2005 USGA Senior Women's Amateur Championship Fact Sheet

September 17 – 22, 2005
The Apawamis Club
Rye, N.Y.

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.

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.

APAWAMIS CLUB HOLE-BY-HOLE – 5,759 yards, par 36-36--72;

WHO CAN ENTER - Open to female amateur golfers who will have reached their 50^th 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.

TOP RETURNING PLAYERS – All eight quarterfinalists from a year ago will be in this year’s field. They are defending champion Carolyn Creekmore of Dallas, Texas; Elizabeth Haines of Gladwyne, Pa.; Ann Lahey of Kentfield, Calif.; Martha Lang of Mandeville, La.; Reggie Parker of Hobe Sound, Fla.; Marianne Towersey of Pebble Beach, Calif.; Toni Wiesner of Ft. Worth, Texas; and Sandy Woodruff of Santa Cruz, Calif.

EXEMPT PLAYERS – Fourteen exempt golfers are entered into this Championship, including five past champions. The past champions are Carolyn Creekmore (2004) of Dallas, Texas; Anne Sander (1989, 1990, 1993) of Pauma Valley, Calif.; Jean Smith (1995) of Eagle, Idaho; Marlene Streit (1985, 1994, 2003) of Canada; and Carol Semple Thompson (1999, 2000, 2001, 2002) of Sewickley, Pa.

LOCAL GOLFERS – There are at least 15 golfers who have qualified from the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. They are:

New York
Cheryl Brayman of East Hills, N.Y.
Maggie Krill of Spencerport, N.Y.
Diane Lederman of New York, N.Y.
Barbara Paonessa of New Rochelle, N.Y.
Jackie Quinn of Kingston, N.Y.

New Jersey
Mary Eichhorn of Sea Girt, N.J.
Renate Green of Alpine, N.J.
Barbara Hulke of Basking Ridge, N.J.
Ann Probert of New Vernon, N.J.

Connecticut
Carolyn Harvey of Old Lyme, Conn.
Deborah Jamgochian of Greenwich, Conn.
Helen Stovell of Fairfield, Conn.
Lida Tingley of West Hartford, Conn.

USGA ON THE WEB – Log on to the USGA internet site at www.usga.org/championships for the latest and most complete Senior Women’s Amateur Championship information. The site will also provide stories and downloadable photographs daily. During stroke play and the first round of match play, scores will be posted after nine holes. During the balance of match play, scores will be posted hole-by-hole for each match. Please visit www.usga.org/championships or http://www.seniorwam.org. Following the final match, a champion’s interview will be available online, complete with downloadable audio links in broadcast quality.

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

FOR THE WINNER – The champion receives:

• possession of the Senior Women’s Amateur Championship trophy for the ensuing year
• an exemption for the next 10 USGA Senior Women’s Amateur Championships
• an exemption for the next U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship
• an exemption for the next three U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championships,
• an exemption for the next U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship, if otherwise eligible.

THE APAWAMIS CLUB AND THE USGA – The Apawamis Club has hosted three previous USGA championships: the 1911 U.S. Amateur, the 1970 U.S. Girls’ Junior and the 1978 Curtis Cup Match. At the 1970 Girls’ Junior, Hollis Stacy won the second of her three consecutive Girls’ Juniors. The winning USA Curtis Cup team included Beth Daniel, the 1975 and 1977 U.S. Women’s Amateur champion, who went 3-1 in her four matches.

Year and Championship (Winner)
1911 U.S. Amateur – Harold Hilton
1970 U.S. Girls’ Junior – Hollis Stacy
1978 Curtis Cup Match – USA, 12-6

HONOR FOR APAWAMIS – The Metropolitan Golf Association named Apawamis its 2005 Club of the Year.

HISTORY OF CHAMPIONSHIP – The first USGA Senior Women’s Amateur championship was played in 1962 at the Manufacturer’s Golf and Country Club in Oreland, Pa. In its 42 years of competition, the championship has had 21 different winners. Ten golfers have won the title more than once.

The event moved to match play in 1997 and became the last of the 10 national amateur championships to adopt a match-play format. Sectional qualifying was first conducted for the 2000 championship.

USGA MEDIA CONTACT – The USGA media relations staff member on site will be Karen Moraghan. Call the USGA office at (908) 234-2300 until Sept. 15 regarding championship information. The media center phone number on site will be (914) 967-0802. The media center fax number will be (914) 967-2597. Karen will be on site as of Sept. 15. Karen’s cell phone number is (908) 963-6013.