What surprise did Anna Swan reveal after beating her sister in the EDWGA Match Play final?

NORTH EAST — Mike Swan’s hug was unique for the situation.

As a caddie for Sunday’s final of the Erie District Women’s Golf Association Match Play Tournament, he collectively embraced each golfer after the winner was determined on Lake View Country Club’s 16th green.

Swan’s gesture was understandable, though. The golfers, Anna and Lydia Swan, are his daughters.

They met in a tournament final that was anticipated over recent summers.

It ended on that 16th green, where Anna Swan clinched a 3 and 2 victory. The returning senior for North East’s girls golf program repeated as the Match Play’s titlist with a win against her older sister, a former Grapepicker who recently concluded her freshman season for Division I Oral Roberts University.

Anna and Lydia Swan, the tournament’s first and second seeds, each own PIAA golf gold medals. Each also has won various national tournaments, even though they’re still teenagers.

Before Sunday, though, neither played one-on-one in such a formal format.

Anna Swan was conflicted about Sunday’s experience.

“I know how close Lydia and I are outside of golf, so (the match) was going to be fun,” she said. “But it also was going to be hard for me. I think I wanted to win it more because, well, she is my older sister and there was a lot on the line.

“Yes, it was a challenge.”

A true family affair

Besides Mike Swan, the gallery for Sunday’s final included Stacy Swan, Anna and Lydia’s mother; brothers Isaiah and Josiah; and younger sister Keziah.

Friends of the family also contributed to the round’s caravan.

Mike Swan caddied for Anna Swan. Like her, he also was conflicted about the match and its championship status.

Not so much that one daughter would win and one wouldn’t, but because of how it ultimately played out.

“We didn’t really care what the outcome was. We just wanted them to play well,” Mike Swan said. “We wanted to see someone to win (the match) and not lose it. I don’t think Lydia played great (Sunday), and that was the bummer.”

Lydia Swan agreed, based on some of her erratic shots over the last eight holes. She lost the ninth with a double-bogey six and the 10th with a bogey five.

Those results around the turn gave Anna Swan a 2-up advantage. It was a lead she never relinquished.

“I’m emotional right now,” Lydia Swan said, “but we’ll go home and we’ll be fine. I think this (win) is good for Anna. I always gave her a hard time about, ‘Hey, when are you ever going to beat me?’ Well, she did (Sunday) and really played well.”

Lydia Swan also mentioned how she’s looking forward to calling Anna a formal teammate again come the fall of 2024.

Anna Swan wore an Oral Roberts cap during Sunday's match. She confirmed her verbal commitment to the same Tulsa, Oklahoma, school where her sister currently attends.

“I’m so excited about that,” Anna Swan said. “I loved the campus. I loved the coaches and I loved some of the teammates that I’ll have.”

More: How an EDGA Match Play victory negated three recent losses for Gannon golfer Ryan Ferry

Tinkering with the tournament

The Swan vs. Swan final wasn’t the only notable news from this year’s Match Play.

EDWGA officials, beyond Anna Swan as the top seed and reigning titlist, didn’t conduct a weekday qualifying round to determine the rest of the bracket. All other entrants were slotted by their sanctioned handicaps.

While 11 players comprised the tournament’s championship bracket, an eight-player net bracket also was held. Fifth-seeded Darcey Powell beat No. 3 Michelle Robertson 2-up in their final, which began ahead of the Swans’ tee time.

Such changes are likely to be permanent, according to Marlene Smith. The EDWGA president said reviving interest in the tournament was a factor for each decision.

“Last year, we were disappointed we only had eight players (enter),” Smith said. “We said we had to make some changes to get more participation. The board is still open to any ideas, but going from eight to 19 (overall players) this year is going the right way. We’re hoping we’ll get even more next year.”

Smith also mentioned that, like this year, the EDGWA plans to annually conduct its two majors at the same course. Its 2023 Stroke Play tournament is scheduled at Lake View on Aug. 12-13.

More: What did McDowell golfer Ella Bickel credit for the rare feat of two aces in 23 days?

Match play results

Championship matches for the 2023 Erie District Women’s Golf Association Match Play Tournament at North East’s Lake View Country Club:

Gross bracket

No. 1 Anna Swan def. No. 2 Lydia Swan 3 and 2

Net bracket

No. 5 Darcey Powell def. No. 3 Michelle Robertson 2-up

Contact Mike Copper at mcopper@timesnews.com. Follow him on Twitter @ETNcopper.

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Anna Swan repeats as EDWGA Match Play champion with victory vs. sister