Robin Weiss Donnelley Stakes Early Claim For Medalist Honors At Women's Senior Amateur

Santa Cruz, Calif. - Robin Weiss Donnelley, 51, of Lake Forest, Ill., had an eagle and two birdies on her way to a 1-over-par 73 Sunday for a 36-hole total of 150, staking an early claim for medalist honors at the USGA Senior Women's Amateur Championship at Pasatiempo Golf Club .

Half of the 132 golfers have not completed its second round over this 5,790-yard layout, but, so far, Weiss Donnelley is six strokes in front of her nearest challenger, Martha Lang, 51, Mandeville, La., who shot 78-156. Karee Ferree, 54, of Hilton Head, S.C., was third best among the early finishers, but three more strokes back at 80-159. Weiss Donnelley 's 73 is three strokes better than any other score for those who have completed two rounds.

Donnelley, who started her day on the 10th hole, gained momentum when she holed her 7-wood shot over the barranca for eagle on the difficult 11th hole where only one other player has made birdie.

"I'm enjoying it," said Weiss Donnelley, who won the 1989 U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur and played on three USA Curtis Cup teams (1990, 1992 and 2000) before all but walking away from competitive golf.

She got married and moved from Palm Beach, Fla., to the suburbs of Chicago, but her friends talked her into competing again.

"I'm playing against my peers now and they're even calling me a rookie," said Weiss Donnelley, who is playing in her first Senior Women's Amateur. "It's the camaraderie that's kept me in amateur golf for so long.

"I even put new shafts in my woods to make them lighter because I'm old now. It worked. I'm hitting my driver really good."

First round leader Marcia Butler, 55, of San Diego, Calif., slipped to an 84-160, but safely advanced to match play.

Carolyn Creekmore, 52, of Dallas, Texas, and Taffy Brower, 59, of Boynton Beach, Fla., were near the first round lead with 78s, but had late tee times Sunday and are yet to complete their second rounds. Four-time champion Carol Semple Thompson, 55, of Sewickley, Pa., is still on the course as well, but appears safely headed for match play after posting an 80 on Saturday.

Defending champion Marlene Streit, 70, of Canada, will need another 86 or better, most likely. The cut for match play might fall as high as 172, which would be the highest cut number in Senior Women's Amateur history. The championship shifted to a combination stroke play-match play format in 1997. Prior to 1997, the championship was consisted of 54 holes of cumulative stroke play.

Play continues Monday with the first round of match play for the top 64 scorers in this age 50-and-older championship. The Championship runs through Thursday.

Tucked along the northern California coastal hills between San Francisco and Pebble Beach, Pasatiempo is perhaps best known for being the home course of Juli Inkster, who honed her game here and played on the boys high school team before heading off to nearby San Jose State University and a Hall of Fame professional career.

"Stay below the hole," was her advice to everyone in the field.

The Senior Women's Amateur is one of 13 national championships conducted annually by the United States Golf Association, 10 of which are strictly for amateurs.

Story written by Craig Smith, USGA director of media relations.  You can reach him at csmith@usga.org.