Bolger, Duran Share Lead Midway Through Second Round

At 2007 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur

Carefree, Ariz. – Defending champion Meghan Bolger, 29, of Haddonfield, N.J., and Lynette Duran, 25, of Lakewood, Colo., both shot 4-over 77 Sunday to lead the charge for medalist honors halfway through the second round of stroke play at the 2007 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship, being played at the 6,208-yard, par-73 Desert Forest Golf Club.

Bolger, who is trying to become the first champion to win consecutive Women’s Mid-Amateur titles in more than 10 years, had two birdies, four bogeys and a double bogey on the difficult Desert Forest layout. Coupled with her opening-round 75, she has a 36-hole total of 6-over 152.

“I’m ready for the qualifying to be over and to start match play,” said Bolger. “I think the first two days for me is just really learning the golf course, how the course plays and learning the winds and knowing your yardage and trusting your shots into the hole.”

For Bolger, the general game plan remains the same – keep the ball out of the desert.

“You definitely have to keep it in play off the tee,” said Bolger. “I trusted my game off the tee a little bit more and I’ll need to even more so starting tomorrow.”

Duran didn’t exactly follow the hit-it-straight-off-the-tee plan. But despite finding some trouble with her drives, she was able to follow up her opening-round 75 with a 77.

“So far my irons are really keeping me in the game,” said Duran, who turned 25 on Sept. 24 and is the youngest player in the field. I’ve been straying a little bit off the tee but I’ve been able to hold it together.”

This is Duran’s fourth USGA championship this year. She also played in the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links and the U.S. Women’s Amateur and represented Colorado at the USGA Women’s State Team. She will safely advance to match play for the first time.

“I missed the cut at the Pub Links by a shot and missed by a few at the Amateur,” said Duran. “I really wanted to get into match play because it’s just a lot of fun and it’s a totally different game and I’ve been so close. I really wanted to make sure it was going to happen.”

Duran believes Desert Forest’s difficulty will make it an ideal match-play venue.

“Some courses set up better for stroke play and this is one that is going to be better for match play,” said Duran. “You can be a little more at ease. Well, you can’t be too much at ease out here, but a little bit more comfortable, where there will be a little more room for error. You’ll only be down one instead of a making a huge number.”

Toni Wiesner, 60, of Fort Worth, Texas, one of only two players to have competed in all 21 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateurs, followed an opening-round 76 with a 5-over 78 and will also advance to match play. Thuhashini Selvaratnam, 31, of Sri Lanka, the 2006 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur runner-up and a member at Desert Forest, will also advance after her second consecutive 6-over 79.

The field’s remaining 66 players will finish their second round Sunday afternoon, including first-round leader Dawn Woodard, 33, of Franklin, Tenn. Woodard was the only player to finish the first round under par, at 3-under 70. Three-time USA Curtis Cupper and 1998 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur champion Virginia Derby Grimes, 43, of Meridian, Miss., who is playing with Woodard, finished at even-par 73 Saturday.

Also playing Sunday afternoon is seven-time USGA champion Carol Semple Thompson, 58, of Sewickley, Pa., who opened with an 8-over 81. Thompson has made the cut in all 20 U.S. Women’s Mid Amateurs and won the 1990 and 1997 championships.

After the conclusion of the second round of stroke play Sunday, the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur field will be reduced to 64 players for match play. The first round of match play is scheduled for Monday, the second and third rounds will be played Tuesday, the quarterfinal and semifinal matches are on Wednesday, and the 18-hole championship final will be played Thursday.

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

Story written by Beth Murrison of USGA Media Relations. For questions or comments, contact her at bmurrison@usga.org.