Gaby Coello and Alexa Hammer captured the Women's International Four-Ball Championship in exciting fashion on Thursday. The duo came from three shots back, birdieing the final hole to win by one stroke at 5-under 139 at the Wanderers Club in Wellington, Florida.
This is the first time that Coello and Hammer have captured the Women’s International Four-Ball together. Hammer won the 2011 title with Taffy Brower.
Coello and Hammer opened with a 2-under 70 on Wednesday and sat three strokes behind twin sisters Sarah and Jessica Spicer, who were runners-up in last year’s WIFB.
Coello and Hammer, both of nearby West Palm Beach, put together a strong final round. After a bogey on their first hole of the shotgun start, at the par-5 second hole, Coello holed birdies at the par-3 fifth and the par-4 10th. They gave back a shot at the par-4 13th before they made their move. Coello birdied the par-4 16th, where the Spicers stumbled with a double bogey. Hammer made birdie at the par-5 17th for a share of the lead before the Coello-Hammer duo, finishing play at the par-4 first hole, earned the victory when Coello made a long birdie putt.
Sarah Spicer (Richmond, Virginia) and Jessica Spicer (Bahama, North Carolina) shared second place with Kay Daniel (Covington, Louisiana) and Linda Jeffery (Prattville, Alabama) at 4-under 140. Meghan Stasi, who had teamed with Ina Kim-Schaad to win four of the previous five International Four-Ball titles, placed fourth with new partner Ashley Zagers at 3-under 141.
The field featured some of the best female amateurs in the country. Seven competitors hold a combined 18 USGA titles, led by Ellen Port, a four-time U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur champion and three-time U.S. Senior Women’s Am winner, and Stasi, a four-time U.S. Women’s Mid-Am champion who will captain this year’s U.S. Curtis Cup team. Fifteen states were represented, and 35 players were from outside of Florida.
In the Middle Division, Terrill Samuel of Boynton Beach and Lisa McGill of Tequesta took home a commanding five-shot win, carding a 7-under 137. Sandie St. Onge of Stuart and Debbie MookSang of Valrico finished runner-up.
RESULTS / PAST CHAMPIONS
Staff report