Lori Frost women’s champion

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TRENTON – A loud cheer went up from the St. Croix Golf Club crew when one of their own claimed a championship in the Bangor Daily News Amateur Golf Tournament at the Bar Harbor Golf Course Sunday.

Lori Frost of Calais made BDN Tournament history with her third consecutive 78 in the 54-hole event to claim the first Women’s Division title in New England’s largest amateur golf tournament.

Playing Kebo Valley Club in Bar Harbor, Bangor Municipal Golf Course and Bar Harbor, Frost’s 234 was two better than runnerup Martha White of Hampden, who had 236 after shooting 80-76-80 on the same courses.

Thea Davis of Pittsfield was third at 246 with rounds of 92-75-79, and Julie Green of Bangor, 247, fourth with rounds of 83-83-80.

First-round leader Bernadette Michaud of Fort Kent (75-91-83) tied Robin Emery-Rappa of Ellsworth (87-82-80) for fifth at 249, and Tina Colburn of Brewer, 250, was seventh with rounds of 86-81-83.

For Frost, this was a personal first, marking her first championship on American soil.

A veteran state women’s amateur competitor and oft-time runnerup, Frost is a former New Brunswick amateur champ, but had never beaten the women she beat on Sunday. She was runnerup to White in last year’s state amateur.

“It feels great,” Frost said coming off the 18th with a grin as wide as the St. Croix River itself.

“I just played my own game today.” She also carried her own bags. “It made it easier,” said the champ who likes to address the ball and hit it immediately. “You always have your clubs right beside you.”

Frost and White played Bangor Muni on Saturday in a heavy rain, so Frost was more than happy with her seven-over-par 78.

White’s putter worked better on Saturday and she shot five-over 76, sending the two into virtual match play Sunday with 156s.

On Bar Harbor’s front nine, Frost put together a string of four pars before a bogey-5 fifth. “I was happy to come back with a birdie on the sixth,” she said. She then went par-bogey-par for a 38.

Frost got into trouble on the back, with a 40 on the par-36 after three bogeys and a double-bogey-7 on the par-5 13th. Again, though, she came back with a par-4 on the 14th.

White was doing what she always does: play the course, not the opponent. And the course got her; just a bit.

“The two bogeys and a double-bogey on the par-3s killed me,” she quipped. “They just went. I don’t know where. But the playing conditions were excellent. It was wonderful to be in this tournament.”

The two suprises were Davis and Michaud.

Davis, a 35-year-old competing in her first major tournament, had a great comeback after shooting a disappointing 92 at Kebo Friday.

After a sleepless night and figuring she had nothing to lose, she shot a low-round 75 at Bangor Muni on Saturday.

The key to her third-place finish was strong putting on the back nine; like the 19-foot curler for a bird on 17 that hit the cup and went in.

“The last two days I forgot about the score,” she said. “I had no idea where I was or where anyone else was. This tournament taught me a lot about competitive golf. It was nice to play two days well. This is the first time I’ve shot in the 70s on a strange course. It feels great.”

Michaud, 14-handicapper playing the B Division, stunned the field with her round of 75 at Bangor Muni on Friday to take the first-day lead in the gross-score event.

Saturday, she shot 91 at Kebo to tie Green at 166 and put her into the A Division for the final round.

With work preventing her from competing in state play, this was a real treat for Michaud. “It’s wonderful to play with people you read about all the time,” she said. “I had never met them, except Martha, before. I’m having a great time, and just happy to be playing well enough to finish up here.”

Michaud had a 39 on the front nine Sunday, despite the fact she split a big toe on a sliding door Friday night.

Green was not displeased to have finished fourth with an 81 Sunday after two 83’s, since she was nursing a hernia that flared up during the tournament.

Emery-Rappa played the tournament for a purpose: to continue family tradition. Her dad, the late Gordon Emery, regularly played the old “Bunyan” with her uncle, Dr. Fred Emery of Bangor, now in a nursing home.

“I’m very happy to be here,” she said. “I always remember them playing the Bunyan, and I’m happy to be playing for them.”

Colburn, who has been doing well in state play, said of her finish, “I have good playing days and bad playing days. These three were not good. I’ve got to put good playing days together if I’m going to play with the big girls.”