Patricia Ehrhart leads the ams after 36 holes (USGA photo)
WHEATON, IL (July 13, 2018) - Seven amateurs have made the halfway cut at the inaugural U.S. Senior Women's Open Championship, held at the Chicago Golf Club.
A total of 29 amateurs began the championship, having gained entry into the field through exemption or open qualifying. Among them is the low amateur in the field so far, Patricia Ehrhart (Honolulu, HI), who gained some notoriety earlier in the week when her uncle, musician Jimmy Buffett, caddied for her in a practice round.
Ehrhart played college golf at the University of South Florida, then played mini-tours until she earned status on the LPGA Tour in 1998. “But I started a family, and turned my focus to that,” she told the Washington State Golf Association, who hosted the qualifier through which she earned her place in the field this week. Her youngest daughter, 11-year-old Scarlett, caddied for her today. Ehrhart got her amateur status back when she was 48, and
according to the WSGA now plays in as many USGA national championships as she can.
She is currently inside the top 10 after rounds of 75-74 (+3), putting her seven shots behind co-leaders Trish Johnson and Laura Davies.
A seven-time USGA champion will also play the weekend. Ellen Port, who has won three U.S. Women's Mid-Amateurs and four U.S. Senior Women's Amateurs, shot 79-74 to sit T26 at the halfway mark. Port is currently the head golf coach at Washington University in St. Louis.
Port is tied with another USGA champ, Martha Leach (Hebron, KY), who won the U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur in 2009. Leach advances to the weekend with rounds of 78-75 on the par-73 course.
Other amateurs to make the cut include Kathy Kurata (Pasadena, CA), last year's Canadian Women's Senior champion Sue Wooster (Australia), Marie-Therese Torti (Canada), and Akemi Nakata Khaiat (Japan).
A total of 55 pros and amateurs will play the final two rounds in the USGA's newest championship.
Amateur Leaderboard
75-74=149 (T10) Patricia Ehrhart
79-74=153 (T26) Ellen Port
78-75=153 (T26) Martha Leach
75-81=156 (T37) Kathy Kurata
81-76=157 (T45) Sue Wooster
76-82=158 (T50) Marie-Therese Torti
78-80=158 (T50) Akemi Nakata Khaiat
82-77=159 (MC) Marilyn Hardy
80-81=161 (MC) Janet Moore
79-82=161 (MC) Judith Kyrinis
80-81=161 (MC) Liz Waynick
78-83=161 (MC) Maggie Leaf
77-84=161 (MC) Therese Quinn
80-82=162 (MC) Mary Jane Hiestand
85-77=162 (MC) Lara Tennant
81-81=162 (MC) Leigh Klasse
85-80=165 (MC) Evelyn Orley
81-84=165 (MC) Helene Chartrand
84-83=167 (MC) Laura Carson
84-84=168 (MC) Brenda Pictor
82-86=168 (MC) Tina Barker
85-83=168 (MC) Kelley Nittoli
82-86=168 (MC) M.K. Thanos-Zordani
84-86=170 (MC) Susan West
82-88=170 (MC) Cindy McConnell
84-88=172 (MC) Terrill Samuel
85-88=173 (MC) Macarena Campomanes
94-92=186 (MC) Julie Wirth
105-91=196 (MC) Maureen Sheehan
View results for U.S. Senior Women's Open