FARMINGDALE, N.Y. (July 17, 2008) – A hole-in-one catapulted Daria Cummings of Taconic Valley to an even-par round of 74 as she claimed victory today at the 11th WMGA/MGA Public Links Championship at Bethpage State Park’s Red Course. Coming in second with a two-over 76 was 2005 Women’s Public Links champion Karen Bouloucon of Black Bear, and tying for third at 79 were Michelle Romano of Met PGA Junior and Yoon Park of Bethpage, who also took home low net honors. Defending champion Allison Oakes placed fifth after a round of 81.

This was the second time that Cummings won the WMGA/MGA Public Links Championship, and the last time she came out on top, in 2006, the championship was also held at Bethpage.

“I love Bethpage Red,” said an ecstatic Cummings afterward. “It’s in my top-five courses anywhere, and I get really excited to play it.”

Cummings, who lives in Monroe, Connecticut, had a front-nine 38 that was highlighted by a hole-in-one on the seventh hole. She hit an 8-iron which soared perfectly and landed in the hole without a bounce.

“It slam-dunked right in, and took a little bit of the front lip of the hole off,” explained Cummings. “It’s not my first hole-in-one, but it’s the first one that helped me win a tournament. And any time you can win in the Metropolitan Area, it’s pretty sweet.”

The victory is the first this year for Cummings after several high finishes in other amateur events. She finished third in the prestigious Eastern Amateur at DuPont Country Club in Delaware, and placed second in a tournament in New Hampshire last month and one in Connecticut earlier this week. “I really wanted to get over the hump and win one,” she said with a laugh afterward.

She did just that, and now Daria Cummings joins Jeannine Mondesando (2000 & 2002) and Joan Placek (1999 & 2001) as the only two-time winners in the history of the championship.

Final Results