Belfair golfer is part of duo seeking 4th straight S.C. Women’s Team title

Bluffton’s Sue Churchich and teammate Dawn Woodard, who needed eight extra holes to capture a third consecutive WSCGA Team Championship last year, will try to extend the streak to four when they begin defense of their title Tuesday at Seabrook Island.

Churchich, a Belfair member, and Woodard (Simpsonville) first teamed up in 2012 and immediately captured their first title. They were dethroned in 2013, but regained the crown a year later and haven’t let it go since.

In last year’s edition, the duo went bogey-free for the final 15 holes of regulation at Palmetto Hall to draw even with Lea Venable and Tiffany Robbins. The deadlock wasn’t settled for another two hours of play on the club’s Robert Cupp layout until Woodard stuck her approach shot within a foot of the flagstick on the eighth replay at No.18.

Venable, also of Simpsonville, figures to be a primary challenger again this year with a new partner in Mount Pleasant’s Lea Ann Brown, twice the state’s senior player of the year.

This story was originally published March 21, 2017 at 2:06 PM with the headline "Belfair golfer is part of duo seeking 4th straight S.C. Women’s Team title."