Thompson, Former Champ Streit To Square Off In Third Round Of Match Play

Southern Pines, N.C. – Three-time defending champion Carol Semple Thompson, 53, of Sewickley, Pa., and two-time winner Marlene Streit, 68, of Canada advanced to face one another after posting second-round victories Tuesday at the 41st USGA Senior Women’s Amateur, being held at the par-72, 5,873-yard Mid-Pines Inn and Golf Club.

On a cool and rainy day, Thompson eliminated Patty Lang, 51, of Saegertown, Pa., 2 and 1. In winning, Thompson set a USGA record for most consecutive matches won in a single championship, with 20. She broke a stalemate with Alexa Stirling and Glenna Collett Vare, both of whom won 18 straight matches in the Women’s Amateur.

“I didn’t play well,” said Thompson, who posted a 4-over 40 on the front nine. “I’m sort of thinking about my game than setting any records.”

“I feel wonderful for going that far with her,” said Lang.

One up entering the 344-yard 17th hole, Thompson grabbed an 8-iron and placed her approach from 132 yards out to within 3 feet of the hole, setting up a birdie putt. The same couldn’t be said for Lang. She needed three shots to get on, and when her 7-foot offering for par missed left, she conceded.

Thompson, the medalist with a qualifying score of 150, thought she had taken control of the match at the 13th hole when she went 2 up. But Lang birdied the 15th to apply pressure. A composed Thompson did not cave.

“I just don’t like losing my temper. I did several times quietly today. I was annoyed with myself,” said Thompson.

Playing behind Thompson, Streit needed 19 holes to eliminate 54-year-old Elizabeth Haines of Gladwyne, Pa. Streit lost the lead on the 375-yard par-4 17th, as Haines sank a 20-foot putt to square the match.

At the 19th hole, Haines overshot the green while Streit’s approach stopped 48 feet short of the hole. Haines wound up three-putting before Streit steered in a 4-footer for the victory.

“It’s pretty amazing isn’t it?” said Streit, who won both of her Senior Women’s Amateur titles (1985, ’94) when the format for the championship was 54 holes of stroke play. “I love to play with Carol. I’ve known her since she was 16 years old.”

Continuing her magical ride since picking up the game at 45, Alice Harcourt, 59, of Fallbrook, Calif., beat Sheila Dagucon of Gaithersburg, Md., 4 and 3, and will face 1997 champion Nancy Fitzgerald, 58, of Carmel, Ind.

Harcourt, who has lost three children (two to accidents, one to illness) to death over the past decade, has her husband LaRue caddieing for her. The two used to play tennis until LaRue severely hurt a knee.

A life-long player and teacher, LaRue convinced Alice to try the game. She hasn’t regretted it since.

“I think I thought it was a relatively silly game. I couldn’t see any competition coming from it,” said Alice Harcourt.

“Golf in its totality – women coming together, the camaraderie – I’m glad I found it all later in life,” she added through tears. “Golf has been a great comfort.”

Some of the others advancing to the afternoon’s third round were 1991 champion Tish Preuss, 63, of Colorado Springs, Colo.; Marianne Towersey, 51, of Newport Beach, Calif.; last year’s runner-up, Anne Carr of Renton, Wash.; 2000 semifinalist Patty Moore, 52, of Charlotte, N.C.; and Connie Shorb, 55, of York, Pa.

Preuss had never made it to the third round of the Senior Amateur since switching to match play in 1997. The last time she advanced this far in any USGA event was the 1991 Women’s Mid-Amateur when she reached the semifinals.

“I just hung in there with some bad shots, just kept digging away, and sometimes it pays off,” she said after defeating Deborah Anderson, 51, of Redland, Calif., 1 up.

After the completion of the third round of match play, scheduled this afternoon, the quarterfinal round will be Wednesday, with the semifinals and final set for Thursday.

The Senior Women’s Amateur is one of 13 national championships conducted by the USGA, 10 of which are strictly for amateurs. The event was first played in 1962.

Story written by Ken Klavon, USGA. It will be updated with third round results.

Second Round Match Play Results
Southern Pines, N.C. – Scores following the second round of match play at the USGA Senior Women’s Amateur, played at the par-72, 5,873-yard Mid-Pines Inn and Golf Club:

8:00 am Carol Semple Thompson, Sewickley, Pa. (150) def. Patty Lang, Saegertown, Pa. (164), 2 and 1
8:09 am Marlene Streit, Canada (167) def. Elizabeth Haines, Gladwyne, Pa. (161), 19 Holes
8:18 am Nancy Fitzgerald, Carmel, Ind. (163) def. Lori Elliott, Sparks, Nev. (169), 3 and 2
8:27 am Alice Harcourt, Fallbrook, Calif. (169) def. Sheila Dagucon, Gaithersburg, Md. (162), 4 and 3
8:36 am Marianne Towersey, Newport Beach, Calif. (154) def. Dot Bolling, Roanoke, Va. (165), 2 up
8:45 am Anne Carr, Seattle, Wash. (161) def. Pam Spikes, Maumelle, Ark. (157), 3 and 2
8:54 am Patty Moore, Charlotte, N.C. (164) def. Chris Epperly, Lady Lake, Fla. (154), 3 and 1
9:03 am Connie Shorb, York, Pa. (161) def. Mary Gale, Worc, Mass. (168), 8 and 7
9:12 am Barbara Berkmeyer, St Louis, Mo. (165) def. Toni Wiesner, Fort Worth, Texas (152), 2 and 1
9:21 am Tish Preuss, Colorado Springs, Colo. (167) def. Deborah Anderson, Redlands, Calif. (161), 1 up
9:30 am Karen Ferree, Hilton Head, S.C. (156) def. Karen Mabli, Palos Verdes Estates, Calif. (163), 1 up
9:39 am Alison Murdoch, Canada (156) def. Bonnie George, Huntingdon Valley, Pa. (162), 5 and 4
9:48 am Marsha Butler, San Diego, Calif. (153) def. Cathy Schaefer, Ft Myers, Fla. (164), 3 and 1
9:57 am Sharon Keil, Lady Lake, Fla. (168) def. Ena Harvey, Greensboro, Ga. (167), 20 Holes
10:06 am Taffy Brower, Boynton Beach, Fla. (155) def. Sandy Woodruff, Santa Cruz, Calif. (163), 1 up
10:15 am Beverly Kim, Wahiawa, Hawaii (161) def. Chris Spivey, Pell City, Ala. (157), 1 up

Third Round Match Play Pairings
Round of 16

1:30 pm Carol Semple Thompson, Sewickley, Pa. (150) vs. Marlene Streit, Canada (167)

1:39 pm Nancy Fitzgerald, Carmel, Ind. (163) vs. Alice Harcourt, Fallbrook, Calif. (169)

1:48 pm Marianne Towersey, Newport Beach, Calif. (154) vs. Anne Carr, Seattle, Wash. (161)

1:57 pm Patty Moore, Charlotte, N.C. (164) vs. Connie Shorb, York, Pa. (161)

2:06 pm Barbara Berkmeyer, St Louis, Mo. (165) vs. Tish Preuss, Colorado Springs, Colo. (167)

2:15 pm Karen Ferree, Hilton Head, S.C. (156) vs. Alison Murdoch, Canada (156)

2:24 pm Marsha Butler, San Diego, Calif. (153) vs. Sharon Keil, Lady Lake, Fla. (168)

2:33 pm Taffy Brower, Boynton Beach, Fla. (155) vs. Beverly Kim, Wahiawa, Hawaii (161)

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