Meet the Finalists - Bios and Photos

 

Carol Semple Thompson, 56, Sewickley, Pa.

Robert Walker/USGA

Four-time Senior Women’s Amateur champion...playing in her 102nd USGA Championship…won 1973 Women’s Amateur, 1990 and 1997 Women’s Mid-Amateur and 1973 British Ladies Amateur…has played on a record 12 Curtis Cup teams and will serve as captain of the 2006 team…played in five Women’s World Amateur Team Championships, with four victories… was a member of the Pennsylvania team that won the Women’s State Team Championship in 1995…holds 21 Pennsylvania state amateur titles…low amateur at the 1978, 1988, and 1994 U.S. Women’s Opens…won the Bob Jones Award in 2003, the USGA’s top award given for distinguished sportsmanship in golf…father, Bud Semple, was USGA President from 1974-75…first tournament victory came at the Western Pennsylvania Women’s Championship at the age of 16 when she defeated her mother, Phyllis Semple in the final…enjoys horseback riding…married to Dick Thompson…graduate of Hollins College.

 

Diane Lang, 50, Weston, Fla.

Robert Walker/USGA

First-time competitor in the Senior Women’s Amateur…born in Kingston, Jamaica…played on the LPGA tour in 1985 and became a reinstated amateur in 1989…made the cut in the 1985 U.S. Women’s Open…2005 Florida Women’s State Golf Association four-ball match play champion…Weston Hills Country Club Champion in 2002, 2003, and 2004…realtor for Coldwell Banker…married to Jeff Lang…has two children, Stephen, 18, and Amy, 12…enjoys cooking and reading…never plays a ball with a number higher than four…graduate of Florida Atlantic University.

 

 

 

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. Women’s 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:

Sept. 19 (Monday) - Round one matches
Sept. 20 (Tuesday) - Rounds two and three
Sept. 21 (Wednesday) - Quarterfinal and semifinal matches
Sept. 22 (Thursday) – Final round
 
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