The duo of lifelong friends, who have known each other since their junior golf days, won the event named for Hardison amid her battle with late-stage cancer, by seven shots.
By Chris Werner
USGA PJ. Boatwright Jr. Intern
November 8, 2023
The renamed Sarah Hardison ASGA Women’s 4-Ball Championship ended in storybook fashion last Friday as Hardison, who is battling late-stage cancer, and lifelong friend Melissa Holland won the title by seven shots.
The pair of former Arkansas State University women’s golf teammates and junior golf peers carded a two-round total of 136 (-8) with identical rounds of 68 at Maumelle Country Club, where they’re each members.
The ASGA’s Women’s Committee and Director of Women’s Golf, Taylor Loeb, worked diligently to make this event a special one.
The course was decorated in honor of Hardison with photos of her and her friends from the ASGA on tee boxes, Arkansas State, Chicago, Cubs, and Dallas Cowboys-themed tents (Hardison is a Cubs and Cowboys fan), and miniature Cubs helmets that served as tee markers. Off to the right of the 18th green stood a cancer awareness tent with wristbands and buttons to support Hardison and the fight against cancer.
The field was the biggest in recent memory for the Women’s 4-Ball with 22 teams competing.
“I mean, it was amazing what everybody did to have this tournament come together and I can't even describe how it feels for everybody to come out and show up,” Hardison said standing alongside her partner holding the trophy. “I definitely feel the love and for us to win it was just kind of icing on the cake. And I feel like we played well, It was fun to play good, and it was a great two days. Looking forward to next year.”
Playing in front of her mom and dad on Day 1, Hardison teamed up with Holland for five birdies and just one bogey. Then in Round 2, the duo began with a two-shot lead and made six more birdies, including four on the back nine.
Hardison made birdie on the final hole, sticking her approach roughly 18 inches away from the cup and tapping in.
“We've been in these situations, many, many times,” Holland said. “And so we know each other's game pretty well. Knew when to throttle on the gas and when to pull back a little bit. And so I think we were locked in today together and yesterday, so it worked out really well.”
Holland said the pair’s connection on the golf course was a large part of the victory.
“I think we know each other better than we know ourselves sometimes,” she said. “And that's always an advantage, a competitive advantage in any sport, really. So that was the big key for us.”
The Sarah Hardison ASGA Women’s 4-Ball was last last ASGA-operated tournament of the season, and we thank everyone for playing, following along, and supporting the ASGA. This offseason, make sure to keep up with the ASGA with the Monday Mulligan bi-weekly email newsletter. Spring can’t come soon enough!
