The South team of Ronda Henderson, Sherry Jackson, Brenda Knott and Renee Rocco won the scratch division of the 2023 Nevada State Women’s Quad tournament. The net title went to the North team of Jeannie Cassinelli, Marci Crowell, Cindy Hardy and Tamara Kozloski. The tournament was played Aug. 8-9, 2023, at Toiyabe Golf Club in Washoe Valley, NV. –by Bill Bowman, Las Vegas Golf Insider
The tournament format was two best balls from the four person teams.
Scratch
Henderson, Jackson, Knott and Rocco held a five-stroke lead after the first round before sizzling to a five-under-par total the second day and breezing to a 14-stroke victory.
“It wasn’t as easy as it seemed when we were out there,” Henderson said. “We were five-over through a three-hole stretch so it could have gone either way. We felt like it was going off the rails and it was happening to all of us at the same time. It wasn’t good.”
Henderson said the team regrouped quickly.
“We just had a quick team meeting and took a deep breath,” Henderson said.
It paid off.
“We got two birdies on the ninth hole and two more birdies in No. 11 and that turned us around,” she said. “We were on fire on the back and were nine-under par through the last 10 holes.”
It was the second quad title for Henderson and Jackson (they teamed up about 10 years ago) while Knott won for the sixth time and it was Rocco’s first title.
“The toughest part of this event is you never want to let your teammates down,” Henderson said. “If two players are in trouble, it puts a little pressure on the other two players to step up and we did a good job of that.”
Henderson said after the first day, the foursome had a game-plan in place.
“We knew pars were gold,” she said. “We were in the driver’s seat and knew we didn’t go low. We knew we were all going to hit bad shots…and we were going to hit good shots. Our goal the first day was even-par and we missed it by one. Out goal today was also even-par and even though we didn’t start off well, we wound up five-under. It was just a great team effort.”
Scratch
Henderson-Jackson-Knott-Rocco, 145-139—284
Blake-Brandt-Paulsen-Smith, 150-148—298
Homan-Hoppe-McKinnon-Ponte, 154-149—303
Net
The squad of Cassinelli, Crowell, Hardy and Kozloski teamed up to win their first state title, cruising to a seven-shot victory.
“It just all came together for us,” Cassinelli said. “We ham and egged it very well. We are so elated to be state champs…we’re on Cloud 9.”
She said the team’s attitude was the key.
“All of us were talking among ourselves and just kept a positive attitude,” she said. “One person might hit a bad shot and then hit the next one right next to the pin.”
One hole in Tuesday’s first round really got the momentum going for the team.
“The first day we had a par-3 early in the round where we had a birdie and a net eagle right off the bat,” she said. “That really got us going and put us in a great frame of mind.”
She said the state title will give them a lift next time they tee it up on their home course.
“We’re going to have some good bragging rights when we go back to our home course, Somersett Golf & Country Club,” Cassinelli said.
In the end, the group is already planning for the 2024 state quad tournament.
“We’ve already decided we’re going to head to Vegas for next year’s event,” she said with a laugh. “We’re looking forward to that.”
Net
Cassinelli-Crowell-Hardy-Kozloski, 129-124—253
Atencio-Bradley-Mimno-Smith, 131-129—260
Fackelmann-Lord-Schletch-Ward, 132-134—266
