Storylines From The Senior Women's Amateur

The USGA Senior Women's Amateur includes 51 first-time players and women golfers who range in age from 50 to 70. This is the 43 rd Senior Women's championship. Here are a few of the interesting competitors in the field:

Andi Anderson of Woodstock, Ga., was a five-sport athlete in college and even signed a professional women's basketball contract. She was a national junior bowling champion and won the only women's marathon she entered. Having just turned 50 this year, this is her first USGA Senior Women's Amateur. She was the runner-up at the 2004 Georgia State Senior Women's Championship.

Mary Budke of Eugene, Ore., is playing in her first USGA Senior Women's Amateur, having turned age 50 in November 2003. She is exempt into the field as a result of winning the 1972 U.S. Women's Amateur. She has played in nearly 20 USGA championships over the years and was captain of the victorious 2002 USA Curtis Cup team.

Anne Carr of Seattle, Wash., has raced cars, skied competitively and played guitar when she hasn't been playing golf over the years. Her biggest challenge came in 2003 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. The combination of surgery and chemotherapy were successful and Carr is back looking to better her runner-up finish at the 2001 Senior Women's Amateur. (Note: Nancy Markey of San Francisco, Calif., is another breast cancer survivor in the field)

Susie Conkin of Sunnyvale, Calif., gave up playing golf in 1980, but after reading about Marlene Streit winning the 2003 USGA Senior Women's Amateur at age 69, she decided to start playing again, with a goal of qualifying for this year's championship. At age 57, here she is.

Frances English of Avon, Ind., has won the Indiana State Women's Amateur (1975), the Indian State Women's Mid-Amateur and Indiana State Senior Women's Amateur. She was inducted into the state's Golf Hall of Fame in 1991. She also is a member of the Kentucky Bowling Hall of Fame. She reached the quarterfinals of the 2001 USGA Senior Women's Amateur.

Bonnie George of Huntingdon Valley, Pa., is playing in her ninth USGA Senior Women's Amateur. That's not unusual. But having her brother, Michael Rose, playing in the USGA Senior Amateur at the same time (Oct. 9-14 at Bel-Air Country Club in Los Angeles ) is quite uncommon.

Maj-Britt Heden of Sweden was exempt into the USGA Senior Women's Amateur as the 2004 European Senior Women's champion. A multi-sport athlete, Heden has also been on the Swedish Women's National Team for badminton and volleyball. She also has won a national individual title in rifle shooting.

Karen Oldham of Naples, Fla., is still going strong at age 66. The 1955 U.S. Girls' Junior was her first USGA championship. Along the way, she put down her golf clubs long enough to compete in the 1956 ( Melbourne ) and 1960 ( Rome ) Olympics for the USA in the javelin.

Marlene Streit of Canada became the oldest USGA champion (69) with her 2003 win at the Senior Women's Amateur. She has won the title in three decades - 1985 and 1994 as well. She will be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame on November 15.

Carol Semple Thompson of Sewickley, Pa., has won four of the last five USGA Senior Women's Amateur titles. Now 55, Semple Thompson has won seven USGA titles and been named to 12 USA Curtis Cup teams.

Sandy Woodruff of Santa Cruz, Calif., is playing this Championship on her home course, where she is the current women's Club champion. She has won the Club championship each of the eight times in which she has played in it. She also won the California State Women's Senior title in 2001 and 2003, and was runner-up in 2004. This is her fifth Senior Women's Amateur.

Storylines compiled by Craig Smith, USGA media relations director. You can reach him at csmith@usga.org.