Hartwiger, Thompson And Wiesner Are Winners In Women’s Mid-Amateur Second Round

 

Toni Wiesner of Ft. Worth, Texas, says she's just a 'spoiler,' but the 56-year-old is one of the best.  Photo by John Mummert/USGA

Hilton Head, S.C. – Kathy Hartwiger, 37, of Birmingham, Ala., showed why she is the defending champion while veterans Carol Semple Thompson, 53, of Sewickely, Pa., and Toni Wiesner, 56, of Ft. Worth, Texas, reminded everyone that they still have what it takes.

The three were among the 16 who advanced in the second round of match play at the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur at Long Cove Club. Hartwiger beat Marianne Towersey, of Newport Beach, Calif., 5 and 4. Semple Thompson, the Women’s Mid-Amateur winner in 1990 and 1997, beat Alicia Kapheim, of Pennington, N.J., 6 and 5, and Weisner, who like Semple Thompson has played in all 17 Women’s Mid-Amateur championships, avenged her loss last year to three-time champion Ellen Port, of St. Louis, Mo., with a 2-and-1 win.

The Championship is one of 13 national championships conducted annually by the United States Golf Association. This one is for women age 25 and older.

Play continues Tuesday afternoon with third-round matches. Two more rounds are set for Wednesday. The championship’s final match is scheduled for Thursday.

“My whole philosophy is, ‘I’ve already won,’ ” said Hartwiger, who was the equivalent of even par for her second-round match. “It’s taken a lot of the pressure off. I’d like to win again, but who knows?”

Medalist Robin Burke, 41, of Houston, Texas, wasn’t as fortunate. She dropped holes 16 and 17 and lost her match to Andrea Kraus, of Pikesville, Md., 1 down.

“Robin and I are good friends, but I thought I had a chance,” said Kraus. “I’m putting much better now so I think I can win this. I think I have a good shot.”

Burke, a recognized top player and runner-up at the 1997 U.S. Women’s Amateur, was disappointed by her bad approach shots on the last holes and even more disappointed at leaving town again without a USGA trophy in her hands.

“Not this time again,” she said after the match. “Maybe never. Winning this would have been great. I wanted to make the Curtis Cup team (next June). I am so disappointed, but you’re not supposed to win if you bogey holes 16 and 17.”

Semple Thompson won her first USGA title in 1973. Her most recent came at the 2002 USGA Senior Women’s Amateur. This week, she is shooting for her eighth USGA title.

“I think you have to be healthy, but the enthusiasm and commitment has to be there,” said Semple Thompson in accounting for her continued success. “I am committed to making this my eighth USGA title.”

Wiesner was one of three players remaining from the Ft. Worth area. The others are Mini Hardin, 43, and Marilyn Hardy, 42. Wiesner will play Hardin, who was born in Mexico City, in the third round.

“I’m just here as a spoiler,” downplayed Wiesner, a lefty who beat Hardin earlier this year on her way to a fifth Texas State Women’s Amateur over three decades.

 

Story written by Craig Smith, USGA.  Email him at csmith@usga.org

 

Hilton Head, S.C. – Results of Tuesday’s second round of match play at the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship, at the par 36-35—71, 6,029-yard Long Cove Club:

 

Second Round

Upper Bracket

Andrea Kraus, Pikesville, Md. (156) def. Robin Burke, Houston, Texas (142), 1 up.

Susan Romano, Chesterland, Ohio (153) def. Thuhashini Selvaratnam, Sri Lanka (153), 1 up.

Leigh Klasse, St. Anthony, Mich. (155) def. Anna Schultz, Richardson, Texas (151), 2 up.

Carol Semple Thompson, Sewickley, Pa. (154) def. Alicia Kapheim, Pennington, N.J. (158), 6 and 5.

Sally Krueger, San Francisco, Calif. (155) def. Virginia Grimes, Montgomery, Ala. (148), 2 and 1.

Marilyn Hardy, Houston, Texas (153) def. Amy Ellertson, Charlottesville, Va. (153), 2 and 1.

Amber Marsh, Greensboro, N.C. (150) def. Desiree Ting, Wailuku, Hawaii (155), 6 and 4.

Cecilia Barksdale, Columbia, S.C. (158) def. Laura Waits, Tyler, Texas (159), 6 and 4.

 

Lower Bracket

Kathy Hartwiger, Birmingham, Ala. (145) def. Marianne Towersey, Newport Beach, Calif. (156), 5 and 4.

Shannon Ogg, Charlotte, N.C. (153) def. Sara Offringa, Dallas, Texas (158), 2 and 1.

Mina Hardin, Ft. Hardin (157) def. Maggie Leef, Brookfield, Wis. (160), 19 holes.

Toni Wiesner, Ft. Worth, Texas (152) def. Ellen Port, St. Louis, Mo. (158), 2 and 1.

Lyn Nelson, Half Moon Bay, Calif. (156) def. Marion Maney-McInerney, Dedham, Mass. (160), 3 and 1.

Mary Ann LaPointe, Canada (153) def. Kathleen Prieve, Madison, Wis. (159), 4 and 3.

Sydney Moore, Menominee, Mich. (150) def. Brenda Corrie Kuehn, Ashville, N.C. (155), 3 and 1.

Corey Weworski, Carlsbad, Calif. (152) def. Martha Lang, Mandeville, La. (158), 1 up.

 

 

Hilton Head, S.C. – Pairings for Tuesday’s third round of match play at the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship, at the par 36-35—71, 6,029-yard Long Cove Club: (All times EDT ):

Third Round

Upper Bracket

1:15 p.m. – Kraus vs. Romano

1:25 p.m. – Klasse vs. Semple Thompson

1:35 p.m. – Krueger vs. Hardy

1:45 p.m. – Marsh vs. Barksdale

 

Lower Bracket

1:55 p.m. – Hartwiger vs. Ogg

2:05 p.m. – Hardin vs. Wiesner

2:15 p.m. – Nelson vs. LaPointe

2:25 p.m. – Moore vs. Weworski