Notebook: Same Result, Different Path For Women's Mid-Amateur Champ Bolger

By David Shefter, USGA

Carefree, Ariz. – When Meghan Bolger cruised to the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur title last year at Old Waverly Golf Club, she hardly broke a sweat.

And it wasn’t because of the unseasonably cool weather conditions in Mississippi. Bolger needed only 90 holes to defeat her six opponents and never had to play holes 17 and 18 after the stroke-play qualifying rounds. Of those 90 holes, Bolger faced a deficit just three times – all on the first hole and she managed to immediately win No. 2.

Such was not the case in the Arizona desert in 2007. The final result was the same, but this was no stroll down Easy Street. While she didn’t trailed in any match at Desert Forest Golf Club until Thursday’s 18-hole final, Bolger had a few Maalox moments.

Caddie Mike Bolger indicates to daughter Meghan the number of Women's Mid-Amateur titles she now has won. (John Mummert/USGA)

Three times, the 29-year-old from Haddonfield, N.J., was taken to the final 18, only to prevail, 1 up. That included the championship match against 44-year-old Kerry Postillion of Burr Ridge, Ill. In fact, Postillion managed to break Bolger’s streak of consecutive holes without a deficit at 97 when she won the fourth hole. When she took the par-5 fifth to go 2 up, it was the first time Bolger trailed by more than a hole in her two Women’s Mid-Amateur appearances. In 188 holes of match play the past two years, Bolger trailed for a total of five holes.

But Postillion made Bolger work hard to achieve a 1-up victory. In Bolger’s two other 1-up wins this week – Carolyn Creekmore in the third round and stroke-play medalist Dawn Woodard in the quarterfinals – she owned a 1-up lead heading to 18. Against Postillion, Bolger needed to win the final hole to avoid going extra holes.

“I’ll tell you what it was, it was a lot of great match play,” said Mike Bolger, Meghan’s father and caddie for each of the last two championships. “It was a lot of fun. It’s bad on my heart, but it made my knees feel better because my heart was bad.”

Added Meghan: “There were different players this year. And for the matches, we had a tough bracket. This championship is going to become stronger as the years go on. We’re fortunate to have a really strong, younger crowd right now, too.”

For Bolger, it’s been quite a summer. She qualified for the U.S. Women’s Open at Pine Needles, competed in the U.S. Women’s Amateur and successfully defended her Women’s Mid-Amateur title, something only two previous women had achieved (Sarah Lebrun Ingram in 1993 and ’94; and Ellen Port in 1995 and ’96).

Her plans are to play the winter amateur circuit in Florida – the South Atlantic Ladies Amateur, Harder Hall Invitational and Doherty – to perhaps, further bolster her case to be on the 2008 USA Curtis Cup team.

“I don’t know what it’s going to take,” said Meghan. “For me … it would be the ultimate honor, but I’m not in charge. All I can do is play golf and play the best I can.”

No More 16

Despite being one of the longest hitters at the championship, Bolger struggled with the tee shot at the 446-yard, par-5 16th hole. When she hit driver in several previous matches, her ball carried through the dogleg and into the desert. And in Thursday’s final, she tried carrying the tree on the left-hand side of the fairway with a 3-wood, only to have the ball kick left into the desert. That led to a bogey and loss of hole.

“We never did figure out 16,” said Mike Bolger. “I’m just glad we don’t have to play it again.”

Added Meghan: “It didn’t set up well for me, but I did what I needed to hang in there. Maybe I should have just hit a 5-iron.”

Hotel Bolger

For the last 15 years, Meghan Bolger and her three siblings have had their share of extra kids around the house. That’s because her mother has been heavily involved in foster care. The Bolgers even went as far as adopting one of the kids (Tara, who is now 14). Mike Bolger said they have received the Governor’s  Award for having more than 100 foster kids. Some stay for a day or two and some reside a lot longer.

“It’s my wife’s dream to do it,” said Mike Bolger, a retired U.S. Postal inspector. “Right now, we have a lot of permanent placements.”

Silver Lining

Kerry Postillion’s runner-up finish was her third at this championship. She lost to Ellen Port in the 1996 final and to Mary Ann Lapointe of Canada two years ago. Postillion didn’t compete in 2006 because she failed to file her entry in time.

“Sure you want to win,” said Postillion, a reinstated amateur. “But at the same time, that’s going a long way every time. It’s a lot of golf to play.”

Postillion did get some great news Wednesday night. Her 15-year-old daughter, Samantha, shot a 78 at  her high school regional tournament back home and helped Hinsdale High School win the tournament. Samantha wound up second individually behind a fellow teammate.

“She’s very close,” said Kerry of her daughter beating her. “When she’s hitting it, she is next to me now. So by next summer, she’ll be bombing it by me.”

The Postillion family is moving to the Greater Phoenix area in December and Samantha will transfer to Notre Dame Prep. But she is not the only talented player in the household. Victor Postillion Jr. recently finished fifth in the Arizona Stroke Play Championship and nearly qualified for the U.S. Amateur. He is a 19-year-old sophomore at the University of Arizona, but doesn’t play on the men’s golf team. Victor Sr., Kerry’s husband, teamed with pro Ben Hayes to win the recent Desert Quail Cup at Desert Forest by four strokes. That is a best-ball scratch event.

David Shefter is a USGA staff writer. E-mail him with questions or comments at dshefter@usga.org.