ShopRite LPGA Classic returns to June dates

Written by Fritz Schranck. Posted in Golf Column

May 27, 2022

The ShopRite LPGA Classic Presented by Acer returns to the Bay Course at Seaview in Galloway, NJ, with the 54-hole contest held June 10-12.

The purse totals $1.75 million. Thus far the event also raised over $40 million for South Jersey charities since ShopRite became lead sponsor.

Celine Boutier won last year’s tournament and came to the May 9 Media Day to help celebrate the event. When asked about defending her title, Boutier said, “I think it will mostly be fun. I think the key for me is to start it over as a new week and not think too much about what I did or what I didn’t do and just start fresh.”

LPGA Tour winner, recent Wilmington resident, and current Philadelphia Cricket Club teaching professional Meaghan Francella is also in the field as a sponsor’s exemption. Francella also won a playing spot in the upcoming 2022 KPMG LPGA Women’s PGA Championship.

The popular South Jersey tournament is a short ride up the Garden State Parkway from the Cape May-Lewes Ferry terminal, with one-day tickets a very reasonable $20 each. Televised coverage begins on The Golf Channel and concludes June 12 on CBS.

Sussex Academy wins Henlopen Conference golf championship – Cape finishes fourth

Congratulations to the Sussex Academy Seahawks for winning the 2022 Henlopen Conference Golf Championship, held May 24 at Plantation Lakes Golf & Country Club in Millsboro.

Sophomore Sarah Lydic defended her individual title from last year with a great 5-under par 67 in challenging weather conditions.

Rain and winds began well before the scheduled 8:00 a.m. start for the 73 golfers. Conference officials pushed the starting time back two hours in hope that rounds could be completed without the rain.

The plan mostly worked. The rain stopped at about 1:00 p.m, but of course the turf was soaked. The tournament also used lift, clean, and place rules to reduce some of the weather’s impact.

The Seahawks swept the first three places overall, with Hannah Lydic going 1-under par and Sawyer Brockstedt finishing 2-over par. Dominic Piperno was Sussex Academy’s final scorer with his 86.

Academy head coach Doug Grove said, “I was very impressed with how we handled the tough conditions. Sarah Lydic did what she’s been doing all year. Her 67 in the rain and wind is the type of stuff that just adds to her list of fantastic accomplishments. Hannah Lydic & Sawyer Brockstedt were very good as well. I was proud of Dominic Piperno who finished 12th overall. We will need him to be good again next week.”

The Cape Henlopen High School Vikings finished in fourth place behind the Academy, Caesar Rodney, and Polytech, all of which had also beaten Cape in the regular season.

Tom Burn finished in 13^th place on a match of cards with his 86. Dylan Steinwedel posted a 91 in his final high school golf tournament. Ninth-grader Jacob Gabbard’s 92 was his Conference championship debut, while Ethan Mercer completed the team scoring with his 94.

Viking head coach Robert Harrod said, “I thought we would have a better round as a team, but there were bright spots individually. I was happy for Tommy to shoot a solid 86 and earn a medal for 13th. I was hoping Dylan’s 91 would get him a medal because of how gutsy his round was. He was the first out off of [the] 10[th hole] and played most of his round in a steady rain. Jacob had an up and down 92 which disappointed him, but I think it was a solid first Henlopen Conference Tournament round. There were enough bright spots during the day to keep us hopeful as we head to the state tournament.”

The rest of the field finished as follows: Milford, Sussex Tech, Dover, Sussex Central, Delmar, Indian River, Lake Forest, Smyrna, Laurel, and Woodbridge.

The State Championship begins May 31 at Odessa National Golf Club. The first round’s 96-golfer field will be cut to the low 60 and ties for the next day’s finish.

Local club competition results

The Rehoboth Beach CC Ladies group played a O-N-E-S game May 25, in which the only hole scores to count start with a O, N, E, or S.

Elise Coar, Dale Lipnick, Robbie Robinson, and Marcy Saliba won first place gross, with first net won by JoJo Barrows, Pat Beebe, Pris DeSena, and Sheila Halfpenny.

Jullie Burton, Kerry Lockwood, Shelby Moore, and Patty Lessy finished second net.

The Kings Creek Cc Ladies 9-Hole group played a league scramble May 25. Pam Cranston, Chris Emery, Stephanie Roash (blind draw) won first place. Sandy Neverett, Beth Cohen, and Judy Rayner finished second.

The Kings Creek CC Ladies Golf Association held its opening day team scramble May 19. Lesley Corydon, Lori Guitson, Lisa Lekawa, and Annette Stellhorn won the event, followed by Sue Griesemer, Diane Herndon, Patty Quercetti, and Ruthann Santry in second place.

Gail Dibona, Debbie D’Orazio, Ann Farley, and Robbie Monkman finished third.