Fanning said.
Tied with Fanning and Smith are 2019-champions Pennie Carlo of Kanon Valley CC and Lauren Cupp of Yahnundasis GC. The 2019 Women's Amateur and Senior Amateur Four-Ball was held at Ravenwood Golf Course and was only 18 holes.
Carlo and Cupp had a solid front 9 posting a 34 on the out. They reached as low as 3 under but recorded a double bogey on the 16th hole. The former champions showed their resolve by parring the difficult par 3, 17th hole. Only two other pairs in the Amateur division parred the 17th hole.
Nearest to the leaders are Morgan Roche and Emma Vandecar (both Edison Club) who finished with a 77, five-over. Roche eagled the 16th hole.
Teresa Cleland of Bellevue CC and Carina Watkins of Drumlins GC lead the Senior division. The pair won the tournament in its first two years, 2018 and 2019, and shot 71, one-under. It was the lowest of any team.
Behind Cleland and Watkins are defending champions Kim Kaul of East Aurora CC and Janice Lavigne of Durand Eastman GC who are looking for their third straight triumph in this event. They finished at one-over shooting a 73 and trail by two strokes. In last year’s event, also held at Leatherstocking, the duo shot 73 and trailed by one only to shoot 64 the next day to win.
Monica Hamilton (Kanon Valley CC) and Barbara Harrison (Oswego CC) as well as Louise-Anne Morin (McCann GC) and Ingrid Narken (Thendara GC) are within striking distance finishing tied for third at two-over.
Harrison won last year’s Women's Legends state championship and the Super Senior Amateur in 2024. Morin won last year’s mixed team event Seven Oaks GC. Narken has won the Women's Senior Amateur twice (2025 and 2023) and won this event in 2023.
The course played at 5,035 yards for the Senior field, and 5,364 yards for the Open field. The final round will resume Tuesday morning with a shotgun start scheduled for 9:30 am.
