Robin Weiss Donnelley Claims 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, claiming medalist honors by five strokes at the USGA Senior Women's Amateur Championship at Pasatiempo Golf Club.

Weiss Donnelley's nearest challengers were four-time champion Carol Semple Thompson, 55, of Sewickley, Pa., who shot 75-155, and Carolyn Creekmore, 52, of Dallas, Texas, who shot 77-155 over the treacherous 5,790-yard layout. Martha Lang, 51, of Mandeville, La., was another stroke back at 78-156.

Karee Ferree, 54, of Hilton Head, S.C., and Pasatiempo member and reigning women's club champion Sandy Woodruff, 55, of Santa Cruz, Calif., finished at 159 and 160 respectively.

The cut for match play came at 29-over-par 173. Play continues Monday with the first round of match play in this age 50-and-older championship. The Championship runs through Thursday.

Donnelley, who started her day on the 10 th hole, gained momentum when she holed her 7-wood shot over the barranca for eagle on the difficult 11 th 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. Also making her way into match play was 70-year-old Marlene Streit of Canada, the defending champion, who shot 86-172.

Woodruff, however, felt a bit a pressure to advance.

"I was so worried about letting everybody at the Club down," said Woodruff in a relieved tone. "I had a hard time just relaxing and trying to do my best. But, a 77 with three double bogeys isn't bad, and I'm thrilled to be playing again on Monday."

Woodruff and Streit will meet in the first round of match play.   

The largest turnaround among those advancing was a 13-stroke improvement by Marianne Towersey, 53, of Newport Beach, Calif., who went from 90 to 77 and a 167 total.

The cut for match play was the highest cut number (173) in Senior Women's Amateur history. The championship shifted to a combination stroke play-match play format in 1997. Prior to 1997, the championship consisted of 54 holes of cumulative stroke play.

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.

Santa Cruz, Calif. - Scores after the second round of stroke play at the USGA Senior Women's Amateur at the 5,790-yard, par 36-36-72 Pasatiempo Golf Club :

   Robin Weiss Donnelley, Lake Forest, Ill., 77-73--150

   Carol Semple Thompson, Sewickley, Pa., 80-75--155

   Carolyn Creekmore, Dallas, Texas, 77-78--155

   Martha Lang, Mandeville, La., 78-78--156

   Reggie Parker, Hobe Sound, Fla., 80-78--158

   Karen Ferree, Hilton Head, S.C., 79-80--159

   Elizabeth Haines, Gladwyne, Pa., 79-81--160

   Marsha Butler, San Diego, Calif., 76-84--160

   Sandy Woodruff, Santa Cruz, Calif., 82-78--160

   Patty Crigler, Bayfield, Colo., 79-82--161

   Ann Lahey, Kentfield, Calif., 81-81--162

   Karen Mabli, Palos Verdes Estates, Calif., 81-82--163

   Marian Barker, Lubbock, Texas, 80-83--163

   Nancy Smith, North Port, Fla., 84-79--163

   Rose Pagan, Kula Maui, Hawaii, 79-84--163

   Toni Wiesner, Fort Worth, Texas, 80-83--163

   Patricia Cornett, Mill Valley, Calif., 78-86--164

   Deborah Anderson, Rancho Mirage, Calif., 83-82--165

  Maj- Britt Heden, Sweden, 82-83--165

  Taffy Brower, Boynton Beach, Fla., 77-88--165

   Ann Probert, New Vernon, N.J., 83-83--166

   Anne Carr, Seattle, Wash., 85-81--166

   Barbara Byrnes, Mesa, Ariz., 84-82--166

   Carol Davies, Garrett Park, Md., 85-81--166

   Claudeen Lindberg, Atlanta, Ga., 80-86--166

   Marcia Fisher, Canby, Ore., 80-86--166

   Mary Budke, Eugene, Ore., 83-83--166

   Nancy Fitzgerald, Indianapolis, Ind., 85-81--166

   Anne Sander, Pauma Valley, Calif., 84-83--167

   Debbie Franco, Upland, Calif., 78-89--167

   Jean Smith, Boise, Idaho, 84-83--167

   Marianne Towersey, Newport Beach, Calif., 90-77--167

   Susie-Q Conklin, Sunnyvale, Calif., 83-84--167

  T L Allen, Dallas, Texas, 82-85--167

   Alice Harcourt, Fallbrook, Calif., 86-82--168

   Alison Murdoch, Canada, 84-84--168

   Karen Oldham, Naples, Fla., 83-85--168

   Lori Elliott, Sparks, Nev., 81-87--168

   Dianne Yelovich, Pinehurst, N.C., 88-81--169

   Jo-Ann Lindsay, Edina, Minn., 85-84--169

   Kathie Hetherington, Alamo, Calif., 87-82--169

   Kathleen Hunt, Buffalo, N.Y., 85-84--169

   Annette Gaiotti, Salt Lake City, Utah, 83-87--170

   Barbara Pagana, Selinsgrove, Pa., 88-82--170

   Becky Uritus, Columbus, Ohio, 86-84--170

   Carol Peffer, Mentor, Ohio, 89-81--170

   Joni Wexler, Del Mar, Calif., 84-86--170

  Kitty Colliflower, Rochester, N.Y., 83-87--170

   Lynn Larson, Aurora, Colo., 83-87--170

   Patty Moore, Charlotte, N.C., 89-81--170

   Bonnie George, Huntingdon Valley, Pa., 84-87--171

   Martha Mc Alister, Maumelle, Ark., 84-87--171

   Sharon Keil, The Villages, Fla., 86-85--171

   Donna Frank, Bakersfield, Calif., 90-82--172

   Jacque Cooper, Heath, Texas, 89-83--172

   Marlene Streit, Canada, 86-86--172

   Mary Ann Beattie, St Louis, Mo., 88-84--172

   Sally Tomlinson, Merced, Calif., 92-80--172

   Shelley Mayer, San Marcos, Calif., 86-86--172

   Sherry Bowman, Manassas, Va., 84-88--172

   Therese Quinn, Jacksonville, Fla., 90-82--172

   Cheryl Brayman, East Hills, N.Y., 89-84-173 (5)

   Jill Christiansen, Lagrange, Ill., 86-87-173 (5)

   Nancy Chaffee, Barrington, R.I., 86-87-173 (6,3)

Failed to Qualify:

   Mary Schmidt, Houston, Texas, 88-85-173 (6,6)

   R Andi Anderson, Woodstock, Ga., 85-88-173 (6,5)

   Barbara Israel, New York, N.Y., 85-90--175

   Nancy Markey, San Francisco, Calif., 87-88--175

   Pat Milton, Akron, Ohio, 90-85--175

   Carole Tremblay, Dominican Republic, 87-89--176

   Cynthia Curry, Charlotte, N.C., 82-94--176

  Danna King, Mission Viejo, Calif., 92-84--176

   Janet Weber, Gold Canyon, Ariz., 91-85--176

   Mary S Smith, Sheridan, Wyo., 85-91--176

   Rita Albertson, Scottsdale, Ariz., 88-88--176

   Sandy Szczerbin, San Ramon, Calif., 82-94--176

   Susan Rampelberg, Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., 87-89--176

   Anne Zahn, Minnetonka Beach, Minn., 86-91--177

   Beverly Kim, Honolulu, Hawaii, 90-87--177

   Kellie Magee, Mill Valley, Calif., 88-89--177

   Nannette Wheelis, Waco, Texas, 91-86--177

   Barbara Schmid, Grand Rapids, Mich., 87-91--178

   Carol Ellis, Minneapolis, Minn., 92-86--178

   Jericho Trianna, Reston, Va., 88-90--178

   Pat Harrop-Schumacher, Sequim, Wash., 88-90--178

   Eileen Schweinitzer, Vista, Calif., 90-89--179

   Nancy Harris, Minnetonka, Minn., 89-90--179

   Patty Lang, Meadville, Pa., 90-89--179

   Debbie Mooksang, Valrico, Fla., 90-90--180

   Sue Tucker, Atlanta, Ga., 90-90--180

   Susan Cummings, Greenvlle, S.C., 96-84--180

   Ann Watkins, Stillwater, Okla., 86-95--181

   Brigid Shanley Lamb, Mendham, N.J., 98-83--181

   Gwen Tierney, Anderson, Ind., 94-87-181

   Jean Mowry, Webster City, Iowa, 92-89--181

   Mary Lou Henderson, Canada, 94-87--181

   Rachel Hallgarth, Bedford, N.H., 91-90--181

   Ann Cowan, Elk City, Okla., 92-90--182

   Bonnie Tyler, Boca Grande, Fla., 88-94--182

   Mima Suwa, Sunnyvale, Calif., 91-91--182

   Sue Pidgeon, England, 92-90--182

   Joyce Harlukowicz, Rochester Hills, Mich., 92-91--183

   Payton Davies, Horseshoe Bay, Texas, 91-92--183

   Rose Marie Warren, Auburn, Calif., 95-88--183

   Suzy Leprino, Denver, Colo., 95-88--183

   Mazzie Gogolak, Naples, Fla., 93-91--184

   Christine Giza, Queen Creek, Ariz., 92-93--185

   Donna Brown, Bowling Green, Ky., 94-91--185

   Ginger Essick, Pleasanton, Calif., 89-96--185

   Kathy Baker, Greenwich, Conn., 91-94--185

  Cookie English, Avon, Ind., 92-94--186

   Barbara Millslagle, Holuloa, Hawaii, 96-91--187

  Marci Likens, Winter Springs, Fla., 93-94--187

   Sybil Davis, Okatie, S.C., 93-94--187

   Judith Turco, Temecula, Calif., 92-96--188

   Shirley Williams, Baltimore, Md., 92-96--188

   Tina Mac Donald, Dallas, Texas, 94-94--188

   Yoshiko Mizuno, Greenville, S.C., 97-91--188

   Carol Dick, Lakewood, Wash., 96-93--189

   Nancy Baxter, Boulder, Colo., 96-93--189

  Sissy Davies, Sugar Land, Texas, 95-94--189

   Jo Glenn, Tulsa, Okla., 103-89--192

   Anne Gajda, Ypsilanti, Mich., 93-100--193

   Mary Dyrseth, Mahtomedi, Minn., 102-91--193

   Leslie Page, Wood Dale, Ill., 96-99--195

   Ann Lissau, Tulsa, Okla., 100-98--198

   Linda Miller, Mount Holly, N.J., 104-96--200

   Connie Cope, Tulsa, Okla., 107-96--203

   Lily Yao, Honolulu, Hawaii, 100-106--206

  Biac Frame, Honolulu, Hawaii, 109-102--211

   Suzie Kimi, Honolulu, Hawaii, 117-100--217

Santa Cruz, Calif. - Pairings for the first round of match play Monday at the USGA Senior Women's Amateur, at the 5,790-yard, par 36-36-72 Pasatiempo Golf Club . Times are PDT.

First Round

Upper Bracket

9:00 am Robin Weiss Donnelley, Lake Forest, Ill. (150) vs.Nancy Chaffee, Barrington, R.I. (173)

9:08 am Marianne Towersey, Newport Beach, Calif. (167) vs. Susie-Q Conklin, Sunnyvale, Calif. (167)

9:16 am Marian Barker, Lubbock, Texas (163) vs. Patty Moore, Charlotte, N.C. (170)

9:24 am Patricia Cornett, Mill Valley, Calif. (164) vs. Carol Peffer, Mentor, Ohio (170)

9:32 am Elizabeth Haines, Gladwyne, Pa. (160) vs. Sally Tomlinson, Merced, Calif. (172)

9:40 am Ann Probert, New Vernon, N.J. (166) vs. Dianne Yelovich, Pinehurst, N.C. (169)

9:48 am Marsha Butler, San Diego, Calif. (160) vs. Jacque Cooper, Dallas, Texas (172)

9:56 am Nancy Fitzgerald, Indianapolis, Ind. (166) vs. Kathie Hetherington, Alamo, Calif. (169)

10:04 am Martha Lang, Mandeville, La. (156) vs. Therese Quinn, Jacksonville, Fla. (172)

10:12 am Anne Sander, Pauma Valley, Calif. (167) vs. Alice Harcourt, Fallbrook, Calif. (168)

10:20 am Nancy Smith, North Port, Fla. (163) vs. Bonnie George, Huntingdon Valley, Pa. (171)

10:28 am Taffy Brower, Boynton Beach, Fla. (165) vs. Kitty Colliflower, Rochester, N.Y. (170)

10:36 am Reggie Parker, Hobe Sound, Fla. (158) vs. Mary Ann Beattie, St Louis, Mo. (172)

10:44 am Barbara Byrnes, Mesa, Ariz. (166) vs. Karen Oldham, Naples, Fla. (168)

10:52 am Karen Mabli, Palos Verdes Estates, Calif. (163) vs. Sharon Keil, The Villages, Fla. (171)

11:00 am Marcia Fisher, Canby, Ore. (166) vs. Lynn Larson, Aurora, Colo. (170)

Lower Bracket

11:08 am Carol Semple Thompson, Sewickley, Pa. (155) vs. Cheryl Brayman, East Hills, N.Y. (173)

11:16 am T L Allen, Dallas, Texas (167) vs. Jean Smith, Boise, Idaho (167)

11:24 am Toni Wiesner, Fort Worth, Texas (163) vs. Joni Wexler, Del Mar, Calif. (170)

11:32 am Deborah Anderson, Rancho Mirage, Calif. (165) vs. Annette Gaiotti, Salt Lake City, Utah (170)

11:40 am Sandy Woodruff, Santa Cruz, Calif. (160) vs. Marlene Streit, Canada (172)

11:48 am Mary Budke, Eugene, Ore. (166) vs. Jo-Ann Lindsay, Edina, Minn. (169)

11:56 am Patty Crigler, Bayfield, Colo. (161) vs. Shelley Mayer, San Marcos, Calif. (172)

12:04 pm Carol Davies, Garrett Park, Md. (166) vs. Kathleen Hunt, Buffalo, N.Y. (169)

12:12 pm Carolyn Creekmore, Dallas, Texas (155) vs. Jill Christiansen, Lagrange, Ill. (173)

12:20 pm Debbie Franco, Upland, Calif. (167) vs. Alison Murdoch, Canada (168)

12:28 pm Rose Pagan, Kula Maui, Hawaii (163) vs. Martha McAlister, Maumelle, Ark. (171)

12:36 pm Maj-Britt Heden, Sweden (165) vs. Barbara Pagana, Selinsgrove, Pa. (170)

12:44 pm Karen Ferree, Hilton Head, S.C. (159) vs. Donna Frank, Bakersfield, Calif. (172)

12:52 pm Claudeen Lindberg, Atlanta, Ga. (166) vs. Lori Elliott, Sparks, Nev. (168)

1:00 pm Ann Lahey, Kentfield, Calif. (162) vs. Sherry Bowman, Manassas, Va. (172)

1:08 pm Anne Carr, Seattle, Wash. (166) vs. Becky Uritus, Columbus, Ohio (170)