Ellen Port

Ellen Port, 39, St. Louis, Mo., defeated Anna Schultz, 45, Richardson, Texas, 3 and 2, in the scheduled 18-hole final to win the United States Women's Mid-Amateur Champion- ship at the 5,972-yard, par 72 Big Canyon Country Club course.

Port sent the Mildred Prunaret Cup back to her home in St. Louis for the third time. She also won the Women's Mid-Amateur in 1995 and 1996 and her three wins ties a record set by Sarah leBrun Ingram.

"It's awesome," said Port. "Every- body hooks up on numbers but I think the history of this game is great."

Port struggled early in the match, hitting a tree with her opening tee shot and losing the first hole to Schultz. Mer evening the match on the front nine, Port made an 8-foot birdie putt on the par-3 12th hole to go 1 up. She won the 13th and 15th holes with pars and was 3 up. Schultz and Port parred the 16th hole, ending the match.

"This win almost means more than the other two wins because I've had a big change in my life since then, having two children," said Port, who is the mother of a three-year-old son and a one-year-old daughter. "1 didn't have enough hours in the day. I didn't know if I could play championship golf again."

Port is also a teacher and coach at a private high school in St. Louis.

Schultz, who has three children, had her son Kevin, 14, as her caddie. "This has been the greatest week of my golfing life," said Schultz. "I had to make birdies or pars to come back. I knew Ellen would be solid. Her iron game was awesome."

In the semifinals, Port defeated Judith Allan-Kyrinis, Toronto, Canada, on the 19th hole. Schultz defeated Martha Leach, HebFon, Ky., 1 up. Defending champion Alissa Herron, 27, Wayzata, Minn., was defeated in the third round by Allan-Kyrinis, 2 and 1.

Port was also the medalist, with a three-over-par total of 147 for the 36- hole stroke play qualifying rounds.

The 2000 Women's Mid-Amateur attracted a record 533 entries. The previous record of 515 was set in 1996 and matched in 1999.