Shannon Johnson
(USGA Photo)
ERIE, PA (September 14, 2016) -- Co-medalist
Shannon Johnson left little to doubt as she handled
former U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur champion
Margaret Shirley-Starosto 6&5 in the quarterfinals.
With the win Johnson became the first player to
move onto the semifinals at The Kahkwa Club.
Johnson blitzed Shirley-Starosto, the 2014
champion, early in the match by winning four of the
first five holes to take a commanding 4 up lead right
off the bat. From there Johnson never let her foot off
the gas, as she won the 8th and 9th holes to push
her lead to 6 up.
Shirley-Starosto did win the 10th hole but it was
to little to late as Johnson closed the deal with a
birdie on the 13th.
The biggest story of the quarterfinals was 51-
year-old and 51-seed Patricia Schremmer, playing in
her first U.S. Mid-Amateur defeating four-time
champion Meghan Stasi 1 up. Stasi, the six-seed,
took an early 3 up lead with three wins in the first
four holes and still led by that margin after the 8th.
However, once Schremmer found her footing there
was no slowing her down.
Schremmer birdied the 9th to draw within 2
down and then 1 down with another birdie on the
12th. After both players had matching pars on the
13th Schremmer tied the match on No. 14 and took
her first lead on the 15th.
Like any champion golfer Stasi would not go
quietly as she tied the match on No. 17 with a birdie,
only to watch as Schremmer responded on the 18th
with a match winning birdie.
Up next for Schremmer is another past
champion, two-seed Julia Potter. Of the three former
champions to advance to the quarterfinals, Potter is
the only one that remains alive, thanks to a dramatic
21 hole triumph over No. 10 Katie Miller. The 2013
U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur champion and co-
medalist this year, survived a tight match in which
she never trailed.
Leading 2 up with four holes to go, Potter saw
her lead vanish as Miller claimed the 15th and 17th
holes to even the match. After neither player was
able to win the 18th, play went to extra holes and it
wasn't until the third playoff hole was Potter able to
finally
advance.
In the semifinals Shannon Johnson will take on
No. 13
Olivia Herrick, who outlasted 12-seed Amanda
Jacobs 3&1. The match was tied until the 5th when
Herrick won the first of her five holes in a six hole
stretch to build a 5 up advantage. Jacobs clawed
back winning the 12th, 15th and 16th holes but the
lead for Herrick was to great and a bogey on the
17th sealed the deal.
SEMIFINAL MATCHES
-All times are EST
No. 1 Shannon Johnson vs. No. 13 Olivia
Herrick (1:00 p.m.)
No. 2 Julia Potter vs. No. 51 Patricia Schremmer
(1:15 p.m.)
ABOUT THE
U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur
The U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur originated in
1987 to provide a national competitive arena
for amateurs 25 and older. Besides the age
restriction, the event is open to those with a
USGA Handicap Index of 9.4 or lower. It is
one of 14 national championships conducted
annually by the USGA, 10 of which are strictly
for amateurs.
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