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Lapointe tops again in Ont. match play
Friday July 25 2008 Georgetown resident and five-time champion Mary Ann Lapointe successfully defended her title Wednesday at the Golf Association of Ontario’s Women’s Match Play Championship at the OslerBrook Golf and Country Club near Collingwood, with a 5&4 victory over two-time champion Kristy McLaughlin of Wasaga Beach.
Lapointe advanced to the final round after a come from behind playoff victory in her semi-final match against 2006 runner-up Megan Chapman of Thornbury. After trailing Chapman by two holes with two to play, the North Halton Golf & Country Club member clinched the victory with a birdie on the 20th hole.
In the other semi-final, Kristy McLaughlin of Wasaga Beach topped Ginny Marshall of Waterloo in a close 1up victory to advance to the final round.
The two former champions battled it out in the final match through 14 holes, with Lapointe taking an early lead over McLaughlin with four birdies on the front nine. With Lapointe leading by three holes through the turn, McLaughlin was unable to battle back and Lapointe clinched the title with a 5&4 victory.
Lapointe, 48, is a familiar competitor in the Women’s Match Play. With this win, the 2008 Women’s Amateur runner-up and five-time Amateur champion has now won the Match Play six times (1995, 1996, 1999, 2004, 2007, 2008), the most of any player in the history of the event.
“My focus this year is the upcoming U.S. Mid-Am in September in Ann Arbor, Michigan,” said Lapointe. “Each event throughout the season is a stepping stone, so it feels great to have played so well here and at the Women’s Amateur. I made some good putts that I’m happy about, and it’s always a good match against Kristy.”
Lapointe will appear next week at the Royale Cup National Women’s Amateur Championship in Winnipeg, where she is also a four-time champion of that event.

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