AUBURN - Gabby DiMora fired a final-round 78 and won her second straight Cayuga County Women's District Golf Tournament Saturday afternoon at Owasco Country Club. DiMora's two-day total of 154 was three strokes better than runner-up Amber Weinerth (77-157), and seven strokes clear of third-place finisher Keri Reilley (80-161).
"The trees were my friend today. My driver got me in trouble again today, but I got the good bounces," said DiMora. "I was confident before we started, but for some reason I started out shaky. I must have been in the trees on eight holes. My irons were keeping me on track so I was able to get the ball around the greens."
The battle was joined early on the first three holes of Owasco Country Club, all par 5s for women. Weinerth began her round with two birdies on the first three holes. Grace Franceschelli, who started the second round five strokes off the lead and finished fifth overall, also had two birdies, while Reilley and DiMora played the first three holes at even par.
"I played better today than yesterday," said Weinerth. "It was fun playing with Gabby and Kathy (Kusnierczyk). I missed a few putts that I should have made, but I was lucky with some other putts. A couple of bad shots got me."
DiMora closed the front nine with a two stroke lead, after hitting her tee shot on the 9th hole in the water hazard to the right. Her shot from out of the hazard stayed right, and rolled under some large pine trees right of the green. She elected to play from under the trees, where it took her two more strokes to get out.
A skillful pitch to 18 inches of the hole gave her a double-bogey six. Weinerth, on the green in two, was faced with a long putt for birdie. She three putted for a bogey five.
DiMora completed the front nine at 40, while Weinerth went out in 38.
At the par five 10th hole, Dimora's tee shot flew high into the trees right of the fairway. She found her ball one foot from being out of bounds, chipped out into the fairway, from where she put her third shot from 200 yards onto the green.
"I wanted to keep the ball below the hole, and I did it on purpose many times," DiMora said. "There are some holes where you just don't want to get above the hole. My short game helped me today, when it usually doesn't. It's hard to get your long game and short game to work together."
Weinerth hit a long drive down the left side of the fairway, then hit her second shot into the left greenside bunker. DiMora three-putted for a bogey six, while Weinerth made her par.
After another one-shot swing on the 11th hole, where DiMora made par and Weinerth bogey, both players reached the downhill par 5 12th hole in two shots. DiMora played first from behind some trees in the right rough, and hit her second shot with a 7 iron from 175 yards to within eight feet.
Weinerth played from just over 100 yards in the middle of the fairway, stopping her ball 35 feet short of the hole. Weinerth's putt was firm, and hit the back of the cup before going in for an eagle three.
Faced with another possible one shot swing, DiMora rolled her eagle putt into the hole.
"I was comfortable on my home course, with my dad (Joe) as my caddie, and all my friends around," said DiMora. "My dad plays here everyday, and knows the greens. He helps me out with reading the greens and with my shot selection. It was nice having him with me today."
On the short 13th hole, a par three, Weinerth hit her tee shot 10 feet from the hole, while DiMora was on the green, but 35 feet away from the hole. DiMora's first putt went six feet past, from where she was able to make par. Weinerth proceeded to three putt for a bogey four, and lost another stoke to the leader.
A great sand save for birdie on the 14th hole gave DiMora a four-shot lead.
"I had a good feel for the greens, but some of my putts just didn't go in," said Weinerth. "I'm good friends with Gabby, and I'm happy she was able to keep going, winning this tournament for a second time."
Playing in the group in front of the leaders, Reilley said, "I played well and hit my driver well, and I am happy with 80 today. This is a long course. I missed a one foot putt on the 11th hole, then three-putted No. 12. But I made some real good putts today."
Kusnierczyk (87-166) was second going into Saturday's play, and finished tied for fourth with Franceschelli at 166.
The battle was joined early on the first three holes of Owasco Country Club, all par 5s for women. Weinerth began her round with two birdies on the first three holes. Grace Franceschelli, who started the second round five strokes off the lead and finished fifth overall, also had two birdies, while Reilley and DiMora played the first three holes at even par.
"I played better today than yesterday," said Weinerth. "It was fun playing with Gabby and Kathy (Kusnierczyk). I missed a few putts that I should have made, but I was lucky with some other putts. A couple of bad shots got me."
DiMora closed the front nine with a two stroke lead, after hitting her tee shot on the 9th hole in the water hazard to the right. Her shot from out of the hazard stayed right, and rolled under some large pine trees right of the green. She elected to play from under the trees, where it took her two more strokes to get out.
A skillful pitch to 18 inches of the hole gave her a double-bogey six. Weinerth, on the green in two, was faced with a long putt for birdie. She three putted for a bogey five.
DiMora completed the front nine at 40, while Weinerth went out in 38.
At the par five 10th hole, Dimora's tee shot flew high into the trees right of the fairway. She found her ball one foot from being out of bounds, chipped out into the fairway, from where she put her third shot from 200 yards onto the green.
"I wanted to keep the ball below the hole, and I did it on purpose many times," DiMora said. "There are some holes where you just don't want to get above the hole. My short game helped me today, when it usually doesn't. It's hard to get your long game and short game to work together."
Weinerth hit a long drive down the left side of the fairway, then hit her second shot into the left greenside bunker. DiMora three-putted for a bogey six, while Weinerth made her par.
After another one-shot swing on the 11th hole, where DiMora made par and Weinerth bogey, both players reached the downhill par 5 12th hole in two shots. DiMora played first from behind some trees in the right rough, and hit her second shot with a 7 iron from 175 yards to within eight feet.
Weinerth played from just over 100 yards in the middle of the fairway, stopping her ball 35 feet short of the hole. Weinerth's putt was firm, and hit the back of the cup before going in for an eagle three.
Faced with another possible one shot swing, DiMora rolled her eagle putt into the hole.
"I was comfortable on my home course, with my dad (Joe) as my caddie, and all my friends around," said DiMora. "My dad plays here everyday, and knows the greens. He helps me out with reading the greens and with my shot selection. It was nice having him with me today."
On the short 13th hole, a par three, Weinerth hit her tee shot 10 feet from the hole, while DiMora was on the green, but 35 feet away from the hole. DiMora's first putt went six feet past, from where she was able to make par. Weinerth proceeded to three putt for a bogey four, and lost another stoke to the leader.
A great sand save for birdie on the 14th hole gave DiMora a four-shot lead.
"I had a good feel for the greens, but some of my putts just didn't go in," said Weinerth. "I'm good friends with Gabby, and I'm happy she was able to keep going, winning this tournament for a second time."
Playing in the group in front of the leaders, Reilley said, "I played well and hit my driver well, and I am happy with 80 today. This is a long course. I missed a one foot putt on the 11th hole, then three-putted No. 12. But I made some real good putts today."
Kusnierczyk (87-166) was second going into Saturday's play, and finished tied for fourth with Franceschelli at 166.
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