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USGA Senior Women's Amateur Blog
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
Quarterfinal Notes
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Diane Lang may have reached the quarterfinals, but she is already looking ahead to the end of her season.
“This is going to be my last tournament of the year, and then I’m done,” said Lang after a dramatic 1-up win over Carolyn Creekmore in Tuesday’s third round.
Lang is not going to quit golf, but rather seek professional lessons to help cure a balky driver. Against Creekmore, Lang repeatedly turned to her 3-hybrid and was consistently out driven by 30 to 40 yards.
“You cannot compete with this many talented women, playing just a 3-iron [hybrid],” she said. “If I can work out my problems with the driver, then look out.”
GETTING TIGHT: So much for blowouts.
In the opening two rounds of the USGA Senior Women’s Amateur, lopsided wins were commonplace. But with the match play tree funneling down with quality players, the matches became much more competitive in Tuesday afternoon’s third round.
All eight matches went to the 16th hole or beyond, and Beatriz Arenas’ win over Ann Laughlin was the first to go extra holes.
Will fatigue be a factor on Wednesday?
“I don’t think so at this point,” said Madelaine Campbell. “Everyone is in the same boat.”
Almost. Of the eight quarterfinalists, Anna Schultz, Noreen Mohler and Lisa Smego have played the fewest holes through the first three rounds (46). Campbell and Diane Lang have played 49, followed by Robyn Puckett with 50 and Tanna Lee Richard with 51.
Stuart Hall, USGA Senior Women's Amateur Web writer
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Start of Quarterfinals
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The sun has cooperated and the frost delay will be lifted at 9 a.m. PT. to start our quarterfinal round.
Pete Kowalski, USGA Media Relations
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Frost Delay
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The morning starting times for the quarterfinals have been pushed back at least one hour because of frost.
Pete Kowalski, USGA Media Relations
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Tuesday, September 04, 2007
First Extra Hole Match
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It took until the third round before the championship got its first extra hole match. Anne Laughlin, of Plantation, Fla. and Beatriz Arenas, of Guatemala are all square through 19 holes.
Pete Kowalski, USGA Media Relations
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Ore-Gone
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Mary Budke, of Eugene, the only remaining of six players from Oregon, bowed out of the championship this afternoon. She lost a 1-up decision to Robyn Puckett, of Irvine, Calif.
An emergency room doctor, Budke was the 1972 U.S. Women's Amateur champion and was on the 1974 USA Curtis Cup Match team. She was captain of the winning Curtis Cup team in 2002.
Pete Kowalski, USGA Media Relations
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Third Round Begins at 2 p.m. PT
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The schedule for the afternoon is starting to take shape. The first match, at 2 p.m. Pacific, is between Patty Moore, of Charlotte, N.C., and Anna Schultz, of Rockwall, Texas, and is a re-match of the 2006 quarterfinals.
Because of cloud cover today, we won't have as much daylight as we have had in the past few days. Competitors who advance are being given the option of starting their next match at either 30 or 45 minutes after the completion of their last match.
Pete Kowalski, USGA Media Relations
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Round 2 Re-started
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We are playing the second round of match play again after a weather delay of a little more than two hours.
Pete Kowalski, USGA Media Relations
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Re-Start Is Imminent
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We are gearing up for a re-start shortly. Players are being loaded back into vans for shuttles out to their last place on the course.
A 15-minute warm-up period has been completed.
After our radio roll call, we will be back on the course.
Stay tuned.
Pete Kowalski, USGA Media Relations
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Play Suspended
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Play was suspended at 8:52 a.m. PT because of lightning in the area.
Five of the morning's second-round matches were on the course. The lead group, with Patty Moore and Reggie Parker had completed four holes and the match was all square.
Holly Horwood, Terry Mayes and Angela Stewart held 1-up leads and Cecilia Mourgue D'Algue and Patricia French were all square.
Players have been updated once with a continued suspension. Another update is due shortly.
Pete Kowalski, USGA Media Relations
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Monday, September 03, 2007
The Things You Learn While Having Lunch
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While having a quick lunch, a nice woman, looking to be in her 80s, joined us.
She had just served as an observer for the Cecilia Mourgue D'Algue-Martha Lang match and looked a little tired and red in the face from the sun and heat in Oregon's High Desert.
She was very inquisitive but was willing to share her love of the USGA. Turns out, Phyllis Schofield, of Somers, N.Y., served as the executive assistant for past USGA President, the late Ike Grainger, for 55 years. She became very close to his family and has been involved with the USGA, through his dealings and beyond, for many years.
A member of the USGA Senior Women's Amateur committee since 1991, she has served as a Rule official at 17 U.S. Women's Open.
Normally, the USGA gives its Ike Grainger Award for 25 years of volunteer service. Because of her closeness to Grainger and his family, upon his passing they convinced the Association to give Schofield the Grainger Award. One small kink, at the presentation time, her award was not completed. USGA Executive Director David B. Fay asked Schofield if she wouldn't mind posing for photos with the completed award of another honoree. Schofield consented. The name of the other honoree was Arnold Palmer.
Pete Kowalski, USGA Media Relations
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