With humidity high and the temperature creeping into the 80s on Friday, it’s no surprise that Jo Ann Squillante and Denise Belanger were feeling a little exhausted after a day of golf.

But, despite being fatigued from the heat, the pair were feeling happy with their victory over Sue Sylvia and Jan Santos and winning the 37th annual Women’s Fourball Tournament.

“I feel pretty beat up right now,” said Squillante, during a reception at the Country Club of New Bedford following her victory. “It’s been so hot this week. It’s been unbearable some days. We were driving around looking for shade.”

“It’s been a tough week. We had some difficult matches, but we played well together as a team every day,” she added.

Squillante said that after five consecutive days out on the course, golfers can begin to wonder why they would enter the competition in the first place. But she said that by the time spring roles around again, she’s ready to start back in again.

“We were committed. We believed we could do it, and we just kept going,” said Belanger.

The two said they have only ever made it to the finals once before, but it was under different circumstances.

“Seven years ago we played against each other in the finals,” said Squillante.

The former rivals became a team shortly after Belanger’s partner had left the country club. It was around that time when Squillante became a member and was in search of a teammate.

“So I called her up, and that was it. We’ve been together since,” said Squillante.

The two have each spent more than 20 years playing golf. Even with all their experience, both women admitted that the course was a challenge. Belanger noted that the greens were particularly difficult. She said that, because the greens are small and pitched, putting can be fast and tricky.

Squillante said the two managed their victory because of their style of teamwork.

“You need to know each other’s games and not put pressure on the other person,” said Squillante. “You have to go out there and play your own game and not feel like they’re going to save you all the time. I don’t think we put pressure on each other. We just play.”

The two agreed they have to return next year to defend their title. But in the immediate future, they had other plans in mind.

Belanger said they were going home to rest.

Squillante chimed in: “But first, we gotta party.”