Marsh Elliott Takes Loss In Stride

By Mike Ewald, USGA

Knoxville, Tenn. - Amber Marsh Elliott knew there were no guarantees as a defending champion.

Amber Marsh Elliott, hitting out of a bunker Sunday, pointed to missed fairways and greens as reasons why she lost. (John Mummert/USGA)

In what could have been the match of the day on Sunday, Julie Massa, 41, of Holt, Mich., upset the 35-year-old Marsh Elliott 1 up at the U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur.

Marsh Elliott could never sustain any momentum in being bounced after the first round of match play at Holston Hills Country Club. It wasn't as though she underwent a whipping. Neither player was able to take control, with the lead never getting larger than one hole.

"Not to take anything away from Julie, but she made pars and I didn't," said Marsh Elliott while driving home to Greensboro, N.C.

Marsh Elliott jumped to a quick lead after Massa's tee shot on the first hole could not be found among leaves in the left rough. But Massa came back on the third hole when she sunk a 35-foot birdie putt to even the match.   

Massa held a 1-up lead after nine holes, but Marsh Elliott hit an approach shot to within 10 feet on No. 10 to once again square the match.

Continuing the see-saw saga, Marsh Elliott's tee shot on the par-3 11 th found the left greenside bunker. She couldn't get up and down; Massa's par won the hole to go 1 up.

The entire match Massa seemed cool and collected, especially after hitting long putts to save par on 12 and 13. More important, she halved what could have been losing holes. On No. 13, she nailed a 15-footer.

"The putt on 13 is what kept me in it," said Massa with a grin.

On the next hole, Massa's drive on the par 3 flew the green, leaving her with a difficult downhill chip.   She would double bogey the hole, which led to another evened match.

No. 17 ended up being the deciding factor. Marsh Elliott's drive faded into the right rough, forcing a punch shot back into the fairway. It left her with a 200-yard approach shot.  

In perhaps the stroke of the match, Massa stuck her approach shot from 100 yards out to within 8 feet of the hole. Marsh Elliott, meanwhile, missed right and had a difficult chip from junk. After she was unable to find the green from there, she conceded the hole. Massa took the lead for good.

B oth saved par on 18, giving Massa the win, 1 up.

"Sure, it's disappointing," said Marsh Elliott. "Life goes on and there are other things other than golf."

Massa takes on Julie Garner, 41, of Winter Park, Fla., in the second round of match play on Monday.

"Consistency is the key for me," said Massa. "If I can keep hitting fairways and greens, I can keep putting the pressure on."

Mike Ewald is a second-year Fellow with the USGA's Grants and Fellowship program. E-mail him with questions or comments at mewald@usga.org.