3-Time Defending Champ Semple Thompson Earns Medalist HonorsSouthern Pines, N.C. – Three-time defending champion Carol Semple Thompson, 53, of Sewickley, Pa., accomplished another feat in her illustrious amateur career Sunday, when she became medalist at the 41st USGA Senior Women's Amateur, being held at the par-72, 5,873-yard Mid-Pines Inn and Golf Club.
A six-time USGA champion, Thompson had the lowest score in the second round of stroke play, carding a 1-over-par 73 for a two-day total of 6-over 150. She overtook 55-year-old Toni Wiesner of Fort Worth, Texas, who recorded a 152 for the championship. It was the first time Thompson became medalist in a Women’s Senior Amateur.
A six-for-three playoff amid darkness resulted in Eleonor Walker of Greensboro, N.C., Marilyn Nolan-Johnson, 50, of Marietta, Ga., and Dianne Yelovich, 53, of San Pedro, Calif., earning their way into match play.
Afterward, Thompson was ho-hum about adding another achievement to her burgeoning list of accomplishments.
“It’s not something I was trying to be,” said Thompson of the medalist honors. “It’s really nice being medalist, and I don’t mind getting up early in the morning.”
It’s traditional that the medalist plays in the first match of match play. Thompson faces Nolan-Johnson in the first round.
With an 18-0 all-time record in the Senior Women’s Amateur, Thompson is one victory away from tying Alexa Stirling and Glenna Collett Vare for most consecutive matches won in a single championship.
“I’m just amazed at it all,” said the modest Thompson.
Coming off a firm 3-over 75 Saturday, Wiesner sank an 8-foot save-par putt on the 18th hole to leap-frog 53-year-old Marsha Butler of San Diego, who had a two-day total score of 9-over 153.
Battling a cold, Wiesner came out strong by carding a 1-over 37 on the front nine. She managed that on the strength of two birdies, despite hitting only two fairways. Four bogeys on the back nine marred what was turning into a superior round. “I had titanium hands with the putter,” said Wiesner.
Playing in temperatures 20 degrees cooler than Saturday’s afternoon round seemed to refresh her.
“The heat just drags you down,” she said. “Coming from Texas, I want to go to a cool place.”
Butler, who quit the game for 15 years before picking it up again in her late 30s, had a chance to birdie her final hole but took the conservative route by two-putting from 22 feet.
“I had a feeling I was in the 70s,” said Butler. “I’d rather par for a 78 than three-putt for a 79 or 80.”
Butler, taking up doubles tennis during her sabbatical from golf, missed three putts of 8 feet or less. She admitted to being tentative.
Deciding to bury nerves and look at the event more as a vacation with her husband, the former California State Junior champ looks forward to match play.
“I loved match play,” said Butler. “My father used to say, ‘Get ‘em 1 down, then get ‘em 2 down, then get ‘em 3 down.’ It was never let up.”
The low round of the day was turned in by Chris Spivey, 53, of Pell City, Ala. Spivey carded a 1-over 73, shaving 11 strokes off her first-round score.
Sharon Kiel, 58, of Lady Lake, Fla., got to match play with the second hole-in-one of her career. Gripping a 5-iron on the 143-yard, par-3 8th, Kiel lost sight of the ball until hearing hollers. The ball had hit short of the green before bounding up and rolling into the hole.
“It was the only good shot I hit all day,” said Kiel, who had an 85. “I was like, ‘Geez, I need this.’”
Reflecting upon it afterward, Kiel had mixed emotions.
“If you have to have a hole-in-one to shoot 85, you’re in trouble.”
Since the event switched to match play in 1997, four aces have been recorded. All occurred in 2000 at Sea Island, Ga.
And from the sublime, a hawk swooped down on the 5th fairway and picked up the ball of Anne Gajda, 52, of Ypsilanti, Mich. Under Rule 18, Gajda was able to take a drop based on the hawk being an outside agency.
“The thing about this, before it tried picking up the ball, it tried picking up a rake,” said Rules official Midge Patten. “We were missing a rake on a hole yesterday, so maybe it’s building a nest out of rakes.”
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.
Second-Round Stroke Play Results
Southern Pines, N.C. – Scores following the second round of stroke play Sunday at the USGA Senior Women’s Amateur, played at the par-72, 5,873-yard Mid-Pines Inn and Golf Club:
Carol Semple Thompson, Sewickley, Pa., 76-74--150
Toni Wiesner, Fort Worth, Texas, 75-77--152
Marsha Butler, San Diego, Calif., 75-78--153
Marianne Towersey, Newport Beach, Calif., 78-76--154
Chris Epperly, Lady Lake, Fla., 79-75--154
Taffy Brower, Boynton Beach, Fla., 77-78--155
Alison Murdoch, Canada, 79-77--156
Karen Ferree, Hilton Head, S.C., 79-77--156
Carolyn Creekmore, Dallas, Texas, 77-79--156
Nancy Smith, North Port, Fla., 74-82--156
Pam Spikes, Maumelle, Ark., 78-79--157
Chris Spivey, Pell City, Ala., 84-73--157
Susan Wickware, Canada, 77-80--157
Regine Parker, Hobe Sound, Fla., 79-79--158
Lida Tingley, Bloomfield, Conn., 77-81--158
Susan Cummings, Greenville, S.C., 82-78--160
Anne Sander, Seattle, Wash., 78-83--161
Beverly Kim, Wahiawa, Hawaii, 84-77--161
Anne Carr, Seattle, Wash., 78-83--161
Connie Shorb, York, Pa., 77-84--161
Deborah Anderson, Redlands, Calif., 75-86--161
Elizabeth Haines, Gladwyne, Pa., 80-81--161
Bonnie George, Huntingdon Valley, Pa., 81-81--162
Sheila Dagucon, Gaithersburg, Md., 81-81--162
Karen Mabli, Palos Verdes Estates, Calif., 85-78--163
Sandy Woodruff, Santa Cruz, Calif., 80-83--163
Nancy Fitzgerald, Carmel, Ind., 79-84--163
Cathy Schaefer, Ft Myers, Fla., 79-85--164
Patty Lang, Saegertown, Pa., 81-83--164
Rebecca Uritus, Columbus, Ohio, 85-79--164
Salley Wessels, Mt Morris, Ill., 80-84--164
Jackie Rosart, Canada, 77-87--164
Patty Moore, Charlotte, N.C., 86-78--164
Cecilia Mourgue D'Algue, France, 82-83--165
Mary Ann Bierman, Chagrin Falls, Ohio, 79-86--165
Barbara Berkmeyer, St Louis, Mo., 83-82--165
Lynne Jones, Devon, Pa., 86-79--165
Niki Bryan, Windermere, Fla., 82-83--165
Rosemary Thompson, Albuquerque, N.M., 84-81--165
Dot Bolling, Roanoke, Va., 83-82--165
Nancy Harris, Minnetonka, Minn., 90-76--166
Mary Hill, Winston-Salem, N.C., 85-81--166
Dottie Farmer, Middletown, Del., 80-86--166
Sally Casey, Baltimore, Md., 85-81--166
Ena Harvey, Greensboro, Ga., 84-83--167
Mary Lou Henderson, Canada, 84-83--167
Joann Manning, East Alton, Ill., 83-84--167
Tish Preuss, Colorado Springs, Colo., 80-87--167
Marlene Streit, Canada, 83-84--167
Judy Miller, Salinas, Calif., 83-84--167
Mary Gale, Worc, Mass., 82-86--168
Jan Ugale, Greenwood Village, Colo., 86-82--168
Sharon Keil, Lady Lake, Fla., 83-85--168
Jill Christiansen, La Grange, Ill., 89-79--168
Alice Harcourt, Fallbrook, Calif., 82-87--169
Nancy Chaffee, Barrington, R.I., 83-86--169
Maryann Beattie, St Louis, Mo., 83-86--169
Kate Johnson, Sleepy Hollow, Ill., 85-84--169
Lori Elliott, Sparks, Nev., 88-81--169
Valeta Pittman, Roanoke, Va., 85-84--169
Bonnie Tyler, Boca Grande, Fla., 83-86--169
Dianne Yelovich, San Pedro, Calif., 85-85--170
Eleanor Walker, Greensboro, N.C., 85-85--170
Marilyn Nolan-Johnson, Marietta, Ga., 84-86--170
Failed To Qualify
Barbara Pagana, Selinsgrove, Pa., 87-83--170
Libby Englander, Eugene, Ore., 80-90--170
Tinker Sanger, Hydes, Md., 82-88--170
Gale Brudner, Greenwich, Conn., 81-90--171
Sharyn Costello, Lansing, N.Y., 86-85--171
Carol Peffer, Mentor, Ohio, 86-85--171
Suzanne Rice, Ocean Ridge, Fla., 86-85--171
Meredith Wolf, Wellington, Fla., 86-86--172
Clate Aydlett, Elizabeth City, N.C., 88-84--172
Roberta Bolduc, Longmeadow, Mass., 86-87--173
Anne Gajda, Ypsilanti, Mich., 87-86--173
T L Allen, Dallas, Texas, 84-89—173
Peggy Woodard, Virginia Beach, Va., 86-88--174
Barbara Hulke, Basking Ridge, N.J., 86-88--174
Danna King, Coto De Caza, Calif., 92-82--174
Margaret Brady, Washington, D.C., 84-90--174
Nancy Holm, Alpharetta, Ga., 90-84--174
Barbara McIntire, Colorado Springs, Colo., 85-89--174
Marijke Alsbach, Milton, Mass., 83-91--174
Nannette Wheelis, Waco, Texas, 82-92--174
Cece Durbin, Winnetka, Ill., 86-88--174
Kellie Magee, Mill Valley, Calif., 89-85--174
Diane Williams, Palm Desert, Calif., 88-87--175
Linda Sudimack, Warren, Ohio, 85-90--175
Shirley Lisk, Warren, Ohio, 89-87--176
Marianne Ceriani, Golden, Colo., 91-86--177
Donna Brown, Bowling Green, Ky., 89-88--177
Janice Roberts Wilson, Pompano Beach, Fla., 88-89--177
Carolyn Smith, Canada, 86-91--177
Joan Giese, Dubuque, Iowa, 89-88--177
Jo-Ann Lindsay, Edina, Minn., 89-89--178
Sandy Szczerbin, San Ramon, Calif., 88-90--178
Carole Jones, Hillsborough, N.C., 92-86--178
Jane Moffat, Canada, 92-86--178
Sophia Kang, Detroit, Mich., 89-89--178
Peggy Yountz, Cornelius, N.C., 90-88--178
Janice Albert, Bryn Mawr, Pa., 90-89--179
Bonnie Marsh, Huntington, N.Y., 92-87--179
Robin Krieger, Westlake Village, Calif., 93-86--179
Jackie Hauck, Fort Wayne, Ind., 93-86--179
Penny Locke, Scituate, Mass., 92-87--179
Karen Oldham, Akron, Ohio, 88-91--179
Ellen McGowan, Wicomico, Va., 92-88--180
Nettie Morrison, Bend, Ore., 97-83--180
Ann Brilley, Minnetonka Bch, Minn., 86-94--180
Diane Henry, Richmond, Texas, 94-86--180
Cookie English, Avon, Ind., 88-92--180
Sandra Miller, Maple Glen, Pa., 91-89--180
Bernice Gallagher, Cincinnati, Ohio, 92-89--181
Kathie Morris, Gresham, Ore., 89-92—181
Cynthia Rogers, Far Hills, N.J., 89-92--181
Barbara Magie, Wellington, Fla., 90-92--182
Marcella Rose, St Louis, Mo., 94-88--182
Nancy Parvin, Dallas, Texas, 91-92--183
Linda Jones, Horseshoe Bay, Texas, 94-90--184
Lucille Ray, Rock Hill, S.C., 88-96--184
Marianne Fischer, Bristol, Tenn., 93-92--185
Debra Matthews, Fallbrook, Calif., 91-94--185
Barbara Vandeweghe, San Jose, Calif., 86-100--186
Helen Braunston, Frisco, Texas, 95-93--188
Tammy White, Ipswich, Mass., 96-93--189
Mary Smith, Sheridan, Wyo., 93-97--190
Wanda Flora, Roanoke, Va., 98-93--191
Tina Macdonald, Dallas, Texas, 97-95--192
Susan Labriola, Katonah, N.Y., 97-96--193
Alice Hovde, Carmel, Ind., 95-99--194
Lily Yao, Honolulu, Hawaii, 91-103--194
Carol Falk, Vancouver, Wash., 98-96--194
Marian Curtis, Vista, Calif., 106-97--203
Peggy Williams, Crystal Lake, Ill., 94-WD--WD
Madelaine Campbell, Newport Beach, Calif., DQ
Match Play Pairings
Round of 64
9:00 am Carol Semple Thompson, Sewickley, Pa. (150) vs. Marilyn Nolan-Johnson, Marietta, Ga. (170)
9:08 am Rebecca Uritus, Columbus, Ohio (164) vs. Patty Lang, Saegertown, Pa. (164)
9:16 am Susan Cummings, Greenville, S.C. (160) vs. Marlene Streit, Canada (167)
9:24 am Elizabeth Haines, Gladwyne, Pa. (161) vs. Joann Manning, East Alton, Ill. (167)
9:32 am Carolyn Creekmore, Dallas, Texas (156) vs. Lori Elliott, Sparks, Nev. (169)
9:40 am Nancy Fitzgerald, Carmel, Ind. (163) vs. Rosemary Thompson, Albuquerque, N.M. (165)
9:48 am Nancy Smith, North Port, Fla. (156) vs. Alice Harcourt, Fallbrook, Calif. (169)
9:56 am Sheila Dagucon, Gaithersburg, Md. (162) vs. Nancy Harris, Minnetonka, Minn. (166)
10:04 am Marianne Towersey, Newport Beach, Calif. (154) vs. Valeta Pittman, Roanoke, Va. (169)
10:12 am Salley Wessels, Mt. Morris, Ill. (164) vs. Dot Bolling, Roanoke, Va. (165)
10:20 am Pam Spikes, Maumelle, Ark. (157) vs. Jill Christiansen, La Grange, Ill. (168)
10:28 am Anne Carr, Seattle, Wash. (161) vs. Mary Lou Henderson, Canada (167)
10:36 am Chris Epperly, Lady Lake, Fla. (154) vs. Kate Johnson, Sleepy Hollow, Ill. (169)
10:44 am Patty Moore, Charlotte, N.C. (164) vs. Niki Bryan, Windermere, Fla. (165)
10:52 am Susan Wickware, Canada (157) vs. Mary Gale, Worc, Mass. (168)
11:00 am Connie Shorb, York, Pa. (161) vs. Dottie Farmer, Middletown, Del. (166)
11:08 am Toni Wiesner, Fort Worth, Texas (152) vs. Eleanor Walker, Greensboro, N.C. (170)
11:16 am Jackie Rosart, Canada (164) vs. Barbara Berkmeyer, St Louis, Mo. (165)
11:24 am Lida Tingley, Bloomfield, Conn. (158) vs. Tish Preuss, Colorado Springs, Colo. (167)
11:32 am Deborah Anderson, Redlands, Calif. (161) vs. Judy Miller, Salinas, Calif. (167)
11:40 am Karen Ferree, Hilton Head, S.C. (156) vs. Maryann Beattie, St Louis, Mo. (169)
11:48 am Karen Mabli, Palos Verdes Estates, Calif. (163) vs. Lynne Jones, Devon, Pa.
(165)
11:56 am Alison Murdoch, Canada (156) vs. Nancy Chaffee, Barrington, R.I. (169)
12:04 pm Bonnie George, Huntingdon Valley, Pa. (162) vs. Mary Hill, Winston-Salem, N.C. (166)
12:12 pm Marsha Butler, San Diego, Calif. (153) vs. Dianne Yelovich, San Pedro, Calif. (170)
12:20 pm Cathy Schaefer, Ft Myers, Fla. (164) vs. Mary Ann Bierman, Chagrin Falls, Ohio (165)
12:28 pm Regine Parker, Hobe Sound, Fla. (158) vs. Sharon Keil, Lady Lake, Fla. (168)
12:36 pm Anne Sander, Seattle, Wash. (161) vs. Ena Harvey, Greensboro, Ga. (167)
12:44 pm Taffy Brower, Boynton Beach, Fla. (155) vs. Bonnie Tyler, Boca Grande, Fla. (169)
12:52 pm Sandy Woodruff, Santa Cruz, Calif. (163) vs. Cecilia Mourgue D'Algue, France(165)
1:00 pm Chris Spivey, Pell City, Ala. (157) vs. Jan Ugale, Greenwood Village, Colo. (168)
1:08 pm Beverly Kim, Wahiawa, Hawaii (161) vs. Sally Casey, Baltimore, Md. (166)
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