WOMEN’S ATLAS TROPHY MATCHES: Singles Wins Power Private Team

Private Team Wins 33rd Women’s Atlas Trophy Matches

  AU GRES – The teams were within a point of each other after Saturday’s four-ball and foursome matches, but the Private Team dominated in singles matches Sunday to win the 33rd Women’s Atlas Trophy Matches 16 ½ – 7 ½ at Huron Breeze Golf Club.

  The two teams tied 3-3 in the six four-ball matches Saturday, and the Private team took at 6 ½ – 5 ½ lead into Sunday’s play after winning the foursomes matches 3 ½ – 2 ½.

  Julie Massa started things off well for the Public Team Sunday by winning the first singles match out, but then the Private team won 10 of the next 11 for a final day without scoring drama.

  “It’s exciting to feel as if you were lucky enough to make the right choices for the matches along the way, but I’m overwhelmed by the scoring today, 10-2,” said Jean Murray, the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame member who served as the Private Team’s non-playing captain.

  Murray, who played in the very first Women’s Atlas Matches and in recent years has been the captain, said the quality of play each year amazes her.

  “Being here as captain has given me the chance to see the quality of play, of the high school and college girls, and it’s just awesome what they can do,” she said.

  Winning the 10 singles matches for the Private Team were Lily Bargamian, Shelly Weiss, Ashleigh Duflo, Donna Benford, Barb Schmid, Chaille Payne, Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll, Elise Fennell, Kim Dinh and Olivia Stoll.

  In addition to Massa, Kelly Freeman was a singles match winner for the Public Team.

 Huron Breeze Golf Club, which is owned by the Stoll family, hosted the matches for the second consecutive year.

  Many of the top women golfers in the state representing private golf clubs and public venues made up the two teams in a Ryder Cup-style competition.

  The Women’s Atlas Trophy matches, named for the late Edward Atlas, a noted golf leader in Michigan, were first played in 1989 and have become a competition between women GAM members who are members of a private club, and GAM members who do not belong to a private club. The matches are unique in that teams are made up of golfers of all ages, including seniors and juniors.

   The captains of both the “Public” and “Private” teams are selected by the GAM. The captains select 12 team members each, using GAM Honor Roll points and other criteria.

 The Private team leads the series 18-12 with three ties.

RESULTS: GAM.org and Golf Genius