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| Diane Lang proudly hoists the USGA Senior Women's Amateur trophy. (Robert Walker/USGA) |
Diane Lang Victorious In Her First
USGA Senior Women's Amateur Championship
Rye, N.Y. - Diane Lang of Weston, Fla., won the USGA Senior Women's Amateur Championship on her first attempt Thursday morning as she defeated four-time champion Carol Semple Thompson of Sewickley, Pa., 1-up at The Apawamis Club.
Lang, a 50-year old native of Jamaica playing in only her second USGA event, and Thompson, 56, who was playing in her record 102th USGA championship and seeking her eighth title, waged a see-saw battle over the hilly Apawamis terrain that was not settled until Lang won the 18th hole with a solid par-four after Thompson had three-putted that final green from 70 feet away.
On a perfect September morning, the long-hitting Lang struck to a quick two-up lead after four holes but the steady Thompson rallied to win the next three holes with pars and then took a 2-up lead with a birdie at the par-five ninth hole.
An Interview With Champion Diane Lang
Semple Thompson Vies For Record
Eighth USGA Women's Championship
Rye, N.Y. - Carol Semple Thompson, playing in her record 102nd United States Golf Association championship, and Diane Lang, playing in her second, will square off for the USGA Senior Women's Amateur Championship over 18 holes on Thursday morning at The Apawamis Club.
It is a fitting match-up as Thompson led the 36-hole qualifying rounds with a score of 151 and Lang was tied for second a stroke back at 152.
Meet the Finalists - Bios And Photos
Lang Ousts Creekmore; Advances To Semifinals
Rye, N.Y. - Diane Lang took a 1-up lead when Carolyn Creekmore four-putted the 14th green and then hung tough to the end and eliminated the defending champion with a 1-up victory in quarterfinal-round play of the USGA Senior Women's Amateur Championship at The Apawamis Club.
With the victory, Lang, a long hitter from Weston, Fla., who had tied for second place with 152 in the 36-hole stroke play qualifying competition last weekend, moved into the semifinals against Annette Gaiotti, a summer resident of Marston Mills, Mass., who rallied to oust Reggie Parker of Hobe Sound, Fl., with a birdie at the 18th hole.
In the other half of the draw, Carol Semple Thompson, the four-time winner of this championship from Sewickley, Pa., took advantage of the putting misadventures of Marianne Towersey of Pebble Beach, Calif., to win by a margin of 3 and 2.
| Championship Facts |
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USGA Senior Women's Amateur Championship PAR AND YARDAGE The Apawamis Club will be set up at 5,759 yards with a par of 36-36--72. THE COURSE The golf course at the Apawamis Club was designed by Willie Dunn Jr. and Maturin Ballou and opened in 1890. It is among the oldest 100 golf courses in the United States. The course was renovated a handful of times over the years. In 1977, George and Tom Fazio did some work on it, and most recently, Gil Hanse was hired in 2001-02. ADMISSION The public is invited. Both admission and parking are free. DEFENDING CHAMPION Carolyn Creekmore of Dallas, Texas, built a 2-up lead with birdies on holes 10 and 11 and then held on to defeat Liz Haines of Gladwyne, Pa., 1 up, in the championship match at Pasatiempo Golf Club in Santa Cruz, Calif. Creekmore never trailed in the final match. "This is something to want from the time you start playing golf," said the long-hitting Creekmore, who was a quarterfinalist at the 1997 and 1999 U.S. Womens Mid-Amateur. COURSE SET-UP The USGA will aim for green speeds of between 9 feet 5 inches and 10 inches on the Stimpmeter for the championship week. The primary rough will be grown to a height of 2 inches. Bent grasses are used for coverage of the fairways and greens at the Apawamis Club. WHO CAN ENTER - Open to female amateur golfers who will have reached their 50th birthday on or before Sept. 17, 2005, and have USGA Handicap Indexes not exceeding 18.4. Entries closed Aug. 3, 2005. ENTRIES The USGA accepted a record 457 entries for the 2005 championship. The previous record high of 418 entries was set in 2002. SCHEDULE Championship play will be conducted from Sept. 17-22. Following 36 holes of stroke play (Sept. 17-18), the low 64 scorers will advance to match play. Match play rounds are listed below:
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