RENO (June 10, 2026)–The teams of Emily Byrne-Laura Smith (Overall Gross) and Jeanmarie Walsh-Jean Driver (Overall Net) are overall champions in the 2026 Hat Cutler Women’s Team Series four-ball event. Bonnie Hughes-Megan Venson (Flight 1 Gross), Joni Taylor-Sue Stacey (Flight 2 Gross), Elaine Simpson-Pennie Frank (Flight 1 Net) and Connie Wharton-Elizabeth Anderson (Flight 2 Net) also won in the Nevada Golf Northern Region event held June 9-10, 2026, at Plumas Pines Golf Resort in Graeagle, CA.–by Bill Bowman
Overall Gross
Emily Byrne and Laura Smith birdied four holes in a five-hole stretch in the first round en route to an 11-stroke win in the Overall Gross division.
Smith posted three of the birdies while Byrne added the fourth in the stretch. It was the team’s second straight victory after teaming up for the first time earlier this year to win the 2026 Women’s Team Series at Washoe.
“Two in a row is nice,” Byrne said. “We have similar games and complemented each other well. And I also feel like personality-wise we also mesh well.”
Byrne added the birdie barrage definitely got the team going.
“That was all Laura,” she said. “She got us going on the back. We turned into new people on the back after a front nine that was a little rough.”
Byrne said the team again leaned on each other and it paid off.
“Whenever one of us got in a little trouble, the other one stepped up,” she said. “We got one ball in play and then the other could go pin-hunting.”
She said it wasn’t always a rosy outcome.
“We had one hole where we both double-bogeyed,” she said. “That was bad. We sure didn’t ham and egg it very well on that hole. But we bounced back and played pretty steady after that.”
Overall Gross
Byrne-Smith, 73-73—146
Campbell-Greer, 78-79—157
Hughes-Venson, 77-80—157
Overall Net
Jeanmarie Walsh recorded four net eagles over the two rounds as she teamed up with Jean Driver to post a victory in the Overall Net division.
It was the duo’s first team win.
“It was a couple of nice rounds,” Walsh said. “Luckily we were able to put some nice holes together when it counted.”
Walsh also said they had a little luck on their side.
“We had some breaks go our way that helped us,” she said. “And when one of us wasn’t playing well, the other one stepped up and played well. We were pretty consistent both days.”
Walsh added the key wound up being simple.
“We didn’t screw up too badly…at least at the same time,” she said with a laugh.
Overall Net
Walsh-Driver, 65-68—133
Wharton-Anderson, 67-71—138
Simpson-Frank, 69-69—138
OTHER FLIGHT RESULTS
Gross-Flight 1
Hughes-Venson, 77-80—157
Campbell-Greer, 78-79—157
Bower-Colwell, 80-81—161
Net-Flight 1
Simpson-Frank, 69-69—138
Marcuerquiaga-Elliott, 73-73—146
Bradley-Hone-71-78—149
Gross-Flight 2
Taylor-Stacey, 86-84—170
Dugger-Hackett, 89-89—178
Gaskill-White, 88-92—180
Net-Flight 2
Wharton-Anderson, 67-71—138
Walker-Dillon, 69-74—143
Evans-Zarubi, 74-73—147
