Second annual Ace Cup smashes fundraising goal

Last June, Kings Creek Country Club hosted the inaugural Ace Cup, a junior girls’ golf tournament fundraiser supporting the Alzheimer’s Association. The 12 girls playing the event raised $70,000 while competing in five nine-hole formats over two days.

The second annual Ace Cup competition took place at Kings Creek June 3-4. This time, a dozen nationally ranked golfers’ fundraising efforts shot past their second-year $100,000 goal. Chase Brockstedt presented a check to the Alzheimer’s Association for $111,674 during the award ceremony held at the Brockstedt residence.

As he noted, the young women and their families are veterans of the junior golf circuit, juggling travel, competition, schoolwork and family life. The Ace Cup creates a fun-oriented golf experience while also giving the girls the opportunity to learn about giving back to the community.

Brockstedt also expressed appreciation for the event’s sponsors and supporters, including Titleist, G/FORE and the Notah Begay III Foundation.

Kristina Fransel is executive director of the Alzheimer’s Association chapter serving Delaware, South Jersey and southeastern Pennsylvania. She attended the event with Meg DiPanni, the chapter’s vice president for development.

Fransel said the Ace Cup was part of the organization’s nationwide Longest Day fundraiser efforts. She said the players were “one of the top fundraising teams in the country. I think the girls were surprised at how many people have been impacted by dementia issues.”

The chapter operates a 24/7 helpline that provides referrals, access to local resources and sometimes just a person willing to listen to a caregiver’s story about their situation.

“There’s a lot of misunderstanding, and there’s a stigma attached to dementia that doesn’t happen with other conditions,” Fransel said. “We also help to inform and educate doctors relating to diagnoses, and also support legislation to provide more dementia training where it’s needed.”

As with last year, the girls split up into two groups for the competition.

The winning Northern Ninjas edged out the Florida Sharks. The Ninjas included Rehoboth local Sawyer Brockstedt, Ellison Lundquist (Furlong, Pa.), Kate Barber (Savannah, Ga.), Hannah Rabb (Watsontown, Pa.), Francesca Choquette (New York, N.Y.) and Saia Rambersaud (Durham, N.C.).

The Sharks included Haley Davis (Ocala, Fla.), Valentina Hurtado (Weston, Fla.) , Chlow Chang (Sarasota, Fla.), Sophia Dyer (St. Petersburg, Fla.), McKenna Murphy (Longwood, Fla.) and Bella Dovhey (Orlando, Fla.).

The event concluded with a convivial party on a beautiful Saturday evening.

First Tee summer signups

Openings remain for The First Tee of Delaware’s summer sessions held in Sussex County and Worcester County, Md.

Sessions are scheduled at Hooper’s Landing, Bear Trap Dunes, The Rookery, Mulligan’s Pointe, Kings Creek Country Club, Plantation Lakes Golf & Country Club, and Ocean Resorts near Berlin, Md. 

For example, six girls’ clinics for ages 8-18 are scheduled for Mulligan’s Pointe in June, July and August.

For more information and to register, go to firstteedelaware.org/programs.

Accepting responsibility

Nate Cecchett posted an 81 in the first round of the 2022 DIAA State Golf Championships at Odessa National Golf Club. The Caesar Rodney High School sophomore fell back with a 90 on the second day, however, with four extra strokes coming on a single hole.

On the par 5 16th hole, Cecchett topped his tee shot down into the marshy ravine separating the teeing area from the fairway beyond.

His next attempt disappeared into the forest on the right side of the fairway, about 200 yards from the green. I was marshaling the hole on that side. Neither I nor another helper could find any trace of his ball. We signaled back to the tee box that Cecchett had to take yet another tee shot.

His third attempt also faded right, but it landed in the rough a few feet from some prairie-high grass. Cecchett’s next shot would be his sixth because of his penalty strokes. He finished 16 with a nine.

As Cecchett trudged up the hill toward us and his ball, I apologized for not being able to find his second shot.

“That’s OK,” he said as he smiled. “Those were my swings.”

That was a great response.

Local club competition results

The Rehoboth Beach Country Club Ladies 18-Hole group played a game of Mosts June 8.

Suzanne Moore, Sharon Emerson, Beth Forbes and Barb Collins made eight pars. Marcy Saliba, Pauline Porter, JoJo Barrows and Peggy Roca made 17 net 3s. Elise Coar, Trish Medd, Lora Drewer and Judy Shaw made 27 net 4s.

The Rehoboth Beach CC Ladies 9-Hole group played a scramble event hosted by the 9-Holers of Kings Creek CC June 7.

Hope Lavachia, Ella Alexander, Beth Choen and Kathy Board won first place. Susan Miller, Darci Whitehead, Susan Rogers and Tish Brey finished second, with Janet Hartman, Yona Zucker and Debbie D’Orazio in third.

The Kings Creek CC Ladies 9-Hole group played a 1 best ball of 4 game May 31.

Marie Murray, Darci Whitehead, Deb Hinderer and Tara Coates won first place. Chris Emery, Cathy Larrabee, Juanita Wilson and Whitehead (blind draw) took second, with Dot Filbert, Yona Zucker, Patricia Davis and Pam Cranston in third.