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Saturday, August 01, 2009

First Practice Round Thoughts

Here's an interesting tidbit before the 2009 U.S. Women's Amateur gets underway on Monday: both alternates from the Colts Neck, N.J., sectional site are in the field. Sarah Almond, the first alternate, got a spot when one became available after the Girls' Junior. Since one of the finalists, Kimberly Kim, was already exempt into the field, a spot became available and Colts Neck was first up on the allotment list. Then on Friday, qualifier Isabel Han of Lake Mary, Fla., was forced to withdraw due to a wrist injury. She played at the Colts Neck site, so the second alternate, Lauren Varnas of Chatham, N.J., accepted the spot. Wouldn't it be cool to see 13-year-old Yuerr (Cindy) Feng of the People's Republic of China, the youngest contestant, play 55-year-old Noreen Mohler of Bethlehem, Pa., the oldest contestant, in the first round of match play. Only in golf can you get such eclectic matchups. And if Tom Watson can almost win the British Open at 59, why can't a 55 year old contend at the Women's Amateur? Mohler will not only be playing this week, but also observing. She is the 2010 USA Curtis Cup captain and this is one of those ideal weeks where she can scout the country's premier players. At the Girls' Junior two weeks ago, Mohler found the time to chat with 14-year-old phenom Alexis Thompson as well as observe 16-year-old Jessica Korda. Both made the cut at the 2009 U.S. Women's Open. One thing is for sure, Mohler should have a very strong squad for next June's Match. As for the weather, we're likely to get some rain this afternoon. Temperatures are supposed to creep into the 90s this coming week as well. Hot, hot, hot.

Posted By David Shefter At 12:31 PM •

Welcome To 2009 U.S. Women's Amateur

We've landed in St. Louis and are ready for another exciting championship. The 2009 U.S. Women's Amateur will be contested at Old Warson Country Club. This is the second USGA championship for the club, which last hosted the 1999 U.S. Mid-Amateur won by Danny Green. This year's Women's Amateur has a very strong field, ranging in age from 13 to 55. Some of the pre-championship favorites include Jennifer Song, Alexis Thompson, Lizette Salas, Kimberly Kim, Jessica Korda, Candace Schepperle and Stephanie Kono. Song won this year's U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links title at Red Tail G.C. in Devens, Mass., beating Kimberly Kim, 7 and 6, in the final. Two weeks later, she was the low amateur at the U.S. Women's Open at Saucon Valley. She also was the runner-up at the NCAA Division I Championship, where she made a double-bogey 6 at the 72nd hole to lose by a shot to Maria Hernandez of Purdue. Thompson is coming off a 12-stroke win at last week's PGA Junior Championship. She won the 2008 U.S. Girls' Junior, then claimed a couple of amateur titles early in 2009. She also made the cut at the Women's Open and shared low-amateur honors at the Kraft Nabisco Championship. Kim has lost to USGA amateur finals this year. Besides the WAPL, she suffered a 6-and-5 setback on July 25 in the Girls' Junior final to Amy Anderson at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, N.J. But she also won the Rolex Girls Championship prior to playing in the WAPL and three years ago she became the youngest champion in Women's Amateur history. Korda fired a final-round 69 at Saucon Valley, the second consecutive year she posted a 69 in the last round of the Women's Open. The Bradenton, Fla., resident suffered a 19-hole third-round defeat to Kim at the recent Girls' Junior. Salas shot a 63 in sectional qualifying for this year's Women's Amateur and enjoyed a solid sophomore season in 2008-09 for the University of Southern California. Could it be two amateur titles for the Trojans this summer? Song already owns one. Schepperle also made the cut at the Women's Open at Saucon Valley, while Kono was the stroke-play medalist at the WAPL. Kono has twice been a semifinalist in USGA events. So who do you think will win? Will it be a favorite or an unknown. After all, few people had heard of Amy Anderson before her Girls' Junior triumph. We know one thing: it's going to be a special week and one person is going to be lucky and skilled enough to hoist the Robert Cox Cup on Aug. 9.

Posted By David Shefter At 12:31 PM •