84-year-old golfer claims first CCNB Four-Ball championship

DARTMOUTH — Winning the 2026 Country Club of New Bedford Women’s Four-Ball was the furthest thing from Lorraine Duval’s mind this year.

After all, the longtime CCNB member had broken two bones in her wrist in May and had to have surgery. She wasn’t able to play golf again until the end of July.

“I didn’t even know if I was going to play at all,” said 84-year-old Duval, who partnered up with Mary Tribou. “When I called her and asked her to play, I said, ‘I don’t know how I’m going to play and I told her what had happened and that I hadn’t had time to play.’ She said, ‘No problem. We’ll just have a good time.’ That’s what we did. We had a good time.”

In their second year as golf partners, Duval and Tribou earned a 2-up win over Annette Mallen and Kristen Sethares on the 18th hole in the finals on Friday, Aug. 21 to capture their first Four-Ball championship. 

“I’ve been playing there for 42 years in that Four-Ball,” Duval said. “I had gotten into the semifinals but never got to the finals. I just wanted to play to keep the Four-Ball going. That’s what I wanted to do. I wasn’t expecting to do much of anything. 

“It’s such a fun week. The whole week is a lot of fun. It has been for a long time. Forty-two years playing it; as a guest to start and then we joined. I love that week. It’s just such a great week.”

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Tribou, a member at Acushnet River Valley, said she played in her first CCNB Four-Ball 30 years ago. 

“Even though it’s become a smaller event, it’s a cherished Four-Ball,” she said. “I haven’t made every single one for 30 years, but I have played most of them during that time. It’s been a great run. I feel fortunate and blessed to be asked to play. To win it with Lorraine, a veteran and a woman of such integrity, it’s just a blessing.”

In 2025, Duval was in need of a partner so she reached out to Tribou.

“The partner I had couldn’t play a couple of years ago. She had something else coming up,” Duval recalled. “I knew Mary. She had been there before. She just has a nice attitude. I liked playing with her. 

“It’s actually a partnership of you and your partner working together which is what we did. Just relying on one another. She’s there and I’m there.” 

Tribou and Duval complemented each other well throughout the week and especially during the finals.

“We had been up in every match after nine holes,” the 66-year-old Tribou said. “It was the very first match we were down after nine holes so it was a battle. The momentum changed on 11. 

“It ultimately comes down to a putt here or there. We just gelled as a team.”

Against Mallen and Sethares, Tribou won the 17th hole to give her team a 1-up advantage heading into the 18th hole, where they sealed the 2-up victory. 

“The thrilling part was just to see her face,” said Tribou of Duval. “For her to have played it and been a member there for so long, it meant so much.”

It also meant a lot to Tribou to have her husband, Bill, there to support her.

“He’s an accomplished player in his own right. He really taught me how to play the game,” she said. “If it wasn’t for my husband, I wouldn’t be playing golf. When I saw him and he gave me a hug and a kiss and congratulations, it was great.” 

CCNB Four-Ball Championship winners: Lorraine Duval and Mary Tribou 

Semifinalist winners: Diane Lacoste and Jillian Grolley       

First Division winners: Carlin Moroney and Amy McCoog 

First Division Consolation winners: Pat Ansay and Linda LeMieux

Medal Play winners: Deb Hynes and Terry Garrett

This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: 84-year-old golfer claims first CCNB Four-Ball championship