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Monday, August 03, 2009

Dedication

If you don't think playing in the Women's Amateur is serious business, how about seeing 55 year old Noreen Mohler out on the putting green long after her first round was over. "I went back and took a two-hour nap," said the 2010 USA Curtis Cup captain. After shooting a first-round 82, Mohler wanted to work on her putting. Also out on the practice green was Lizette Salas, who was working with her caddie/coach Greg Puga, the 2000 U.S. Mid-Amateur champion who has since turned professional. Salas, a first-team All-America this past season at the University of Southern California, opened with a 1-under 70 and should be a player to watch this week. She also could be someone Mohler might eye for a possible Curtis Cup look.

Posted By David Shefter At 7:01 PM •

Anderson Early Leader

Only twice in USGA history have we had players earn medalist honors at the U.S. Girls' Junior and U.S. Women's Amateur in the same year. Michiko Hattori (1986) and Vicki Goetze (1989). Amy Anderson could be the third. The reigning U.S. Girls' Junior champion opened stroke-play qualifying with a 3-under 68. Some other pre-championship favorites are struggling. Jennifer Song, the 2009 U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links champion and low amateur at this year's Women's Open, is five over through nine holes. Alexis Thompson is three over through nine. Stephanie Kono is also three over through nine. Still lots of time for recovery. Michelle Shin and Sun Gyoung Park each opened with 41s and came back with second-nine 32s.

Posted By David Shefter At 5:23 PM •

Solid Round

Kimberly Kim, the 2006 champion, certainly came into this week as one of the players to watch. And she backed it up with a solid 2-under 69. That should put Kim in excellent position to make the match-play cut. Kim has already played in two USGA amateur championship finals this summer, losing to Jennifer Song at the U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links in June and Amy Anderson at last month's U.S. Girls' Junior. Nobody has ever played in three USGA finals in the same year. On another note, Maude-Aimee LeBlanc's golf clubs did arrive this morning at her hotel. She shot a 4-over 75.

Posted By David Shefter At 1:53 PM •

Waiting Game

Nobody ever wants to see a player withdraw from the championship, but if anyone does, three alternates are patiently waiting onsite to get into the field. One of those alternates is St. Louis resident Allison Micheletti. If the name sounds familiar, her father, Joe, played in the NHL and is currently the television color commentator for the New York Rangers and occasionally can be seen on NBC's telecasts of the NHL. Allison graduated from St. Joseph's Academy, which is about a stone's throw away from Old Warson C.C.  She redshirted this past season at Furman University.

Posted By David Shefter At 11:53 AM •

Jang On Fire

Ha Na Jang of Korea is four under par through nine holes. She started on the second nine at Old Warson and posted birdies on Nos. 10, 13, 15 and 16. Jang was a semifinalist at the U.S. Women's Amateur two years ago at Crooked Stick. This is her first USGA event of the season. She chose not to play the Women's Amateur Public Links or U.S. Girls' Junior, where she has enjoyed previous success.
Posted By David Shefter At 11:53 AM •

More Early Results

Kristen Park, the 2007 U.S. Girls' Junior champion, has joined the group at one under par through nine holes. The Buena Park, Calif., resident also qualified for a second consecutive U.S. Women's Open this year. She lost to Kimberly Kim in the second round of the Girls' Junior. Also at one under are Marina Alex and University of Southern California All-American Lizette Salas. Yuerr (Cindy) Feng of China, the youngest competitor in the field at 13, was even par through nine holes. Lots of golf to be played today. Definitely getting a bit more humid out there and clouds have rolled in.

Posted By David Shefter At 11:53 AM •

Early Results

It looks like Old Warson is winning the early battle against the competitors at the 109th U.S. Women's Amateur. Only two players, Lizette Salas of Azusa, Calif., and Marina Alex of Wayne, N.J., are under par through nine holes. Taylore Karle, who owns the 36-hole scoring record at the U.S. Girls' Junior (130 at 2005 event) and Cheyenne Woods, the niece of World No. 1 Tiger Woods, were both even through nine holes. Salas, by the way, opened with three consecutive birdies. She started on No. 1. Alex was one of 25 players in this year's Women's Amateur field to qualify for the Women's Open at Saucon Valley. Kimberly Kim, the 2006 champion, is one over. She already has played in two USGA amateur finals this year: Women's Amateur Public Links and the Girls' Junior. Not everyone from the morning wave has made the turn, but there are a few surprising nine-hole results. Sarah Brown is four over and Alison Lee, a 14 year old who made the cut at the Women's Open and shot a final-round 70, is five over. Local favorites Catherine Dolan of Ballwin, Mo., and Chelsea Schriewer of St. Charles, Mo., are three and six over, respectively. Schriewer won this year's Missouri Women's Amateur by 12 strokes.

Posted By David Shefter At 11:53 AM •

We're Underway

The 109th U.S. Women's Amateur began this morning at 7:20 a.m. CDT under sunny skies. But it's going to be a scorcher today with temperatures possibly rising into the 90s. A shower or thunderstorm could roll through the area very late this afternoon or early evening and we could get doused with some moisture. Let's hope the rain happens tonight only. No word yet if Canada's Maude-Aimee Leblanc received her clubs. They did not arrive when she did on Sunday. Hopefully her set found its way to St. Louis yesterday or very early this morning as she had a 7:53 a.m. starting time. Back with more stuff later.

Posted By David Shefter At 9:06 AM •