Rehoboth Beach Country Club must be one of the favorite golf courses of the University of Delaware Women’s golf team.
The Lady Blue Hens won their own invitational Oct. 19, in a successful defense of last year’s victory. This was the team’s third such triumph in the Cape Region’s longest-running college golf tournament, beginning with UD’s win at the first invitational in 2013.
Vanessa Zhang of Harvard University won medalist honors with her six-under par total in the three-round, two-day event. Rhianna Gooneratne took second place, best among the UD contingent, with her one-over par total, highlighted by a three-under 69 in Saturday’s second round.
The format used the best four of five scores in each round. The Lady Blue Hens mixed and matched scores from all their players to reach the winning total. Kate Roberts and Mary Grace Dunigan contributed all three rounds, with Hyunki Kim and Gooneratne chipping in two scores each.
RBCC Director of Golf Pat Mastrian said, “We’re proud to host the Lady Blue Hen Invitational. We had over 55 member volunteers this weekend supporting the ladies and this event. We had great golf and great weather, which is always a plus.”
Rudy Blancke once again ran the volunteer part of the event.
“Most of them were veterans from last year’s tournament,” he said. “They really enjoy doing this. The coaches also told us they don’t often see this kind of help at their other tournaments.”
The nor’easter from earlier in the week caused rules officials to provide lift, clean and place relief options for the 16th and 18th fairways, but the course was otherwise in great shape.
Despite the rain that pelted the course a few days before, the bunker sand was fluffy, with fried-egg lies a distinct probability. I watched Tekla Fine-Lease of Quinnipiac University handle one such challenge on the left greenside bunker at the 140-yard par three 19th, which served as the 10th hole in the tournament. To make matters worse, her ball sat only a foot or so from the bunker wall. With no safe route directly toward the hole, she blasted out onto the green about 15 feet below the hole. Her eventual two-putt bogey confirmed she made the right tactical choice.
The team finishes and total scores were as follows: 1. Delaware, 875; 2. Georgetown, 883; T-3. Harvard and Dartmouth, 887; T-5 Youngstown State and Yale, 890; 7. Quinnipiac, 894; 8. Pennsylvania, 896; 9. St. Johns, 897; 10. Sacred Heart, 922; 11. Seton Hall, 940; and 12. Delaware State, 1,023.
Signs By The Sea
Trophies, placards and other mementos are a welcome part of golf tournaments. People enjoy seeing a physical reminder of their accomplishments on their walls or bookshelves.
At the PGA Show last January, I met Mike and Kathy Yevchak, founders and co-owners of Signs By The Sea. Club pros filled their booth, looking over the dozens of optional memory enhancers.
The New Jersey couple began their foray into this part of the golf industry when Mike reached out to fellow golf professionals at an event at his club, the Pine Barrens in Jackson.
“Mike gave out custom gifts to 32 New Jersey golf professionals. That was what really got the word out. And then we combined that with Chris, our sales director, who went out and told our story. We really credit all of the New Jersey Section and Philadelphia Section professionals who supported us right from that,” Kathy said.
The company since expanded beyond the Mid-Atlantic.
“We have sales reps all over the country now. They represent us and go to the clubs that they work with. We provide them with samples, and we have a catalog and social media, and we also do the PGA Show,” Kathy said.
The creative process changed a bit as the orders increased.
Kathy said, “At the beginning, everything was hand-painted. Now we use UV printers. The art is printed, but everything else is hand done – the cutting, the painting the finishing, all that stuff. We have about 5,000 feet of workshop space in Wall, N.J. That’s where everything is made and shipped.”
The process can use clients’ logos, or the company can develop other graphics for broader appeal.
“We will use their logos,” Kathy said. “We’ll take their logo and work up an art pack for them and send it back and guide them to see what will work with their budget.
“We have a team in customer service. We also have a team of graphic designers who do all the art for us. They’re all in New Jersey, and one person is in Pennsylvania. We really tried to grow incrementally and cautiously. We credit a lot of it to the PGA members all over the country who support us,” Kathy said.
Local club competition results
The ladies of Mulligan’s Pointe played a Fewest Putts game Oct. 21, in two flights.
Lisa Wooditch won the first flight, with Tammy Findlay in second and Kathy Hudak in third.
Debbie Quinn took first place in the second flight, followed by Donna Dolce in second and Jackie Chernuta in third.
