Probst Makes Bid To Be Medalist

Knoxville, Tenn. - With 27-year-old leader Shannon Ogg of Seattle, Wash., scheduled to go off in the afternoon, 26-year-old Tobi Probst of Pensacola, Fla., made a claim for medalist honors at the 18th U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur Saturday.

On another hot, sun-splashed day at Holston Hills Country Club, Probst shot a 1-over-par 73 in second round stroke-play qualifying for a total score of 2-over 146. Ogg, the runner-up in last year's championship, had held the overall lead with a 1-under 71.

Shannon Ogg hits out of a bunker during her second round of stroke play Saturday. (John Mummert/USGA)

A host of other first-round leaders also were set to go off in the afternoon.

Probst's 73 was equaled by 30-year-old Susan Roh of Denver, Colo., for the morning's low round. On the strength of hitting 12 of 14 fairways, Joan Garety, 48, of Rockford, Mich., posted a 2-over 74 for a total of 8-over 152.

Susan Marchese, 43, of Omaha, Neb., who started the second round in a tie for third, shot 4-over 76 Saturday. A double bogey on the 379-yard, par-4 ninth was the only blemish on an otherwise solid round. Through 36 holes she registered just one three-putt, a key to making it into match play.

"The course is so wide open, anyone can win," said Marchese.

Probst's bid to become a first-time medalist in the event began on an ominous note when she double bogeyed the 405-yard first hole. Her ball found a bunker 40 yards short of the hole, and then she couldn't get up and down. But a birdie on the next hole got her back on track.

A vital reason why she bounced back had more to do with all the fairways and greens she struck in regulation. On Friday, she hit all her fairways. In the second round she missed two. As for greens, she missed two in the first round to four on Saturday.

On No. 18, she finished strong by using a 50-degree wedge to stick her approach shot 90 yards out to a foot of the hole on the elevated green.

She hadn't thought about being the medalist until perusing the scoreboard.

"That's really exciting," said Probst. "That would be so great."

Roh finished with a two-day score of 5-over 149. The former two-time All-American player at the University of Oregon is currently a third-year law school student at the University of Denver and needed to secure excused absences from her professors.

The highlight of her round came on the 291-yard, par-4 16 th where she knocked in a 7-footer above the hole to save par.

It's a virtual cinch she'll make match play, realizing a goal she set before the championship.

"It's really just great to be able to play golf for fun again," she said.

With an afternoon tee time Friday, Roh noticed that the Donald Ross design played differently Saturday.

"It was probably a little faster yesterday because it had firmed up in the afternoon," said Roh.

Cecilia Fournil, 30, of Columbia, S.C., carded one of the morning's other low rounds, with a 3-over 75. On No. 17, she chipped in from 5 feet to save par. She parred eight of her last nine holes.

Like Roh, she set a goal coming into the championship.

"To win three matches, preferably three, so I won't have to qualify," said Fournil.

"When you get to the Mid-Am, for a lot of us, we don't get to play a lot. We work, we have kids."

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.

Story written by Ken Klavon, USGA Web Editor. E-mail him with questions or comments at kklavon@usga.org.