Ponte Vedra Beach resident Tama Caldabaugh won the Senior Division of the First Coast Women’s Championship by five strokes on June 21 at Timuquana Country Club.
Caldabaugh, who is also on the tournament's committee, shot a two-day total of 144, making par (72) each day.
“The competition in the Jacksonville area is very good,” Caldabaugh said. “Timuquana can be a tough course, so for me to shoot even par both days, that is very satisfying. That I just happened to win by doing that is an added bonus.”
Caldabaugh wasn’t the only player from Ponte Vedra to have a successful run at the tournament. Hannah Berman, a Jacksonville University student, finished runner-up after a sudden-death playoff in the Amateur Division.
Berman, a former Ponte Vedra High School standout, fell to Lauren Waidner, who made a 12-foot birdie putt on the second hole to beat Berman and Chloe Schiavone in the playoff. All three finished with even-par 144 total.
Carol Williams, also of Ponte Vedra Beach, won the Super Senior Division by 17 strokes, shooting a two-day total of 161.
Caldabaugh said this year's event had the most entries since the tournament was revived six years ago, and having players from across several divisions makes the event extra special.
"We don't all compete against each other because we're in separate divisions, but in that we're all there, it's unique," she said. "It's fun to see the young girls hitting it a mile, but we also hope that it's good for them to see it's a game you can play for a lifetime. We have ages from 13 to 83.”
Next up for Caldabaugh is the Southeastern Cup, where she will be one of 12 senior players representing Florida against Georgia and Alabama in the July 30-31 event at the Long Point at Amelia Island Club.
