Taffy Brower, 57, Keeping Pace At U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur First Round

Eugene, Ore. – Taffy Brower, Akemi Khaiat and Sally Krueger each shot 2-over-par 74 Saturday morning to hold the first round lead with half the field of 132 golfers age 25 and older at the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur completing play at Eugene Country Club.

Brower, 57, of Boynton Beach, Fla., reached the quarterfinals a year ago, while Khaiat, 38, of Costa Mesa, Calif., and Krueger, 44, of Coronado, Calif., are hoping to get that far for the first time.

Lynn Anderson of Edina, Minn., and Martha Leach of Hebron, Ky., were one stroke back with scores of 75. With 66 scores in, only 24 golfers broke 80 over the 6,159-yard course.

Brower’s five birdies led the field, and her confidence grew with each one.

“Once I made one birdie, I got the confidence to knock more in,” said the three-time Florida State Women’s Amateur champion who has played in the company of women’s golf legends JoAnne Carner and Louise Suggs. “I’m playing better now than ever because I just stopped thinking so much. I tell myself to just get up and hit the ball.”

Following two rounds of stroke play, the field will be trimmed to the lowest 64 scorers, who will advance to match play. Play continues through Thursday.

Among the others who have completed play so far, defending champion Laura Shanahan-Rowe, 43, of Bedford, N.H., three-time winner Ellen Port, 40, of St. Louis, Mo., and two-time winner Carol Semple Thompson, 53, of Sewickley, Pa., each finished with 78.

Local favorite Mary Budke, 48, of Eugene, Ore., who won the 1972 U.S. Women’s Amateur and eight State Amateur titles in the 1970s, carded an 85, largely because of an 8 on the 11th hole.

The Women’s Mid-Amateur is one of 13 national championships conducted annually by the United States Golf Association, 10 of which are strictly for amateurs.