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California Friends Sandy Woodruff and Marianne Towersey Reach The Quarterfinals
Santa Cruz, Calif. - Sandy Woodruff of Santa Cruz and her house guest Marianne Towersey, 53, of Newport Beach, Calif., each were easy winners of two matches Tuesday to advance to the quarterfinals of the USGA Senior Women's Amateur at Pasatiempo Golf Club. Woodruff, 55, an eight-time women's club champion at Pasatiempo, won her matches by scores of 5 and 4, and 6 and 5. Towersey, 55, who reached the semifinal round last year, won by scores of 5 and 4, and 4 and 3. Both are playing in their sixth Senior Women's Amateur. All eight golfers who advanced are now fully exempt for the 2005 championship. The others reaching the quarterfinals were Elizabeth Haines of Gladwyne, Pa.; Martha Lang of Mandeville, La.; Reggie Parker of Hobe Sound, Fla.; Toni Weisner of Ft. Worth, Texas; Carolyn Creekmore of Dallas, Texas; and Ann Lahey of Kentfield, Calif. "We know each other through golf for a long time," said Woodruff. "We've played plenty of matches together over the years. But we don't talk about golf when we get back to the house at night." The two could meet in Thursday's final match. Woodruff won seven of the last eight holes to stop Patty Crigler of Bayfield, Colo., in her third round match. She beat Jo-Ann Lindsey of Edina, Minn., in the second round. "I think I have a game plan of trying to improve every day," said Woodruff. "I'm getting good vibes from the members who have come to watch."
Towersey, who is using a borrowed long putter for the second day after her long putter head broke off while putting the clubs away, continues her long quest of winning a USGA title. Towersey went birdie-birdie-par-par to close out Patty Moore of Charlotte, N.C., in the third round after beating the stroke play medalist Robin Weiss Donnelley of Lake Forest, Ill., in the morning. "I got a little wake-up call when Patty squared the match on hole 11. I got back into focus and just tried to make birdie or par, whichever came first," said Towersey with a light smile. "I guess I get to use this borrowed putter another round," said Towersey. Towersey has made a habit of getting agonizingly close to hugging a USGA trophy for nearly 40 years, beginning with her first U.S. Women's Amateur, in 1967. She was just 16 and reached the quarterfinal round. The next summer, she was a semifinalist at the U.S. Girls' Junior. So it has gone for Towersey, who was a semifinalist at last year's Senior Women's Amateur, losing to eventual champion Marlene Streit of Canada . "Last year was my opportunity to break through," said Towersey, looking back at her loss in 24 holes to Streit. "I just didn't focus well enough. I didn't think I was going to lose, but I did. When Carol ( Semple Thompson ) wins them all, there aren't many left for the rest of us." Towersey, a graduate of nearby Stanford University, is one of the best active amateur players never to have won a USGA title. Weisner is another on that list. All of them, however, have had trouble getting by four-time Senior Women's Amateur champion Carol Semple Thompson, 55, of Sewickley, Pa., who is never an easy out. Semple Thompson has won seven USGA titles, beginning with the 1973 Women's Amateur. But, this time Weisner edged past her on the 20th hole of their third round match. 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.
Santa Cruz, Calif. - Results of the second and third rounds of match play Tuesday at the USGA Senior Women's Amateur, at the 5,790-yard, par 36-36-72 Pasatiempo Golf Club . Second Round Upper Bracket Marianne Towersey, Newport Beach, Calif. (167) def. Robin Weiss Donnelley, Lake Forest, Ill. (150), 5 and 4. Patty Moore, Charlotte, N.C. (170) def. Patricia Cornett, Mill Valley, Calif. (164), 2 up. Elizabeth Haines, Gladwyne, Pa. (160) def. Ann Probert, New Vernon, N.J. (166), 3 and 2. Marsha Butler, San Diego, Calif. (160) def. Nancy Fitzgerald, Indianapolis, Ind. (166), 19 holes. Martha Lang, Mandeville, La. (156) def. Alice Harcourt, Fallbrook, Calif. (168), 1 up. Nancy Smith, North Port, Fla. (163) def. Taffy Brower, Boynton Beach, Fla. (165), 4 and 3. Reggie Parker, Hobe Sound, Fla. (158) def. Barbara Byrnes, Mesa, Ariz. (166), 4 and 2. Karen Mabli, Palos Verdes Estates, Calif. (163) def. Marcia Fisher, Canby, Ore. (166), 4 and 3.
Lower Bracket Carol Semple Thompson, Sewickley, Pa. (155) def. T.L. Allen, Dallas, Texas (167), 4 and 3. Toni Wiesner, Fort Worth, Texas (163) def. Annette Gaiotti, Salt Lake City, Utah (170), 1 up. Sandy Woodruff, Santa Cruz, Calif. (160) def. Jo-Ann Lindsay, Edina, Minn. (169), 5 and 4 Patty Crigler, Bayfield, Colo. (161) def. Carol Davies, Garrett Park, Md. (166), 1 up. Carolyn Creekmore, Dallas, Texas (155) def. Alison Murdoch, Canada (168), 4 and 2 Martha McAlister, Maumelle, Ark. (171) def. Barbara Pagana, Selinsgrove, Pa. (170), 3 and 1. Karen Ferree, Hilton Head, S.C. (159) def. Lori Elliott, Sparks, Nev. (168), 5 and 4. Ann Lahey, Kentfield, Calif. (162) def. Anne Carr, Seattle, Wash. (166), 21 holes.
Third Round Towersey def. Moore, 4 and 3. Haines def. Butler, 19 holes. Lang def. Smith, 2 and 1. Parker def. Mabli, 2 up. Weisner def. Semple Thompson, 20 holes Woodruff def. Crigler, 6 and 5. Creekmore def. McAlister, 5 and 4. Lahey def. Ferree, 19 holes.
Santa Cruz, Calif. - Pairings for Wednesday's quarterfinal round of match play at the USGA Senior Women's Amateur, at the 5,790-yard, par 36-36-72 Pasatiempo Golf Club. Marianne Towersey, Newport Beach, Calif. (167) vs. Elizabeth Haines, Gladwyne, Pa. (160) es. Martha Lang, Mandeville, La. (156) vs. Reggie Parker, Hobe Sound, Fla. (158) Toni Wiesner, Fort Worth, Texas (163) vs. Sandy Woodruff, Santa Cruz, Calif. (160) Carolyn Creekmore, Dallas, Texas (155) vs. Ann Lahey, Kentfield, Calif. (162)
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