THUMBNAILS OF WOMEN’S AMATEUR PLAYERS
Career Amateurs
Carol Semple Thompson, 54, Sewickley, Pa.: Captured the Women’s Amateur 30 years ago. Also has won two Women’s Mid-Amateur titles and four consecutive USGA Senior Amateur crowns. Competed in 32 Women’s Opens and 12 Curtis Cups. Has reached the third round of the Women’s Amateur in each of the past two championships.
Robin Burke, 40, Houston, Texas: Married to former Masters champion Jackie Burke Jr. Advanced to the championship match of the 1997 Women’s Amateur, losing to Silvia Cavalleri, 5 and 4. Competed on the 1998 USA Curtis Cup team.
Kathy Hartwiger, 37, Birmingham, Ala.: Captured the 2002 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur, defeating three-time champion Ellen Port in the final. Mother of two kids. Husband, Chris, works for the USGA in the Green Section. Teamed with reigning U.S. Women’s Amateur champion Becky Lucidi as the USA finished second to Canada at the inaugural Copas de las Americas tournament in Puerto Rico in June .
Ellen Port, 41, St. Louis, Mo.: Three-time U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur champion and a four-time finalist. She also has earned medalist honors the past three years at the Women’s Mid-Amateur, joining Carol Semple Thompson as the only three-time medalist at that championship. Competed on the 1994 and 1996 USA Curtis Cup teams. Coaches field hockey and boys’ golf team at a private high school in St. Louis area.
Sally Krueger, 45, San Francisco, Calif.: The Bay Area doctor often carries her own bag in competitions. Has captured seven San Francisco City titles in the women’s division. Made the cut at the 1997 and 1999 AT&T National Pro-Am at Pebble Beach, tying for eighth in 1999 with PGA Tour player Doug Martin. Qualified for match play at the 2002 Women’s Am, but lost in the first round to Lindsay Morgan. Lost to eventual champion Marcy Newton in the second round of the 2000 Women’s Am.
Lisa McGill, 43, Philadelphia, Pa. : One of the local favorites to watch. Former Rhode Island Women’s State Amateur champion. Plays out of Sunnybrook Country Club in the Philly area. Played for Pennsylvania at the 1999 USGA State Team Championships in Williamsburg, Va.
College Players
Becky Lucidi, 22, Poway, Calif.: She is the defending champion, having defeated Brandi Jackson in the championship match, 3 and 2, at Sleepy Hollow Country Club. Helped the University of Southern California claim the NCAA Division I Women’s team title this past May. Lost in the quarterfinals of the 2003 Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship to 13-year-old phenom Michelle Wie, 6 and 5.
Leigh Anne Hardin, 21, Martinsville, Ind.: Captured the 1998 U.S. Girls' Junior title down the road from Philadelphia C.C. at famed Merion. Was the medalist at the 2000 Women's Amateur.
Competed on the 2002 USA Curtis Cup team and qualified for the
2003 Women's Open. Attends Duke University where she will be a
senior this fall.
Virada Nirapathpongporn, 21, Thailand: Duke University star was a first-team All-American for 2002-03 season. She won the Division I Women’s individual title in 2002, edging out heavy favorite Lorena Ochoa. Lost in a thrilling championship match to Michelle Wie at the 2003 WAPL in Florida. Was the equivalent of 5 under par, while Wie was 6 under. Quarterfinalist at the Women’s Amateur in both 2001 and 2002. Also quarterfinalist at the 2001 WAPL.
Erica Blasberg, 18, Corona, Calif.: The University of Arizona rising sophomore was named the National Golf Coaches Association’s Freshman of the Year for the 2002-03 season. Was a finalist for the Honda Award. Posted nine consecutive top-10 finishes at one point during the season, including two victories. Placed third at the NCAA women’s championships. Sixteen of 30 rounds were at par or better. Reached the third round of the 2002 Women’s Amateur. Was medalist at the 2000 U.S. Girls’ Junior.
Elizabeth Janangelo, 19, West Hartford, Conn.: Has already competed in two U.S. Women’s Opens; she made the cut at 2003 Open at Pumpkin Ridge and tied Jane Park for second-low amateur honors. First-team All-America as a freshman at Duke University this past year, where she won two tournaments and had a stroke average of 73.66. Captured the 2003 Connecticut State Women’s Open by four strokes. Upset the medalist, Courtney Swaim, at the 2002 Women’s Amateur after earning spot in a playoff. Lost in third round to eventual champion Becky Lucidi.
Emily Bastel, 22, Upper Sandusky, Ohio: Now an assistant golf at coach at her alma mater, Michigan State. Competed on the 2002 USA Curtis Cup team and was a semifinalist at the 2001 Women’s Amateur, losing to eventual champion Meredith Duncan. Also competed for the USA at the 2002 Women’s World Amateur Team Championships in Malaysia. Was a second-team All-America selection as a senior for 2001-2002 season.
Joni Gossett, 20, Germantown, Tenn.: If the name sounds familiar, it should be. Gossett is the younger sister of 1999 U.S. Amateur champion David Gossett. David plans to caddie for Joni at the Women's Amateur. She now attends Vanderbilt University. Gossett sometimes caddies for her brother on the PGA Tour during the summer.
Alena Sharp, 22, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada: Was a three-time conference champion (Sun Belt) at New Mexico State. Earned first-team All-America honors this past season. Advanced to the second round of the 2002 Women’s Amateur. Got into this year's championship as an alternate.
Irene Cho, 18, La Habra, Calif.: Will be a sophomore at the University of Southern California in the fall. Helped Trojans win the NCAA team title. Qualified for the 2003 Women’s Open.
Top juniors
Brittany Lang, 17, McKinney, Texas : Will attend Duke University in the fall. Already has captured two prestigious women’s events this summer – the Women’s Western Amateur and the North and South Women’s Amateur. Reached the third round of the 2003 U.S. Girls’ Junior. Hails from the same hometown as former USGA champions Kelli and Hank Kuehne, and Hunter Mahan.
Paula Creamer, 16, Pleasanton, Calif.: Attends the David Leadbetter Academy in Bradenton, Fla. Was a semifinalist at the 2003 U.S. Girls’ Junior. Captured the prestigious AJGA Polo Junior Golf Classic last November. Qualified for the 2003 Women’s Open. Also played in the LPGA Tour event in Rochester, N.Y., this summer. Lost in the first round of the 2002 Women’s Amateur to Danielle Downey.
Michelle Wie, 13, Honolulu, Hawaii: The buzz in women’s golf this summer. Made the cut in both professional women’s majors she played in this year (Nabisco Championships and Women’s Open). Played in the final pairing for final round of the Nabisco Championships. Became the youngest USGA champion of a non-junior event when she won the 2003 WAPL at Ocean Hammock Golf Course in Palm Coast, Fla., defeating Virada Nirapathpongporn in the final. Competed at the WAPL at age of 10, becoming youngest player to ever qualify for a USGA women’s amateur competition. Has made match play in all four WAPLs she has competed in. Lost in third round of the 2003 Girls’ Junior to Morgan Pressel.
Aree Song, 17, Korea (born in Thailand, lives in Bradenton, Fla.): Has twice earned low-amateur honors at the Women’s Open (2002 and 2003). Finished in a tie for fifth this year at Pumpkin Ridge. At 13 years and 3 months, became the youngest champion of any USGA championship when she won the 1999 U.S. Girls’ Junior. Was a semifinalist at the 2000 Women’s Amateur, losing to eventual champion Marcy Newton, 1 up. Caddied for her twin sister, Naree, at this year’s Girls’ Junior. Naree also playing in the Women’s Amateur. Will attend the University of Florida in the fall with her sister.
In-Bee Park, 15, Eustis, Fla. (born in Korea): Captured the 2002 U.S. Girls’ Junior and nearly won the same event this year, losing a 5-up lead over the final 10 holes to Sukjin-Lee Wuesthoff. Two-time medalist at the Girls’ Junior. Already has won four junior tournaments this year, including Orange Bowl in Miami. Was an accomplished pianist before picking up golf. Moved to the U.S. two years ago. Attends Christian Home and Bible School in Eustis. Qualified for match play at 2002 Women’s Am and lost in the second round to Mollie Fankhauser.
Mina Harigae, 13, Monterey, Calif.: Two-time winner of the California Women’s State Amateur. Advanced to the semifinals of the 2003 U.S. Girls’ Junior in her first-ever appearance, defeating Morgan Pressel in the quarterfinals and Brittany Lang in the third round.