Creekmore, Herman Advance To USGA Senior Women's Amateur Final

Hot Springs, Va. – Former champion Carolyn Creekmore, 57, of Dallas, Texas, and Sherry Herman, 51, of Farmingdale, N.J., won semifinal matches Wednesday to advance to the final of the 2009 USGA Senior Women’s Amateur at the 5,515-yard, par-70 Cascades Course at The Homestead.

Creekmore defeated Brenda Pictor of Marietta, Ga., 6 and 5. Herman edged Australian-born Robyn Puckett of Irvine, Calif., on the 19th hole.

Sherry Herman (left) rallied from a four-hole deficit to beat Robyn Puckett in 19 holes on Wednesday to reach the Senior Women's Amateur final (Fred Vuich/USGA).

Creekmore won three of the first four holes, culminating her early surge by making par from a greenside bunker at the par-3 fourth. With a birdie at the par-4 ninth hole, Creekmore increased her lead to 6 up and never let up. Her advantage fluctuated between 5 up and 6 up the rest of the way as Pictor never appeared to settle into the match.

“Anything can happen in match play,” Creekmore said. “She can make three or four birdies, so I knew not to ever let up. If I could get to 6 up that fast, I knew she could get six [holes] right back.”

Creekmore, who won in 2004 at Pasatiempo Golf Club in Santa Cruz, Calif., is in the final for the second time in the past five years. She has not been extended past the 16th hole in any of her last three matches.

Herman is a newcomer to the final, and nearly didn’t get there. Herman and her opponent, Puckett, are both former teaching professionals who regained their amateur status in order to compete. Puckett had the advantage through the first 10 holes, jumping to a 4-up lead with just eight holes remaining.

But Herman refused to surrender. “This was not fun,” Herman said. “I knew I had to continue to hit greens and maybe I could make something happen.”

Outdriving her opponent by some 30 yards, Herman began hitting precise approach shots to within 20 feet of the hole. Her routine pars made inroads as Puckett started spraying her tee shots and was frequently hitting her approach shots from the rough.

Herman won four consecutive holes from No. 11 with pars to square the match.

“It wasn’t like I went on a birdie barrage,” Herman said. “I was just getting my ball on the green and putting fairly well.”

Puckett regained her 1-up lead when she made a winning bogey on the 195-yard, par-3 15th, while Herman drew a bad lie in a bunker, skulled her shot over the green and made a double bogey.

Herman squared the match again on the 488-yard, par-5 16th hole with a par after Puckett hit her third shot into a water hazard. After they halved holes 17 and 18, Herman won on the par-4 19th hole with a routine par when Puckett failed to get up and down from a greenside bunker.

“I’m thrilled,” said Herman after the win. “Despite the difficulty of this match, I have no issue with getting psyched up for tomorrow’s final. I’ve wanted to compete in a USGA final for about 30 years, so it won’t be a problem.”

Herman advanced to the semifinals in the 1996 and 2001 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur, like the Senior Women’s Amateur, one of 13 national championships conducted annually by the United States Golf Association. Ten are strictly for amateurs.

Story written by Rhonda Glenn, manager of communications for the USGA. E-mail her with questions or comments at rglenn@usga.org.

Hot Springs, Va. – Wednesday’s quarterfinal and semifinal results from the 2009 USGA Senior Women’s Amateur at the 5,515-yard, par-70 Cascades Course at The Homestead:

Quarterfinals

Upper Bracket

Sherry Herman, Farmingdale, N.J. (157) def. Dana Harrity, North Hampton, N.H. (156), 3 and 2

Robyn Puckett, Irvine, Calif. (150) def. Kim Eaton, Greeley, Colo. (149), 1 up

Lower Bracket

Brenda Pictor, Marietta, Ga. (156) def. Noreen Mohler, Bethlehem, Pa. (154), 2 up

Carolyn Creekmore, Dallas, Texas (147) def. Patricia Cornett, Mill Valley, Calif. (155), 3 and 2

Semifinals

Upper Bracket

Herman def. Puckett, 19 holes

Lower Bracket

Creekmore def. Pictor, 6 and 5

Hot Springs, Va. – Pairing and starting time for the final match of the 2009 USGA Senior Women’s Amateur at the 5,515-yard, par-70 Cascades Course at The Homestead. (Time EDT)

8:30 a.m. -- Sherry Herman, Farmingdale, N.J. (157) vs Carolyn Creekmore, Dallas, Texas (147)