Rafter & Malady Capture 14th Women’s Four-Ball Championship at Pine Barrens Golf Club
JACKSON TOWNSHIP, N.J. –– Meral Malady of Rockaway River Country Club and Colleen Rafter of Pine Barrens Golf Club combined for a 6-over-par 78 to capture the 14th New Jersey Women's Four-Ball Championship at Pine Barrens Golf Club, which played 5,297-yards on Tuesday.
Malady and Rafter opened their round with three consecutive pars before a bogey on No. 4 put them over par for the first time. They quickly responded on the 125-yard, par-3 fifth hole, where Malady carded a birdie to bring the team back to even par. After navigating a challenging stretch to close out the front nine, the duo made the turn looking to regain momentum.
“The best thing is, when you make a mistake in four-ball, you feel like you're letting a person down, and Meral just is so encouraging,” Rafter said. “Kind of feeling like you always have a safety net."
"I think we really ham-and-egged well,” Malady continued.
The pair settled in on the back nine, stringing together three consecutive pars to open the side before dropping shots on Nos. 13 and 14. With Rafter competing on her home course, the duo finished on a high note as she delivered a birdie on the par-4 18th to cap off their round. Their 6-over-par 78 proved enough to secure the championship, finishing one stroke ahead of Bernard and Gabriel.
"I actually missed my putt for par, and she had about a 15-footer," Malady said of Rafter's closing birdie. "So, I figured that she was going to go for a two-putt or something since I was in for six. But she just blasted it right up there with speed, in the back of the cup. I don't know who was more surprised, me or her."
The victory marked Rafter's third New Jersey Women's Four-Ball title, adding to her back-to-back victories in 2021 and 2022 alongside Mary Fenton. For Malady, the championship marked her first state title, carrying additional significance as Anna Zorlas, for whom the championship trophy is named, was one of her biggest mentors in the game.
"I'm so excited, actually," Malady said. "I've come in second a couple times in the State Senior, but I haven't ever won a state championship.”
Beyond the scorecard, the duo credited their friendship and ability to pick each other up throughout the round as key factors in their success.
“[Rafter] is a great friend, which makes for a great partnership,” Malady said. “I love her, and I love playing golf with her.”
In the Net Division, Carla Bernard of Beacon Hill Country Club, and Casey Gabriel, of Copper Hill Country Club, earned the title with a 3-under par, 69.
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