Lewiston tournament stakes higher than ever; winner receives chance of lifetime By David Yarger Tribune Editor Get ready – the Porter Cup turns 60 this year. The Lewiston classic at Niagara Falls Country Club, from Wednesday, July 18, to Saturday, July 21, will bring some of the top amateur golfers from around the world to compete for the chance of a lifetime. This year, the winner of the 60th Porter Cup will receive an exemption to play in the 2019 LECOM Health Challenge at Peek’n Peak Resort. The challenge is part of the Web.com Tour – one step below the Professional Golfers Association Tour. Porter Cup Executive Director Cassie Stein said the 60th rendition of the Porter Cup could be the most hyped-up tournament to date. “Quite possibly it could be, plus it’s the 60th,” Stein said. “It really brings in the best players who wanna get to the next level and want the opportunity to get to the pros.” Stein has been adamant that the Porter Cup is a huge stepping stone to success for the amateurs competing and, now that the winner receives the exemption to play in a Web.com Tour event, it only gets them one step closer to their goal of being a professional. Brandon Wu, the 2017 Porter Cup champion, will return to NFCC this year to defend his crown. Stein said Wu recently played in the 2018 LECOM Health Challenge and finished tied for 41st at 8-under. Along with the raised stakes, Stein said having the tournament operate for a 60th year is a huge tribute to everyone involved. “It’s incredible,” she said. “It’s a tremendous tribute to the staff and members. Plus, there’s a big history behind this tournament. Golfers like Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Ben Crenshaw have played here. It attracts the top players.” Golfers themselves are excited for the tournament, Stein said. “I’ve actually heard from a lot of the golfers and they’re really excited to compete,” she said. “The course is in great shape. This is a big one and we’re excited for them to come here, and I think they’re all worthy of that exemption.” For those looking to attend, the tournament is free, and Stein said they will see top-notch golf. “They’re going to see some really good golfers,” she said. “These guys can hit the ball long and, with it being so hot, the ball is gonna hit the grass and just roll for some big drives. It’s going to be some tremendous golf and we hope everyone has a good time.” The field is very diverse, as golfers will be coming to Lewiston from all over the U.S., Canada, China, Argentina, Australia, Japan, Singapore, Guatemala, the Philippines, England and Kazakhstan. Stein said Andrew Poturalski, an AHL player in the Carolina Hurricanes system and local from Williamsville, would receive an exemption to play in the Porter Cup, after finishing just one shot off the qualifying cut. For more information on the 60th Porter Cup, go to portercup.com. #60thPorterCup

By Bill McGrath scoreboard@gnnewspaper.com In 1959, you could buy a loaf of bread for 20 cents, go to a movie such as Ben Hur or North by Northwest for a dollar or gas up your average new $2,200 car for 25 cents a gallon and drive to the new golf tournament in town — the International Invitational at Niagara Falls Country Club. If you were a skilled local golfer, however, you probably would have chosen to play in the City Tournament on the final weekend of August at Hyde Park Golf Course instead of that weird-titled tournament up on the escarpment. That’s the way it was when what would become the Porter Cup began on Aug. 29, 1959 with a field of 40 players, most of them from Western New York and Southern Ontario, competing over 54 holes. It was just a dream of one man with a love of amateur golf and a plan for a top-flight tournament on his home course. With the help of other members who shared his passion, the little tournament with the big vision has evolved into one of the top amateur tournaments in the world. The tournament that started with players from the immediate region now encompasses the international community. This week, as NFCC celebrates its 60th tournament, the roster includes players from Australia, Argentina, Canada, Singapore, Japan, Guatemala, China, the Phillipines and England. And they have been coming for years. All of this began when Dick Harvey, a club member since 1938, got the idea from scouting the Sunnehanna Amateur that began in 1954 in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. He thought if it could be done there, why not in Lewiston? Harvey, Augustus “Tad” Murray, Dr. William McMahon and Dr. Ed Rozek made up a foursome of organizers determined to make it happen. The Sunnehanna pioneers envisioned a 72-hole tournament for the best amateurs, a social event in which the players’ wives would be encouraged to attend and the hospitality of the members would be remembered longer than the final scores. The Porter Cup is all of that, although today’s college players do fret over their final scores. Beyond that, Harvey and company added a couple of signature traditions at the awards ceremony: the green blazer presentation to the winner and drinking champagne from the Porter Cup. The blazer was Harvey’s idea, borrowed from his favorite tournament, the Masters. The cup was donated by Alex Porter, the longtime chairman of the NFCC Men’s Invitational, and was presented for the first time in 1960 to champion Ward Wettlaufer. John Konsek of Lancaster, who would eschew a pro career to become a doctor, held off his Western New York rival Wettlaufer in the 1959 tournament. Harvey was fortunate to have those two top players in the ranks. Konsek, as a student at Purdue, beat Jack Nicklaus of Ohio State for the Big Ten championship and split two matches against the man who became a golf legend. Wettlaufer was on the 1959 U.S. Walker Cup team, the only player from Western New York to earn that honor. The Porter Cup gradually grew as the directors got help from the players spreading the word about the quality of the tournament and the enjoyable experience of playing in it. As Harvey and McMahon recruited players over the years, they enlisted a network of college coaches who talked up the tournament. If there was a breakthrough, it came when Ben Crenshaw of the University of Texas played here in 1972. He was regarded as the top amateur in the country and was already being touted as “the next Nicklaus.” He won with a 4-under 276 and returned a year later to defend his title in what was his final amateur tournament. He went on to a successful pro career that included two Masters championships. While the Porter Cup has had a long list of players that went on to success on the PGA Tour, the player most often identified with it for 30 years was Jay Sigel, who earned the label “Mr. Amateur.” Not only is he the only player to win three titles, he holds the record for Walker Cup appearances with nine. He turned pro in 1993 to join the Champions Tour (seniors) and won 20 tournaments but still calls the Porter Cup his favorite amateur event. In the 90s, Phil Mickelson and David Duval came through, each winning a championship. Tiger Woods played in 1994, finishing tied for eighth, three strokes behind when rain wiped out the final round. As pros, Woods and Duval would go on to be ranked No. 1 in the world. Since then, other Porter Cup players like Dustin Johnson, Jason Day and Justin Thomas would reach golf’s pinnacle. As the tournament embarks on its 60th renewal this week, there is a new generation of players arriving. This year’s lineup includes 48 who are playing here for the first time. The opening round of the 60th Porter Cup is scheduled for Wednesday, and the tournament will conclude Saturday. #60thPorterCup #DickHarvey #Golf #PorterCup

The 60th Men’s Porter Cup tees off with first round action on Wednesday, July 18. Below is the current field of participants. As of July 12, 2018NameHometownBen AlbinSanta Fe, NMAshen ArasuSan Diego, CAWes ArtacLeander, TXAlec BardNew Hartford, NYMike BlaseyPotomac, MDJames BlackwellGrand Island, NYCole BradleyWest Lafayette, INBlair BurseyGander, NL, CanadaDerek BusbyRuston, LACorey CarlsonGreen Cove Spring, FLMackenzie CarterCobourg, ONT, CanadaWill ChandlerAtlanta, GAMichael ChristifulliParadise Valley, AZMatthew CheungHong Kong, ChinaMarin ContiniBuenos Aires, ArgentinaEric CowlesStuart, FLCharlie DannAroona, QLD, AustrailiaTripp DavisNorman, OKColin DubnikRochester, NYBlake DyerSt. Petersburg, FLJohn FelittoMountainside, NJBen FernandezSouthlake, TXKyle FlexsenharBloomington, ILRyoto FuruyaTokyo, JapanGregory FooSingaporeAustin FoxFolson, CADaniel GartnerGuatemala City, GuatemalaEvan GaesserKendall, NYDavid Gies IICharlotte, NCJohn GilkinsonSpringboro, OHGrant GodfreyDelaware, OHLloyd Jefferson GoCebu, PhilippinesShiso GoOyama, JapanArthur GriffinLake Placid, NYTianlang GuanGuangzhou, ChinaBilly HanesElma, NYDavid HanesElma, NYScott HarveyKernersville, NCCole HughesIndiana, PAAustin HittLongwood, FLTrevor HulbertOrlando, FLGeuntae KimJohnson City, TNPeter KnadeEaston, MDRyan KnopPleasanton, CAChase KomaromiDelaware, ONT, CanadaAnton KrecicColumbia Station, OHWyatt LarkinMorganton, GAJacob LehmanGuelph, ONT, CanadaEoin LeonardAscot, EnglandKyle MacDonaldBurlington, ONT, CanadaRoland MassiminoLumberville, PAMichael MattiaceJacksonville, FLSam MeekPeterborough, ONT, CanadaJamie MistHayling Island, EnglandJesus MontenegroBuenos Aires, ArgentinaMarcos MontenegroBuenos Aires, ArgentinaMatthew NaumecWilbraham, MAJames NicholasScarsdale, NYKevin O’ConnellCary, NCJohn PakScotch Plains, NJMatt ParzialeBrockton, MAAndrew PoturalskiWilliamsville, NYCaleb ProveauxLexington, SCNicolas QuinteroCali, ColumbiaGarrett RankElmira, ONT, CanadaBen ReichertEast Amherst, NYAlex RossAtlanta, GAMax SearUnionville, ONT, CanadaBen SchlottmanAdvance, NCLuke SchniederjansAlpharetta, GAPatrick SheererGibsonia, PAHenry ShimpCharlotte, NCAustin SipeDayton, OHMike StambergerBrielle, NJTyler StrafaciDavie, FLJustin TereshkoGreensboro, NCWill ThomsonPittsford, NYDaulet TulebayevAlmaty, KazakhstanChris VandetteBeaconsfield, QC, CanadaThomas WalshHigh Point, NCJustin WarrenPicton, NSW, AustraliaDaniel WetterichCincinnati, OHMatthew WetterichCincinnati, OHJosh WhalenNapanee, ONT, CanadaBlake WindredCardiff South, NSW, AustraliaQi Wen WongSingaporeShae Wools-CobbMaroochydore, QLD, AustraliaBrandon WuScarsdale, NYChristopher YeomFlushing, NY #60thPorterCup #NiagaraFallsCountryClub

LECOM Health Challenge Announces 2018 Tournament Exemptions Brandon Wu, Drew Deimel, Mike Van Sickle, Chris Wilson to play in Web.com Tour’s 2018 LECOM Health Challenge CLYMER, N.Y. (June 18, 2018) – The Web.com Tour’s LECOM Heath Challenge, taking place July 5–8, 2018 at Peek’n Peak Resort’s Upper Course, announced player exemptions for this year’s tournament. These include Brandon Wu, Drew Deimal, Mike Van Sickle, and Chris Wilson. “The players receiving exemptions for this year’s LECOM Health Challenge represent the incredible talent, experience, and diversity that make this tournament so competitive and fun to watch,” said Mark Geise, CEO of the Chautauqua Region Economic Development Corporation (CREDC). “We look forward to seeing Brandon, Drew, Mike, and Chris at Peek’n Peak in July.” The LECOM Health Challenge can select up to four players to receive exemptions, giving them automatic entry into the tournament. Two exemptions are classified as restricted and must be allocated to individuals who currently hold Web.com Tour status, while the remaining two exemptions are unrestricted and can be given to anyone. Brandon Wu, a rising senior at Stanford University, received an unrestricted exemption for the 2018 LECOM Health Challenge after shooting a final round of 64 to win the 2017 Porter Cup at Niagara Falls Country Club. In 2016, he tied for 16th at the NCGA Amateur Match Play Championship. Drew Deimel, an Erie, Pennsylvania native, will play the tournament with an unrestricted exemption. Deimel turned professional in 2012 after playing for Gannon University, where he was a two-time Erie District Golf Association Champion and earned the title of 2010-11 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Athlete of the Year. Mike Van Sickle is receiving one of the tournament’s restricted exemptions. A graduate of Marquette University, he was the first amateur player since 1955 to win the Pennsylvania Open Championship back-to-back. Van Sickle played the Web.com Tour Qualifying Tournament in 2014. Chris Wilson, a Dublin, Ohio native and alumnus of Northwestern University, will play the LECOM Health Challenge as a restricted exemption. Wilson played his first Web.com Tour in 2012. Last year, he had two T17 finishes at the Rex Hospital Open and Rust-Oleum Championship. Exempt players will join a field of competitors from the Web.com Tour and the top 12 finishers of the July 2 local qualifying round at Shorewood Country Club in Dunkirk. #BrandonWu #LECOMHealthChallenge #MensPortercup

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By Danielle Allentuck | Published 10:26 a.m. June 16, 2018 The Buffalo News LEWISTON – Zoe-Beth Brake likes to think she’s just an average person. She works a 9-to- 5 job, golfs only when she wants to and enjoys the life she’s built for herself in the United States. But on Friday, Brake did something spectacular. The New Zealand native won the Women’s Porter Cup and in the process defeated some of the best amateur golfers in the world at Niagara Falls Country Club. Brake posted a winning score of 8-under 208 to finish three strokes ahead of runner-up Maddie Szeryk. “Oh gosh, I don’t even have words for it. I’m so happy,” Brake said. “Not even for myself but for the people here. They’ve always been so supportive of me and everything like that. It’s just an amazing tournament and an amazing tournament to win.” Brake wrote the words “shine bright” elegantly on her hand before the start of the competition to remind her of what she was capable of. She entered the final day of the three-day tournament tied with Lei Ye, the 18-year-old phenom from Shanghai, China, and the two remained tied until the 13th hole. There, Brake had her first birdie since the third hole to open up a one-shot lead. She didn’t waver for the rest of the competition, capping her day with a birdie on the 18th hole to extend her lead to three shots. “I’ve been putting well all week and I’d been putting well today,” she said. “I missed a couple of short birdies and if you miss one like that you always get one back later in the course.” While her competitors stayed laser-focused throughout the tournament, Brake took a step back and had a more relaxed approach to her game. Brake knows she has come a long way from where she was six years ago when she competed in the first-ever women’s cup. After high school Brake wasn’t sure what she wanted to do with her life, so she joined the New Zealand Navy and spent two and a half years there before deciding to golf for Ohio State. She graduated last year and has since gotten what she says is just a “regular” job, meaning her golf game has taken a backseat to real-world responsibilities. The first day of the tournament was her first competitive round since last year’s Porter Cup, and for her, this was a rare opportunity to embrace the game for what it is. “Golf for me is just about having fun and when I’m having fun I’m playing well,” she said. “Not being so hard on myself and letting the not-so-great shots go. Just really my motto has been to go out, have fun and not care about the outcome.” She high-fived crossing guards, joked around with photographers and took time to speak with the young girls who fawned over her throughout the tournament. “I started golf when I was 6 years old so I would always be out watching the big guns and I would have stars in my eyes,” Brake said. “Seeing younger girls out there I think is a good way to get them to strive for something in life.” Although she would love to turn professional, she is realistic that that isn’t the most practical route. For now, she plans to just keep having fun and doing what she wants to do. “Sponsorship is a big thing,” Brake said. “It’s tough. I don’t expect my parents to pay for it. I’m just working right now and trying to build a foundation and I feel like that’s something I could always come back to in the future.” Runner-up Szeryk made her last Porter Cup appearance a memorable one. Szeryk, a member of the Canadian amateur team and recent graduate of Texas A&M, rallied to finish three strokes behind Brake after finishing the opening round seven shots off the lead. Szeryk plans to turn professional at the end of the summer. “It was very good especially considering how the first round went,” she said. “The last two days I was just trying to focus on hitting fairways and hitting greens because that’s what my big problem was on the first day. I just went out and did my game and didn’t worry about what other people were doing.” Cipolla top WNY finisher Maren Cipolla, a rising junior at the University of Texas and a Lewiston native, was the top finisher from Western New York. She finished 19th with 10-over 226. Chelsea Dantonio, a rising senior at Winthrop University and also a Lewiston native, finished tied for 25th after faltering on the last day. Dantonio entered the day in 13th place. In total there were seven golfers from Western New York competing. #ZoeBethBrake #BuffaloNews #BrianOakley #WomensPorterCup #NiagaraFallsCountryClub

By Julie Williams AmateurGolf.com LEWISTON, NY (June 15, 2018) – Zoe-Beth Brake has appeared in the Women’s Porter Cup field every year it has been played. Her persistence, and her love for this charming event in Lewiston, N.Y., finally resulted in a trophy. Even better, she did it with fireworks. Brake, who is a year removed from competing for Ohio State, drained a long birdie putt on the 18th hole Friday for a 5-under 67. She by no means needed it, but it put a nice exclamation point on a three-shot victory. Brake was 8 under for 54 holes at Niagara Falls Country Club. In six years playing this event, Brake’s previous best finish was fifth place in 2016. This year, however, Brake played inspired golf. She bogeyed the first two holes of her second round and didn’t make another bogey for the duration of the tournament. “I don’t even have words for it,” Brake told Niagara Frontier Publications. “I’m so happy, and not even for myself, but the people here. They’ve always been so supportive of me and everything like that. … It’s just an amazing tournament to win.” You might say Brake is more about the journey anyway. Her whole life does not revolve around golf. Brake grew up in New Zealand, and red-shirted her freshman season at Ohio State. She had already served two and a half years in the Royal New Zealand Navy before finding a place on Therese Hession’s roster. In her time as a Buckeye, Brake competed in four Big 10 conference championships. Her career included four top-10 finishes, and she was a two-time WGCA All-American Scholar. Brake’s chosen field of study? Art, which is rare for a student athlete. Despite finishing her eligibility at Ohio State, Brake remains in Ohio where she works. She plays golf when she can. Maddie Szeryk, who capped her career at Texas A&M this spring by becoming the first Aggie women’s golfer to earn first-team All-America honors in three seasons, gave an admirable chase at Niagara Falls Country Club. After opening with 5-over 77, Szeryk fired back-to-back rounds of 67 to finish at 5 under. Virginia’s Anna Redding was right behind her at 4 under, but neither player could match Brake. Having finished her eligibility at Texas A&M, Szeryk plans to spend the rest of the summer traveling with the Canadian National Team. It will help her ramp up for LPGA Qualifying School in the fall. Szeryk, of London, Ontario, would have been the second Canadian to win the event in tournament history. Canadian Brooke Henderson, now an LPGA player with six victories to her credit, won the 2014 Women’s Porter Cup. Szeryk played the NCAA Championship last month as an individual and finished tied for 17th. Her recent play shows how much she has matured as a player. “I know that to get it close to the hole, I don’t have to aim at the pin,” Szeryk said at the national championship. “I think I’m just definitely a smarter golfer.” #NiagaraFallsCountryClub #OhioState #WomensPorterCup #ZoeBethBrake

#NiagaraFallsCountryClub #WGRZ #WomensPorterCup #ZoeBethBrake

Women’s Porter Cup veteran Zoe-Beth Brake cruises to first win BY WYNSTON WILCOX wynston.wilcox@gnnewspaper.com LEWISTON — When Zoe-Beth Brake came to the United States five years ago from New Zealand, she brought a passion in golf. She attended and played for Ohio State, making Columbus, Ohio her second home. Lewiston — specifically, Niagara Falls Country Club — just might be her third. Tournament Director Brian Oakley said Brake was his first international recruit that he introduced to the Women’s Porter Cup in its inaugural year in 2013. It’s only fitting that she became the first returning player to win the tournament on Friday when she shot a 5-under 67 to finally break through in her sixth try. “I’m so stoked,” Brake said. “It feels so amazing and I’m finally glad to win it for the people here.” Oakley was just as excited. “It’s so rewarding,” Oakley said. “You can’t imagine after six years that the international recruit that you first introduced to the tournament (would win). … It’s so refreshing to have somebody like that, that will carry that cup.” Brake led all day in Friday’s final round, finishing at 8-under for the tournament and three strokes clear of the field. She went in tied at 3-under with another international player, Shanghai’s Lei “Angelina” Ye. Behind Brake at the end, Maddie Szeryk (London, Ontario) shot her second straight 67 to finish 5-under and in third was North Carolina’s Anna Redding with a 4-under 212. Though Brake led all of Friday, it was still a mental challenge. Brake is incredibly tough on herself in competition. When she called up her caddy, Alex Conti, to carry her clubs, he agreed on one condition: “You can’t beat yourself up,” he recalled telling her. This year was the first competitive tournament Brake’s played in since last year’s Porter Cup. She went through a back injury last year and wasn’t able to practice at all during the winter. And with her current job as a teacher, she essentially was out on the course only when she had time to. Before each round, she wrote on her hand “shine bright.” That was a reminder she got from her mother to think of a happy place whenever she was down on the course. “The difference was her not beating herself up on the course,” Conti said. “She proved to herself that she can do it and now she’s got to keep reminding herself that she can do it.” Brake didn’t card a single bogey on Friday. She hit five birdies, two on the front nine and three on the back. Her last two birdies helped seal the win. The first was on 14, which got her a two-stroke lead on Ye. She got lots more breathing room a hole later, when Ye hit her third shot out of bounds and finished with a quadruple bogey that took her out of contention. A birdie on 18 solidified Brake’s first Porter Cup win. She hit the green on the par-3 from the tee box and was about 12 yards or so from the pin. “I missed a couple of short birdies today, like on 17, I missed a 5-footer,” Brake said. “So if you miss one like that, you’ll always get one later on in the course.” She made the tough birdie and gave what’s become a home crowd one more thing to celebrate. “Having the people out here in this tournament, it’s all about the people so it was fun for me,” she said. Winning this tournament could have a big effect on Brake’s career, Conti said. “I really believe this is what she needed to make her understand that yes, she is this good,” he said. ” … The only piece she was missing, she took care of that this week and you see where she ended up.” Conti believes this was the final push Brake may have needed to get her into the LPGA Tour. Brake believes this will boost her confidence, but she was still hesitant to say she’ll committ to a life as a professional golfer. “I’ve always wanted to turn professional since I was a little kid,” Brake said. “It’s just hard, it’s so expensive and there are so many good players. You have to make it your full-time job nowadays, and … right now I’m just not in the right position to do that for myself. “So maybe in a few years time, (but) I’m always going to have a love for golf. As you can tell, I haven’t played a tournament in a year and then won one.” NOTES: Szeryk announced that she plans to turn professional. The top-ranked player in the field (16th, according to the World Amateur Golf Ranking) just graduated from Texas A&M. … Lewiston local Maren Cipolla finished 19th at 1-under par with a 226 for the tournament. … Another Lewiston native, Victoria Parker finished tied for 53rd at 4-over par. 2018 Women’s Porter Cup Place Name To par R1 R2 R3 Total 1 Zoe-Beth Brake -8 71 70 67 208 2 Maddie Szeryk -5 77 67 67 211 3 Anna Redding -4 70 72 70 212 T4 Stephanie Bunque -2 73 71 70 214 T4 Mikhaela Fortuna -2 72 70 72 214 6 Lei Ye -1 71 70 74 215 7 Grace St-Germian E 69 77 70 216 8 Carley Cox +3 71 75 73 219 T9 Elizabeth Bose +4 74 73 73 220 T9 Noemie Pare +4 74 73 73 220 #BrianOakley #NiagaraFallsCountryClub #WomensPorterCup #ZoeBethBrake

New Zealander takes home WPC trophy at NFCC By David Yarger Tribune Editor People have said, “If you fail, try, try again.” For Zoe-Beth Brake, that’s exactly what she did. There have been six Women’s Porter Cups and Brake has played in all of them. Friday evening at Niagara Falls Country Club, Brake, an Ohio State University graduate, finally reached the top and won the WPC. Brake, who was born and raised in New Zealand, finished the three-day tournament with an 8-under 208 (71-70-67) and completed round three with five birdies. No birdie putt was sweeter for Brake than on hole No. 18 where she nailed a lengthy putt to cement her status as champion. Brake was speechless following the win and visibly excited. “I don’t even have words for it,” Brake said. “I’m so happy, and not even for myself, but the people here. They’ve always been so supportive of me and everything like that. … It’s just an amazing tournament to win.” Brake added, on the birdie at No. 18, her putting had been stellar all week and after missing a short birdie putt on No. 17, she expected to roll a nice putt to end her tournament. The champion said her motto all week was to stay calm and collected and just try to have fun. She added she hadn’t played a competitive round of golf since last year’s Women’s Porter Cup. Brake has a storied past, as she joined the New Zealand Navy six months out of high school. After two years in the Navy, Brake ventured to the United States where she played college golf for Ohio State University. Brake currently resides in Ohio and said she’s currently working and plays golf when she wants. Seeing Brake win brought excitement to Tournament Director Brian Oakley. “It’s hard to put into words the champion for this year, because everybody has grown so fond of her for a lot of different reasons. … This young lady was one of my first recruits – first international player. She’s played in all six Women’s Porter Cups and … we’re very, very proud to have Zoe-Beth Brake as our 2018 champion,” Oakley said. Brake said there’s a big reason she keeps coming back to the Lewiston classic every year. “The people, for sure,” she said. “My host family, Jack and Dena Armstrong; everyone else here; Brian Oakley – he’s such an amazing guy.” Niagara Falls Country Club looked in great shape for the golfers and Brake had nothing but praise for the upkeep of the course. “Every year the course has gotten better and better,” she said. “They do small things that improves it. The fairways are amazing, and the greens are so good. I love the greens here.” With six years of experience under her belt, Brake voiced a heavy praise for the WPC and recommended the tournament to amateurs. “It’s an amazing tournament. This tournament is more than just a golf tournament. It’s the people, the golf course, the food – just everything about it – the Maid of the Mist, players dinner. The hospitality and the people here are just amazing,” she said. Brake, whose highest WPC finish prior to her victory was fifth place, was followed by runner up Maddie Szeryk (5-under 211) of London, Ontario and Anna Redding (4-under 212) of Concord, North Carolina who finished third. From left, Tournament Director Brian Oakley, Zoe-Beth Brake, Maddie Szeryk and Anna Redding. Brake sinks a birdie putt on No. 18 to win the 2018 Women’s Porter Cup. Brake expresses her excitement after sinking a birdie putt on No. 18. Brake tees off on the hole 18 at Niagara Falls Country Club. #BrianOakley #NiagaraFallsCountryClub #WomensPorterCup #ZoeBethBrake

http://results.golfstat.com/public/leaderboards/gsnav.cfm?pg=pairings&tid=15735 #WomensPorterCup

By David Yarger – Tribune Editor Everyone in Lewiston knows about the prestigious Porter Cup and the excitement it brings to the area. Coming June 13-15, the fun begins as the sixth Women’s Porter Cup will begin play. The Women’s Porter Cup brings some of the best female amateur golfers from around the world to Niagara Falls Country Club to compete and to try and bolster their golf resumes. This year’s field of women comes from the likes of Australia, China, Canada, Mexico, the Phillipines, across the United States and even some locals. Executive Director of the Porter Cup Cassie Stein said the 2018 field could wind up as the most hyped up roster of golfers in the six-year history. “We’re really excited to get this year going,” Stein said. “We have good players coming in. The full Canadian National Team is coming in and they’re really good. They have a girl, Maddie Szeryk, from London, Ontario and she’s ranked No. 19 in the world according the World Amateur Golf Rankings.” Stein added Lei Ye, of Shanghai, China, will also be golfing in the tournament and she recently played in the LPGA U.S. Women’s Open as an 18-year-old. The Women’s Porter Cup, in only six years, truly has expanded and gone global, as 36 of the golfers in the field will travel abroad to Lewiston to play. Stein said it shows how the game itself is really evolving worldwide. “Golf has become more global. We have a group coming from Australia for the first time and it’s a step in the right direction for the Women’s Porter Cup. The golfers are some of the best in the world and that’s why we have them here,” Stein said. Amongst all the national buzz, Lewiston will have a local in the tournament, as Victoria Parker will play in her own backyard. Also close to home, Maren Cipolla, Allison Spara and Julie Murphy of Amherst, Elena Lopez of Clarence, and Chelsea Dantonio of East Aurora will all compete in the tournament. The ages of the golfers differ from around 16-37 and to see the youth of the tournament come participate and grow as golfers is something Stein said she enjoys. “We have a young field and it’s the next generation of LPGA golfers,” Stein said. “It’s a unique experience to see these golfers come to the Porter Cup and to remember their Women’s Porter Cup experience down the road. It’s really cool.” The tournament is free to the public to attend and watch and Stein said attendees can expect some stellar skills. “You’re going to see spectacular golf shots,” Stein said. “The women are so accurate. If you tell them to aim for that tree, they’re going to nail it dead on. They just have beautiful golf swings and I encourage everyone to come out (and watch). They really are just impeccable.” For a full list of participants in the sixth Women’s Porter Cup, visit the tournament’s website at portercup.com/womens-division. #WomensPorterCup