Text Size

Golden's 71 Holds Up To Lead after First Round

 

Ocala, Fla. – Wendi Golden, 34, of Sarasota, Fla., used local knowledge to fire a 1-under-par 71 and lead after the first stroke-play qualifying round in the 2009 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship at the 6,173-yard, par-72 Golden Hills Golf and Turf Club.

Laura Coble posted a 74 earlier in the day that put her in contention for medalist honors. (John Mummert/USGA)

Golden took a two-stroke lead over five players heading into Sunday’s second stroke-play round. At 73 were Jennifer Lucas, 28, of Knoxville, Tenn., Lisa McGill, 50, of Philadelphia, Pa., 2006 and 2007 Women’s Mid-Amateur champion Meghan Stassi, 31, of Oakland Park, Fla., Janet Moore, 45, of Greenwood Village, Colo., and Dawn Woodard, 35, the 2009 South Carolina Women’s Amateur champion from Greer, S.C.

Defending champion Joan Higgins, 53, of Glendora, Calif., and Laura Coble, 45, of Augusta, Ga., shot 74.

Golden had the only sub-par round Saturday, making three birdies on putts ranging from 7 to 23 feet. She made only two bogeys, both because of “chunked” chip shots, she said.

“I feel like I left about three shots out there,” said Golden. “It could have been a 67 or 68, but of course it could have been a 74 or 75, as well.”

Golden, who claimed she has “the right name” for the course, has played Golden Hills a number of times to become familiar with the layout on her way to amateur competitions. In Florida’s sectional qualifying at Golden Hills in August, she led all qualifiers with a 74 in the rain. No other Florida qualifiers broke 80.

In this national championship for women amateurs age 25 and older, Golden and Lucas, both former professionals, have found rejuvenation in their amateur careers. Lucas was reinstated as an amateur last year and Golden was reinstated in 2006.

“I’m a stay-at-home mom now,” said Golden, who has two daughters, ages 5 and 6.

Lucas, Moore and McGill also have two children each while Woodard has three. Lucas works for a major corporation selling industrial tape and McGill is a wife and mother. Moore is a five-time Colorado Stroke-Play champion.

Two-time champion Meghan Bolger Stasi threatened to have the best round of the day when she birdied the second, third and fourth holes and made the turn in 3-under-par 32, but she suffered four bogeys on the back nine to finish at one over par.

Joining her at 73, Woodard carded three birdies, but made two bogeys and double-bogeyed the 392-yard, par-4 sixth hole to finish at one over par.

Higgins said she made up for her lack of length off the tee by hitting her tee shots to the middle of the fairways and her approach shots to the middle of the greens.

“I didn’t play fantastic, but I played really consistently,” Higgins said.

After Sunday’s second stroke-play round, the field of 132 players will be cut to the low 64 scorers, who advance to match play. The Women’s Mid-Amateur concludes with an 18-hole final on Thursday.

The U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur is one of 13 national championships conducted by the United States Golf Association. Ten are strictly for amateurs.

Story written by Rhonda Glenn, a Manager of Communications for the USGA. E-mail her with questions or comments at rglenn@usga.org.

Results

Ocala, Fla. - Results of the first round of stroke-play qualifying in the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship at the 6,173-yard, par-72 Golden Hills Golf and Turf Club:

Wendi Golden, Sarasota, Fla. - 34-37—71
Dawn Woodard, Greer, S.C. - 37-36--73
Jennifer Lucas, Knoxville, Tenn. - 33-40--73
Lisa McGill, Philadelphia, Pa. - 35-38--73
Meghan Stasi, Oakland Park, Fla. - 32-41--73
Janet Moore, Greenwood Village, Colo. - 33-41--74
Joan Higgins, Glendora, Calif. - 36-38--74
Laura Coble, Augusta, Ga. - 35-39--74
Brenda Pictor, Marietta, Ga. - 35-40--75
Carolyn Creekmore, Dallas, Texas - 39-36--75
Kerry Postillion, Burr Ridge, Ill. - 36-39--75
Laura Ladden, Coatesville, Pa. - 36-39--75
Thuhashini Selvaratnam, Sri Lanka - 38-37--75
Amber Marsh Elliott, Greensboro, N.C. - 37-39--76
Daria Cummings, Monroe, Conn. - 37-39--76
Kathy Schowe, La Quinta, Calif. - 38-38--76
Martha Leach, Hebron, Ky. - 36-40--76
Patricia Cornett, Mill Valley, Calif. - 39-37--76
Virginia Grimes, Meridian, Miss. - 36-40--76
Wendy Burton, Cortland, N.Y. - 36-40--76
Anna Schultz, Rockwall, Texas - 38-39--77
Ellen Port, St Louis, Mo. - 38-39--77
Kathy Hartwiger, Birmingham, Ala. - 37-40--77
Kathy Kurata, Pasadena, Calif. - 39-38--77
Kim Briele, New Bern, N.C. - 37-40--77
Leigh Klasse, St Anthony, Minn. - 38-39--77
Marci Zweifel, Orlando, Fla. - 37-40--77
Mina Hardin, Ft Worth, Texas - 36-41--77
Sharon Park, Irvine, Calif. - 36-41--77
Alexandra Frazier, Haverford, Pa. - 38-40--78
Christy Schultz, Rochester, N.Y. - 34-44--78
Jane Fitzgerald, Kensington, Md. - 37-41--78
Kim Eaton, Greeley, Colo. - 37-41--78
Leslie Folsom, Seattle, Wash. - 36-42--78
Marilyn Hardy, Houston, Texas - 38-40--78
Mary Jane Hiestand, Naples, Fla. - 39-39--78
Angela Stewart, Greenville, N.C. - 40-39--79
Ann Lahey, Kentfield, Calif. - 37-42--79
Claudia Pilot, Austin, Minn. - 38-41--79
Desiree Ting, Wailuku, Hawaii - 39-40--79
Lea Venable, Simpsonville, S.C. - 36-43--79
Linda McMillan, Ormond Beach, Fla. - 40-39--79
Lisa Walker, Vista, Calif. - 36-43--79
Lynn Simmons, Phoenix, Ariz. - 39-40--79
Maggie Weder, Greenville, N.C. - 37-42--79
Michelle Griffith, Lagrange, Ga. - 37-42--79
Patti Hogeboom, Canada - 38-41--79
Annette Gaiotti, Holladay, Utah - 38-42--80
Connie Isler, Annapolis, Md. - 38-42--80
Kay Daniel, Covington, La. - 37-43--80
Kendra Vallone, San Dimas, Calif. - 41-39--80
Krissy Martin, Louisville, Ky. - 37-43--80
Lisa Schlesinger, Laytonsville, Md. - 43-37--80
Noreen Mohler, Bethlehem, Pa. - 38-42--80
Rebecca Halpern, Chicago, Ill. - 38-42--80
Rheba Mabie, Boulder Junction, Wis. - 41-39--80
Robin Donnelley, Palm Beach, Fla. - 40-40--80
Tara Joy-Connelly, Pembroke, Mass. - 36-44--80
Wallace Hamerton, Bluffton, S.C. - 39-41--80
Carol S Thompson, Sewickley, Pa. - 40-41--81
Debra Mielke, Mckinney, Texas - 39-42--81
Diane Lang, Jamaica - 40-41--81
Donna Mummert, Clinton Township, N.J. - 39-42--81
Jill Hardy, Canada - 40-41--81
Lynette Duran, Lakewood, Colo. - 37-44--81
Lynne Cowan, Davis, Calif. - 37-44--81
Margaret Leef, Brookfield, Wis. - 42-39--81
Melanie Furuta, Ladera Ranch, Calif. - 41-40--81
Robin Burke, Houston, Texas - 37-44--81
Courtney Myhrum, Pittsburgh, Pa. - 39-43--82
Jennifer Lochhead, Canada - 39-43--82
Kathy Crumley, Dallas, Texas - 41-41--82
Katrin Wolfe, Johnstown, Pa. - 38-44--82
Reana Yun, Glendale, Calif. - 41-41--82
Sherry Herman, Farmingdale, N.J. - 43-39--82
Shirley Trier, Jacksonville Beach, Fla. - 41-41--82
Tanna Lee Richard, Fort Smith, Ark. - 37-45--82
Tracy Welch, Charlestown, Mass. - 40-42--82
Corey Weworski, Carlsbad, Calif. - 38-45--83
Corrie Tayman, Bethesda, Md. - 42-41--83
Cynthia Friend, Lexington, Mass. - 42-41--83
Dana Harrity, North Hampton, N.H. - 43-40--83
Desiree Banlowe, Thousand Oaks, Calif. - 39-44--83
Holly Bare, Clovis, Calif. - 39-44--83
Martha Lang, Birmingham, Ala. - 38-45--83
Samantha Bartron, Boulder, Colo. - 39-44--83
Tama Caldabaugh, Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. - 40-43--83
Amanda Pettit, Irving, Texas - 42-42--84
Amy Suleiman, North Olmsted, Ohio - 42-42--84
Debbie Friede, Portland, Ore. - 43-41--84
Jamie Rishel, New Albany, Ohio - 41-43--84
Jennifer Delgadillo, El Paso, Texas - 40-44--84
Judy Miller, Tucson, Ariz. - 42-42--84
Julie Carmichael, Indianapolis, Ind. - 41-43--84
Karen Bouloucon, West Milford, N.J. - 42-42--84
Karen Garcia, Cool, Calif. - 40-44--84
Laurie White, Carmel, N.Y. - 39-45--84
Lecia Alexander, Stafford, Texas - 40-44--84
Lily Garcia, Montebello, Calif. - 42-42--84
Linda Pearson, Glendale, Calif. - 41-43--84
Jessica Lederhausen, Hinsdale, Ill. - 43-42--85
Mary Kay Thanos-Zordani, Chicago, Ill. - 40-45--85
Mayura Skowronski, Jersey City, N.J. - 39-46--85
Melissa Aylor, New York, N.Y. - 36-49--85
Nan Dyer, Oklahoma City, Okla. - 38-47--85
Olivia Slutzky, Newport Beach, Calif. - 39-46--85
Sarah Phillips-Durst, Tallahassee, Fla. - 38-47--85
Alicia A Kapheim, Pennington, N.J. - 41-45--86
Cheryl Jones-Knight, Fountain Hills, Ariz. - 41-45--86
Cynthia Whitmore, Clarinda, Iowa - 40-46--86
Denise Kieffer, University Place, Wash. - 41-45--86
Frances Gacos, Flemington, N.J. - 41-45--86
Lisa Anderson, Middleton, Mass. - 40-46--86
Lisa Winsten, Danville, Calif. - 40-46--86
Marion Webster, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. - 42-44--86
Michelle Stelben, Darien, Conn. - 45-41--86
Tatiana Gammicchia, Russia - 40-46--86
Carol Turnage, Anna, Texas - 40-47--87
Kristen Obush, Greensburg, Pa. - 40-47--87
Martha Redfearn, Newport Beach, Calif. - 42-45--87
Cindy Pallatino, Scottsdale, Ariz. - 46-42--88
Marlene Summers, Montgomery, Texas - 46-42--88
Renee Williams, Auburn, Ala. - 40-48--88
Cyndi Carlson, Chesapeake, Va. - 43-46--89
Gail Flanagan, Rye, N.Y. - 43-46--89
Karen Williams, Bean Station, Tenn. - 41-48--89
Nancy Beck, Dallas, Texas - 41-48--89
Diana Wyman, Washington, D.C. - 42-48--90
Liza Martin-Garrubbo, Warren, N.J. - 45-45--90
Tiffany Maurycy, Denver, Colo. - 42-50--92
Debra Myers, Seattle, Wash. - 46-48--94
Carol Sarkissian, Chino Hills, Calif. - 47-49--96