Norwood Hills Country Club (USGA/Fred Vuich photo)
There’s a new prize on the line this year at the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur. The U.S. Golf Association announced in October that the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur winner now will receive an exemption into the U.S. Women’s Open. Kelsey Chugg, the 2017 Women’s Mid-Amateur champion, was the first to receive the added perk.
Qualifying has now been completed at 29 sites across the U.S.
Players exempt from qualifying are below:
Joan Higgins (2008 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur champion)
Martha Leach (2009 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur champion)
Meghan Stasi (2010, 2012 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur champion)
Ellen Port (2011 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur champion)
Julia Potter (2013, 2016 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur champion)
Margaret Shirley (2014 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur champion)
Lauren Greenlief (2015 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur champion)
Kelsey Chugg (2017 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur champion)
Shannon Johnson (2016 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur runner-up)
Mary Jane Hiestand (2017 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur runner-up)
Olivia Herrick (2016 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur semifinalist)
Patricia Schremmer (2016 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur semifinalist)
Marissa Mar (2017 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur semifinalist)
Hayley Hammond (2017 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur quarterfinalist)
Amanda Jacobs (2017 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur quarterfinalist)
Courtney McKim (2017 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur quarterfinalist)
Highlights from qualifying include:
August 30
Texas Golf Hall-of-Famer
Robin Burke is off to yet another USGA championship (she is nearing 40 overall). The 1997 Women's U.S. Amateur runner-up and 2016 Curtis Cup captain was one of four players to advance from Pine Forest Golf Club in Houston.
Ashley Freeman posted the low round as the first player in the clubhouse.
Qualifiers: Ashley Freeman (Houston, Texas) 75, Robin Burke (Houston, Texas) 78, Emily Bartholet (Montgomery, Texas) 82, Meghan Moake (Houston, Texas) 83
August 28
Edinborough USA in Brooklyn Park, Minn.
Qualifiers: Paige McCullough (Maple Grove, Minn.) 75
August 27
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Dawn Woodard
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A small army of women gained entry to the Women’s Mid-Amateur through the qualifier at Glendora (Calif.) Country Club. Truc Ly led the 11 qualifiers with a 2-under 70. It made her medalist by five shots.
The 11 qualifiers included a couple of past USGA champions and familiar faces.
Dawn Woodard, a three-time U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur medalist who has competed in 28 USGA championships, had 75. She is also a six-time South Carolina stroke-play champion, five-time South Carolina match-play champion and the 2007 Tennessee Women’s Amateur champion.
Corey Weworski, the 2004 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur champion, was also on that number.
Mina Hardin, the 2010 U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur champion, qualified with 79.
Qualifiers: Truc Ly (Vietnam) 70, Kathy Kurata (Pasadena, Calif.) 75, Corey Weworski (Carlsbad, Calif.) 75, Dawn Woodard (Greenville, S.C.) 75, Gina Bamberger (Murrieta, Calif.) 76, Maki Schultz (San Dimas, Calif.) 77, Carol Sarkissian (Chino Hills, Calif.) 78, Mina Hardin (Mexico) 79, MK Thanos-Zordani (Palm Desert, Calif.), Heather McGinnis (Honolulu, Hawaii) 81, Joy Robinson (Pebble Beach, Calif.)
Katie Miller, a former All-ACC golfer at North Carolina, has qualified for her fifth U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur. Miller was the medalist at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort’s Mystic Rock Course with a 70. Miller and partner Lauren Greenlief, the 2015 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur champion, won the International Four-Ball Championship earlier this year in Florida.
Qualifiers: Katie Miller (Jeannett, Pa.) 70, Jordan Craig-Nyiri (Cornellsville, Pa.), 82
August 25
Caroline Ellington of Raleigh, N.C., carded a 2-over 74 to claim medalist honors in the Women’s Mid-Amateur Qualifier hosted by Pinewood Country Club in Asheboro, N.C. Ellington made the turn at even-par and finished strong on the inward nine to claim medalist honors by two strokes. All five qualifiers from this qualifying site are from North Carolina, and three are former college golfers who played in the state.
Katie Kirk is a former member of Eastern Carolina,
Michelle Jarman for UNC-Wilmington and
Courtney Stiles played for North Carolina State Stiles and Jarman had short professional stints after college.
Qualifiers: Carolina Ellington (Raleigh, N.C.) 74, Katie Kirk (Winterville, N.C.) 76, Julie Streng (Greensboro, N.C.) 79, Courtney Stiles (Sanford, N.C.) 80, Michelle Jarman (Wilmington, N.C.) 80
August 23
Portage CC in Akron, Ohio
Qualifiers: Alex Carl (Cincinnati, Ohio) Ann Miles (Dublin, Ohio) 73, Julie Carmichael (Indianaplis, Ind.) 74, Olivia Hochschwender (Akron, Ohio) 74, Julia Hodgson (Canada) 74
Canyon Creek CC in Richardson, Texas
Qualifiers: Sarah Davidson (Choudrant, La.) 74, Meghan Gockel (Dallas) 78, Suzanne Kenkel (Irving, Texas) 80, Anna Schultz (Heath, Texas) 80, Rachel Smith (Mansfield, Texas) 80
August 22
BYU legend Sue Billek Nyhus tied for medalist honors at Grand Elk Golf Club. Nyhus is head women’s golf coach at Utah Valley. She played college golf then coached at BYU, and is a member of the BYU Hall of Fame. Nyhus tied
Kay Daniel, a quarterfinalist at the 2015 Women’s Mid-Amateur, with 1-over 73 at the qualifier.
Qualifiers: Sue Billek Nyhus (Orem, Utah) 73, Kay Daniel (Covington, La.) 73, Janet Moore (Centennial, Colo.) 75, Jennifer Delgadillo (Horizon City, Texas) 77, Annette Gaiotti (Park City, Utah), 77, Marilyn Hardy (Magnolia, Texas) 77, Staci Creech (Englewood, Colo.) 78
Spring Lake (Mich.) CC
Qualifiers: Julie Massa (Holt, Mich.) 74, Ashley Mantha (Ann Arbor, Mich.) 79
August 21
Gretchen Johnson, a Speedgolf competitor who made her USGA debut in 2016, has qualified for her third consecutive Women’s Mid-Amateur. Johnson is a marketing manager at Nike. Tina Papatolis, who won the Washington State Women’s Public Links Championship last month, took the second qualifying spot at OGA Golf Course in Woodburn, Ore.
Qualifiers: Gretchen Johnson (Portland, Ore) 76, Tina Papatolis (Canada) 78
Brookside CC in Macungie, Pa.
Qualifiers: Amy Hajjar (Jersey City, N.J.) 71, Britny Whitby (Wyoming, Del.) 73, Catherine Elliott (Philadelphia, Pa.) 79
August 20
Red Rock CC in Las Vegas
Qualifiers: Kim Braaten (Las Vegas) 75
Lea Venable, an account manager and USGA veteran, will compete in her 12th Women’s Mid-Amateur after taking the last spot at the Montgomery (Ala.) CC qualifier. Venable had a 4-over 76 to skate through with two shots to spare.
Eleanor Tucker took the second of the three spots after a major turnaround. She opened with 42, but rallied with a 33 to finish at 75 and easily qualify.
Qualifiers: Joan Gossett Oats (Germantown, Tenn.) 72, Eleanor Tucker (Savannah, Ga.) 75, Lea Venable (Greenville, S.C.) 76
Sue Curtin of Westwood, Mass., will be making her fifth career appearance at a USGA Championship after posting a 1-over par 74 at Charles River CC in Newton, Mass. For the first time in Mass Golf history, a men’s Mid-Amateur qualifier was also held at the same course on the same day.
“It means a lot,” Curtin, who turned 48 earlier this year, told Mass Golf. “I am finally getting to the point where I can play golf again. I feel so fortunate to be able to play this game.”
Following her graduation from the College of the Holy Cross, Curtin continued her close ties to the game despite pursuing a professional career and having two kids Jack (16) and James (13). She first qualified for the 2000 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship and then has – for the past three years – advanced to the U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Championship.
Qualifiers: Susan Curtin (Westwood, Mass.) 74, Megan Buck (Peoria, Ariz.) 77, Kelli Pry (Coatesville, Pa.) 77, Tracy Welch (Winchester, Mass.) 78, Jenn Holland (Guilford, Conn.) 79
Eagle’s Nest CC in Phoenix, Md.
Qualifiers: Clare Connolly (Chevy Chase, Md.) 68, Callie Kemmer (Washington, D.C.) 77, Deborah Williams (Potomac, Md.) 79
Kallie Harrison, 32, of St. Louis, Mo. was among the four women to qualify today for the Women’s Mid-Amateur at St. Louis Country Club. Harrison is a member at Norwood Hills Country Club, where the event will be played in September. She shot a 77 in the qualifier, the second best score of the day.
Kayla Eckelkamp of Washington, Mo., was the medalist with 73. Eckelkamp played college golf at Maryville University in St. Louis and now works as a nurse. She was the Missouri Golf Association Player of the Year in 2015 and 2016.
Qualifiers: Kayla Eckelkamp (Washington, Mo.) 73, Kallie Harrison (St. Louis) 77, Michelle Butler (Columbia, Mo.), Kelli Kirchoff (Wentzville, Mo.) 79
Mexico City, Mexico
Qualifiers: Ana Alicia Malagon (Mexico) 74, Ericka Diaz (Mexico) 76, Ampi Diaz (Mexico) 78
August 17
At Westmoor CC in Brookfield, Wis., a pair of sisters both earned a spot in the Women’s Mid-Amateur.
Katie Elliott is the former assistant women’s golf coach at Wisconsin who is now a tournament director for the Champions Tour’s American Family Insurance Championship. She fired a 77 to advance while her sister
Alyssa Elliott, an event specialist for American Family Insurance, had 79. Katie also won the Madison City Championship earlier this summer.
Qualifiers: Allison Schultz (Madison, Wis.) 76, Katie Elliott (Fitchburg, Wis.) 77, Alyssa Elliott (Madison, Wis.) 79, Analise Pansa (Milwaukee, Wis.) 79
August 16
Thuhashini Selvaratnam, runner-up at the 2006 Women’s Mid-Am, led qualifiers at Blackstone Country Club in Peoria, Ariz. Selvaratnam, of Sri Lanka, was medalist at 2-over 74. The 42-year-old has played in more than 30 USGA championships, and this will be her 14th Women’s Mid-Amateur.
Qualifiers: Thuhashini Selvaratnam (Sri Lanka) 74, Jennifer Udd (Naples, Fla.) 80, Liz Waynick (Scottsdale, Ariz.) 80
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Heather Wall
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Heather Wall, head women’s golf coach at Nova Southeastern, led qualifiers at Bent Pine Golf Club in Vero Beach, Fla. Wall’s even-par 72 began with a birdie, and left her two shots ahead of
Kim Benedict, also a coach. Benedict coaches the Gulf Coast High School boys golf team in Naples, Fla. Her team won the Florida 3A state high school championship six days before last year’s Women’s Mid-Amateur.
Qualifiers: Heather Wall (Sunrise, Fla.) 72, Kim Benedict (Bonita Springs, Fla.) 74, Cathleen Wong (Singapore) 75
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Brenda Pictor
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Brenda Pictor is a well-known name in Georgia women’s golf. The 63-year-old qualified for the Women’s Mid-Amateur with an even-par 72 at Rivermont Golf Club in Johns Creek, Ga. She led the six other qualifiers in scoring. Pictor has played a handful of USGA events, but last teed it up in a Women’s Mid-Am in 2014. She is a six-time Georgia Women’s Senior Amateur champion and 20 years separate her Georgia Women’s Amateur titles, won in 1994 and 2014.
Lauren Judson, who took the final qualifying spot with an 80 despite a bogey on the final hole, is a former member of the Southern Mississippi women’s golf team.
Qualifiers: Brenda Pictor (Marieta, Ga.) 72, Sarah Gallagher (Canton, Ga.) 76, Erin Packer (Peachtree City, Ga.) 76, Danielle Davis (St. Simons Island, Ga.) 77, Deb Jackson (Johns Creek, Ga.) 78, Kristyl Sunderman (McDonough, Ga. ) 78, Lauren Judson (Atlanta) 80
Foxland Harbor G&CC in Gallatin, Tenn.
Qualifiers: Erin Bradford (Georgetown, Ky.) 79, Courtney Shelton (College Grove, Tenn.) 79
August 15
Emily Rapp of Greenville, S.C., carded a 2-over 74 to claim medalist honors in the U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur Qualifier hosted by Country Club of Lexington (S.C.). Rapp had a strong finish on the inward nine, which included two birdies, to shoot 36 on the back and secure her spot at the top of the leaderboard. Lea Anne Brown of Mt. Pleasant, S.C., finished with a 6-over 78 and claimed the second qualifying spot.
Laura Coble of Augusta, Ga., is the first alternate. Coble was runner-up to Martha Leach at the 2009 Women’s Mid-Amateur.
Qualifiers: Emily Rapp (Greenville, S.C.) 74, Lea Anne Brown (Mt. Pleasant, S.C.) 78
August 14
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Ina Kim-Schaad
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Ina Kim-Schaad will play her second consecutive U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur after being out of the USGA loop for more than a decade. Kim took the top spot at the qualifier at Morris County GC in Morristown, N.J. Kim was runner-up at the 2000 U.S. Women’s Amateur at Pumpkin Ridge. She played collegiately for Northwestern, then shelved her clubs to chase a career in the business world. She also played the Women’s Amateur earlier this month, but missed match play by a single shot (she fell in a nine-for-one playoff).
Samantha Perrotta, an accomplished New Jersey-based golfer who has appeared in the LPGA’s ShopRite Classic field as well as a handful of Symetra Tour events, also qualified. Perrotta played this event in 2016.
Qualifiers: Ina Kim-Schaad (New York, N.Y.) 72, Meredith Chiampa (New York, N.Y.) 76, Samantha Perrota (Vatican City) 78, Alyssa Roland (New York, N.Y.) 78, Karen Siegel (Maple Glen, Pa.) 79
Keswick’s Andrea Miller, Alexandria’s Jeanne Barton and Williamsburg’s Kristin Shifflett—all VSGA members—qualified for the upcoming U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship at Fredericksburg (Va.) Country Club. The trio will join 2015 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Champion Lauren Greenlief in the championship proper, which will be held at Norwood Hills Country Club.
Miller, 48, was steady, finishing with two birdies and four bogeys, touring each of FCC’s nines in 37 strokes. Barton’s lone birdie, on the par-3 12th hole, proved crucial to earning a spot, helping the 36-year-old finish a stroke clear of the two in the playoff for the final qualifying berth. Shifflett became eligible for the championship for players ages 25 and older in March when she turned 25. She made par on her final four holes to get into the playoff.
Qualifiers: Andrea Miller (Keswick, Va.) 74, Jeanne Barton (Alexandria, Va.) 81, Kristin Shiflett (Kensington, Md.) 82
August 13
Hana Kim will make a second consecutive trip to the Women’s Mid-Am after taking the top spot at the qualifier at Fountaingrove Golf and Athletic Club in Santa Rosa, Calif. Kim is playing as a reinstated amateur after qualifying for the tour on her first attempt in 2004. Kim played two years of college golf at Northwestern before completing her eligibility at UCLA. She was a junior standout, playing a handful of USGA events (two Girls’ Juniors, two Women’s Opens and a Women’s Amateur) as a teen. Kim has since earned her MBA from the London Business School and now lives in Los Angeles.
Qualifiers: Hana Kim (Los Angeles) 76, Arielle Swan (Seaside, Calif.) 80, Kelly Wilson (El Dorado Hills) 81
Kayla Barnes, a former University of Nebraska golfer, took the top spot at the qualifier at Oklahoma City (Okla.) G&CC. Barnes represented Nebraska last year at the USGA Women’s State Team. Camry Tardy also qualified. The former TCU golfer now works as a graphic designer.
Qualifiers: Kayla Barnes (Bellevue, Neb.) 73, Camry Tardy (Arlington, Texas) 77
August 6
Martha Linscott knows a thing or two about USGA championships – from both sides. The 48-year-old from Mission Hills took the top qualifying spot out of the qualifier at Oakwood Country Club in Kansas City, Mo. Linscott respresented Kansas at the Women’s State Team last year. She has also served nine years on the USGA Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship Committee and three years on the Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship Committee.
Qualifiers: Martha Linscott (Mission Hills, Kan.) 74; Pam Simpson (Kansas City, Mo.) 81)