United States women's mid-amateur championship

Canadian Casys leading qualifier for match-play stages

 

NEWS RELEASE BY USGA

CHOUDRANT, Louisiana. – Casey Ward, 25, of Canada, followed Saturday’s round of 2-over 74 with a 2-under 70 on Sunday to earn stroke-play medallist honours at the 29th U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship, being conducted at the 6,061-yard, par-72 Squire Creek Country Club.

Ward is the second Women’s Mid-Amateur medalist from Canada and first since Mary Ann Hayward, the 2005 Women’s Mid-Amateur champion, did so in 1998. Entering the day two strokes behind Sarah Davison, Ward posted four birdies and two bogeys on the day to record the low round of stroke play.

“I'm really excited. I didn't really have too many expectations coming into this week,” said Ward, the 2015 Ontario Women’s Mid-Amateur champion. “That's how I have approached things all summer, not going in with any expectations and just playing my game. It's nice to see my name at the top.”

Starting on the 10th hole, Ward started with three pars before birdieing the par-4 13th and par-4 15th holes. She was able to overcome Squire Creek’s difficult greens by consistently giving herself good birdie opportunities.

“I was in the right position all day, for the most part,” she said. “I had a lot of good looks at birdie. I only got a few to fall, but I was right on the edge all day.”

Finishing five strokes behind Ward and in second place is Lauren Greenlief, 25, of Oakton, Va., the youngest competitor in the field. Sitting 2 over through 10 holes, Greenlief, the 2015 Virginia Women’s Amateur runner-up, turned things around with an eagle on the 488-yard, par-5 11th and added another birdie on the par-4 14th.

“I played really solid all the way around,” said Greenlief. “I had a couple three-putts I didn't have yesterday, but making an eagle gets you going. That was the turning point where I started playing really well coming in.”

First-round leader Davison, 35, a Squire Creek member who lives adjacent to the 17th hole, finished third with a two-day total of 7-over 151. That was just fine for the 2015 Louisiana Women’s Mid-Amateur champion, who knows everything resets when match play begins on Monday at 9 a.m. CDT.

“I didn't putt as well as I did yesterday and when I missed a green, I left myself a difficult chip,” said Davison, who carded a 7-over 79 on Sunday.

 “But after yesterday, I knew I didn't have to come out and shoot another 72 to make match play. I knew I just had to come out and keep it respectable.”

All three Louisiana natives in the field finished in the top 10, as Ashley Tonore, 38, of Monroe, and Kay Daniel, 44, of Covington, tied for 10th at 11-over 155. They are joined by Mercedes Huarte, 30, of Argentina.

Defending champion Margaret Shirley, 29, of Roswell, Ga., and Katie Miller, 30, of Jeannette, Pa., tied for fourth at 8-over 152. Christina Proteau, 32, of Canada, a quarter-finalist last year, posted the biggest turnaround of the championship, shooting even par after posting an 87 on Saturday, easily qualifying for match play.

Four-time champion and past USA Curtis Cup team player Meghan (Bolger) Stasi, 37, of Oakland Park, Fla., shot 3-over 75 to finish in solo sixth and give herself a chance at a fifth title. Stasi is joined in match play by former champions Martha Leach, 53, of Hebron, Ky., (2009); Julia Potter, 27, of Granger, Ind., (2013); and Corey Weworski, 53, of Carlsbad, Calif., (2004).

A Monday-morning playoff will determine the final seven spots in the 64-player match-play field. Eleven players will compete for those spots, beginning at 8 a.m. CDT. Among the 11 players in the playoff is 1997 U.S. Women’s Amateur runner-up Robin Burke, 53, of Houston, Texas, who will also serve as the captain for the 2016 USA Curtis Cup Team, and Sri Lanka’s Thuhashini Selvaratnam, 39, who was runner-up to Stasi at the 2006 Women’s Mid-Amateur.

Results from Sunday’s second round of stroke play at  the 6,061-yard, par-72 Squire Creek Country Club (* = in a 11-for-7 playoff that will begin Monday at 8 a.m. CDT):

Casey Ward, Canada 74-70--144

Lauren Greenlief, Oakton, Va. 77-72--149

Sarah Davison, Choudrant, La. 72-79--151

Margaret Shirley, Roswell, Ga. 75-77--152

Katie Miller, Jeannette, Pa. 76-76--152

Meghan Stasi, Oakland Park, Fla. 78-75--153

Sherry Wright, Chula Vista, Calif. 75-79--154

Olivia Herrick, Roseville, Minn. 79-75--154

Kristin Paulson, Pella, Iowa 77-77--154

Mercedes Huarte, Argentina 80-75--155

Kay Daniel, Covington, La. 77-78--155

Ashley Tonore, Monroe, La. 74-81--155

Susan West, Tuscaloosa, Ala. 80-76--156

Danielle Davis, Saint Simons, Ga. 82-74--156

Tara Joy-Connelly, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. 76-80--156

Shawn Farmer-Sese, Bellevue, Wash. 78-78--156

Martha Leach, Hebron, Ky. 79-78--157

Patricia Cornett, Mill Valley, Calif. 80-77--157

Leslie Folsom, Seattle, Wash. 79-78--157

Dawn Woodard, Greer, S.C. 78-79--157

Shelly Stouffer, Canada 78-79--157

Julia Potter, Granger, Ind. 80-77--157

Lynne Cowan, Rocklin, Calif. 79-78--157

Katrin Wolfe, Johnstown, Pa. 79-79--158

Lacy Shelton, Overland Park, Kan. 82-76--158
Julie Massa, Holt, Mich. 75-83--158
Kelly Wilson, Cameron Park, Calif. 80-78--158
Rachel Smith, Mansfield, Texas 78-80--158

Alyssa Roland, New York, N.Y. 79-80--159

Whitney Britton, Laguna Niguel, Calif. 81-78--159

Julie Oxendine, Russellville, Ark. 77-82--159

Christina Proteau, Canada 87-72--159
Debbie Adams, Asheville, N.C. 81-79--160
Sue Wooster, Australia 83-77--160

Leigh Klasse, Woodbury, Minn. 81-79--160

Amanda Jacobs, Portland, Ore. 81-79--160
Stacy Dennis, Addison, Texas 75-85--160
Mary Kay [Mk] Thanos-Zordani, Palm Desert, Calif. 79-81--160
Dani Mullin, West Islip, N.Y. 82-78--160
Erin Carney, Mission Hills, Kan. 81-79--160
Mina Hardin, La Quinta, Calif. 79-82--161
Therese Quinn, Jacksonville, Fla. 78-83--161
Courtney McKim, Raleigh, N.C. 82-79--161
Tracy Welch, Winchester, Mass. 81-80--161
Patty Moore, Charlotte, N.C. 78-83--161
Samantha Perrotta, Bordentown, N.J. 81-80--161

Deborah Anderson, La Quinta, Calif. 78-84--162

Claire Sheldon, Somerville, Mass. 80-82--162

Lynn Thompson, Cincinnati, Ohio 81-81--162

Joy Robinson, Pebble Beach, Calif. 80-82--162

Connie Isler, Annapolis, Md. 83-79--162

Janet Moore, Cherry Hills Village, Colo. 81-82--163

Amy Loughney, Hoboken, N.J. 82-81--163
Corey Weworski, Carlsbad, Calif. 81-82--163

Candus Herrera, Spring, Texas 81-82--163

Kareen Markle, Meridian, Idaho 80-83--163

Paige Bromen, Minneapolis, Minn. 84-79--163

*Kristyl Sunderman, Coto De Caza, Calif. 80-84--164

*Mimi Hoffman, Springfield, Va. 81-83--164

*Jordan Craig, Connellsville, Pa. 79-85--164

*Alicia Kapheim, Pennington, N.J. 81-83--164

*Robin Burke, Houston, Texas 81-83--164

*Charlotte Daughan, Orlando, Fla. 81-83--164

*Eleana Collins, Baltimore, Md. 81-83--164

*Lauren Kuss, Zionsville, Ind. 80-84--164

*Thuhashini Selvaratnam, Sri Lanka 81-83--164

*Heather Wall, Lakeland, Fla. 83-81--164

*Lin Culver, Palm Coast, Fla. 81-83--164

Failed to Qualify for match-play

Catherine Shealy, Columbia, S.C. 86-79--165

Julie McMullin, Park City, Utah 81-84--165

Anna Morales, Peru 80-85--165

Julie Carmichael, Plainfield, Ind. 86-79--165

Taffy Brower, Boynton Beach, Fla. 82-84--166

Lisa Schlesinger, Laytonsville, Md. 77-89--166
Robin Donnelley, Palm Beach, Fla. 86-80--166
Sydney Wells, Menominee, Mich. 84-82--166

Carmen Titus, Kansas City, Mo. 84-82--166

Alexandra Frazier, Conshohocken, Pa. 88-78--166

Becky Neal, Mansfield, Texas 84-83--167

Katie Jorgensen, Exeter, Neb. 80-87--167

Cindy Gilkeson, Sugarland, Texas 83-84--167

Sarah Matin, Winter Garden, Fla. 86-81--167

Brandi McKnight, El Paso, Texas 83-85--168

Morgan Jackson, Seminole, Fla. 86-82--168

Lisa Cook, Noblesville, Ind. 83-85--168

Eden Anderson, Oakland, Calif. 84-84--168

Amanda Dixon, Hillsboro, Ohio 82-86--168
Karen Bouloucon, West Milford, N.J. 88-81--169
Tanna Richard, Fort Smith, Ark. 84-86--170

Deb Hughes, Denver, Colo. 84-86--170

Fay Chen, Huntington Beach, Calif. 84-86--170

Carolyn Creekmore, Dallas, Texas 88-82--170

Deanne Stolarik, Zion, Ill. 86-84--170

Hui Chong Dofflemyer, Belvidere, Ill. 90-80--170

Stefi Markovich, Canada 81-89--170

Deb Jackson, Johns Creek, Ga. 89-82--171

Morag Mitchell, Canada 87-84--171

Maggie Leef, Merton, Wis. 87-85--172

Jirapon Carlson, Macon, Ga. 86-87--173

Meghan Moake, Houston, Texas 85-88--173

Lindsay Davis, Chicago, Ill. 83-90--173

Susan Rheney, Greensboro, Ga. 90-84--174

Erin Lanphear, Bowling Green, Ky. 91-83--174

Allison Pettit, Chicago, Ill. 88-86--174

Miki Gardner, San Diego, Calif. 88-86--174

Janie Carpenter, Garland, Texas 89-85--174

Marie Bos, New York, N.Y. 82-92--174

Tama Caldabaugh, Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. 87-87--174

Jaime Branch, Shawnee, Okla. 93-82--175

Patti Feldman, Sands Point, N.Y. 86-90--176

Carol Martin, La Quinta, Calif. 91-85--176

Ryan Kopet, Chattanooga, Tenn. 87-89--176

Beth Williams, Atlanta, Ga. 88-89--177

Shirley Vaughn, Canton, Ohio 90-87--177

Kathryn Hauff, Fargo, N.D. 86-91--177

Kathy Crumley, Dallas, Texas 90-87--177

Daria Cummings, Monroe, Conn. 87-91--178
Annie Hogan, Medford, Mass. 93-86--179

Linda Pearson, Glendale, Calif. 90-89--179

Angie Whitley Coleman, New Castle, Del. 86-93--179
Leslie Henry, Houston, Texas 93-87--180
Jessica Marksbury, Calimesa, Calif. 94-86--180
Donna Benford, Fenton, Mich. 88-92--180

Lucy Sievers, Wilmette, Ill. 88-93--181

Julie Marr, Gallatin, Tenn. 93-89--182

Melissa Spencer, San Jose, Calif. 89-93--182

Jessica Surber, The Woodlands, Texas 91-92--183

Angel Macleod, North Attleboro, Mass. 90-94--184

Cathy Lonegan, Camarillo, Calif. 92-93--185

Marcy Austin, Thousand Oaks, Calif. 89-97--186

Liza Martin-Garrubbo, Warren, N.J. 100-92--192

Jessica McVay, Denver, Colo. 97-95--192