Fort Myers, Fla. – With a bogey on the last hole, Leigh Klasse, 51, of St. Anthony, Minn., fired a 4-under-par 68 to finish 36 holes at even-par 144 and win medalist honors in stroke-play qualifying for the USGA Senior Women’s Amateur at the 5,862-yard, par-72 Long Mean Course at Fiddlesticks Country Club.
Klasse edged 2005 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur champion Mary Ann Hayward, 50, of Canada, by one stroke. Hayward added a 71 to her opening 74 for a 145 total, one over par.
The 2008 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur champion, Joan Higgins, 54, of Glendora, Calif., and Patty Moore, 60, of Charlotte, N.C., finished at 148, four over par. Defending champion Sherry Herman, 52, of Farmingdale, N.J., qualified at 151, seven over par. Three past Senior Women’s Amateur champions, Anna Schultz, 55, of Rockwall, Texas, Carolyn Creekmore, 58, of Dallas and Diane Lang, 55, of Jamaica finished at 152, eight over par. Carol Semple Thompson, 61, a four-time champion, was at 155, 11 over par. All easily qualified for match play.
Klasse reeled off five birdies before finishing with a lone bogey for the 68. Her score ties the second-lowest score in the 49-year history of the national championship. Betty Probasco finished one stroke lower in the second round in 1991.
Precise irons gave Klasse short birdie putts early in her round. Starting on the back nine, she birdied the 10th after hitting an 8-iron to within 4 feet of the hole. She birdied the 12th hole on a 6-foot putt. At the 375-yard 16th, Klasse nailed a 5-hybrid club to within 2 feet of the hole and tapped it in for another birdie to go three under par.
A 6-foot putt on the first hole gave Klasse another birdie and she birdied the seventh when she again holed a 6-footer. She was five under par with one hole to play. At the ninth, Klasse hit her 6-iron approach shot some 45 feet to the right of the hole, then took three putts to navigate the slick, downhill surface for a bogey.
Nevertheless, Klasse, who is trying to win her first individual USGA title in 33 tries since 1981, was delighted.
I was trying to get on the greens and two-putt for par and go on, Klasse said. If I made a birdie, it was a bonus, but I was hitting my irons really nicely today.
Hayward added a 1-under-par 71 to her opening 74 on the strength of birdie putts ranging from 4 to 20 feet.
I’ve had trouble with the speed of downhill putts but I finally got the feel for it on the back nine yesterday, Hayward said. I made an adjustment in my putting stance today and got it rolling. Bermuda grass isn’t in my comfort zone. You have to think a little more about the grain.
Hayward’s competition has recently been limited by her job as sport development coordinator for the Golf Association of Ontario. She stepped up her practice to compete in this 50-and-over national championship for the first time.
I’ve had my eye on the Senior Women’s Amateur for two years, Hayward said.
The cut for 64 match-play berths came at 165, 21 over par, with six players playing off for four spots. Cheryl Damphouse of Canada and Barbara Byrnes of Mesa, Ariz., captured two match-play berths with pars on the first playoff hole. Play was suspended by darkness and Kerry Rutan of Ambler, Pa., Char McLear of McHenry, Ill., Judy Miller of Tucson and Alexandria Fraser of Haverford, Pa., will vie for the remaining two spots on Monday morning.
The USGA Senior Women’s Amateur is one of 13 national championships conducted by the United States Golf Association. Ten are strictly for amateurs.
Rhonda Glenn is a Manager of Communications for the USGA. E-mail her with questions and comments at rglenn@usga.org.
Results
Fort Myers, Fla. – Results of stroke-play qualifying in the 49th USGA Senior Women’s Amateur at the 5,862-yard, par 72 Long Mean Course at Fiddlesticks Country Club:
Leigh Klasse, St Anthony, Minn. - 76-68--144
Mary Ann Hayward, Canada - 74-71--145
Joan Higgins, Glendora, Calif. - 73-75--148
Patty Moore, Charlotte, N.C. - 76-72--148
Brenda Pictor, Marietta, Ga. - 73-76--149
Mina Hardin, Ft. Worth, Texas - 74-75--149
Claudia Pilot, Austin, Minn. - 74-76--150
Sherry Herman, Farmingdale, N.J. - 74-77--151
Andrea Kraus, Baltimore, Md. - 81-70--151
Anna Schultz, Rockwall, Texas - 79-73--152
Carolyn Creekmore, Dallas, Texas - 79-73--152
Kim Eaton, Greeley, Colo. - 74-78--152
Diane Lang, Jamaica - 75-78--153
Robyn Puckett, Irvine, Calif. - 79-74--153
Carol Semple Thompson, Sewickley, Pa. - 78-77--155
Mary Gale, Worcester, Mass. - 77-78--155
Lea Anne Brown, Mt Pleasant, S.C. - 79-76--155
Patricia Cornett, Mill Valley, Calif. - 79-76--155
Lisa McGill, Philadelphia, Pa. - 77-78--155
Cheryl Grigg, Sea Island, Ga. - 80-76--156
Peg Brady, Charlotte, N.C. - 80-76--156
Susan Rheney, Greensboro, Ga. - 79-77--156
Cindy Gilkeson, Sugarland, Texas - 78-78--156
Lisa Schlesinger, Laytonsville, Md. - 75-81--156
Denise Desilet, Wichita, Kan. - 75-81--156
Deborah Jamgochian, Greenwich, Conn. - 75-81--156
Nadine Elliott, Bermuda Dunes, Calif. - 78-79--157
Mary Jane Hiestand, Naples, Fla. - 80-77--157
Lou Hart, Meridian, Miss. - 80-78--158
Marlene Summers, Montgomery, Texas - 78-80--158
Ann Lahey, Kentfield, Calif. - 76-82--158
Teresa Cleland, Syracuse, N.Y. - 79-79--158
Connie Shorb, York, Pa. - 77-81--158
Ginny Marshall, Canada - 83-76--159
Diana Chancellor, St Louis, Mo. - 82-77--159
Annette Gaiotti, Salt Lake City, Utah - 83-77--160
Sheila Haynes, Madison, Miss. - 73-87--160
Ginny Burkey, Fircrest, Wash. - 81-79--160
Anne Carr, Seattle, Wash. - 78-82--160
Noreen Mohler, Bethlehem, Pa. - 84-77--161
Diane Bohl, Kissimmee, Fla. - 79-82--161
Mimi Hoffman, Alexandria, Va. - 77-84--161
Maureen Whitehead, Charlevoix, Mich. - 79-82--161
Taffy Brower, Boynton Beach, Fla. - 79-82--161
Therese Quinn, Jacksonville, Fla. - 82-79--161
Cindy Bryniarski, Sun City West, Ariz. - 81-80--161
Joanne Kitusky, Glen Allen, Va. - 82-80--162
Tanna Richard, Fort Smith, Ark. - 78-84--162
Ivy Steinberg, Canada - 85-77--162
Marsha Butler, San Diego, Calif. - 81-81--162
Laura Carson, Lake Bluff, Ill. - 81-81--162
Martha Lang, Birmingham, Ala. - 86-76--162
Deborah Anderson, Rancho Mirage, Calif. - 78-85--163
Nancy Fitzgerald, Carmel, Ind. - 84-79--163
Genevieve Robinson, La Quinta, Calif. - 78-85--163
Carol Sarkissian, Covina, Calif. - 77-86--163
Joanne Catlin, Ashburnham, Mass. - 82-81--163
Mitsue Lewis, San Diego, Calif. - 80-84--164
Marianne Towersey, Pebble Beach, Calif. - 83-81--164
Jeannie Lallensack, Tucson, Ariz. - 83-81--164
Cheryll Damphouse, Canada - 82-83—165 (4)
Barbara Byrnes, Mesa, Ariz. - 83-82—165 (4)
Kerry Rutan, Ambler, Pa. - 80-85—165 (5)
Char McLear, Mchenry, Ill. - 84-81—165 (5)
Judy Miller, Tucson, Ariz. - 81-84—165 (5)
Alexandra Frazier, Haverford, Pa. - 82-83—165 (5)
Failed To Qualify
Patricia Robinson, Poplar Bluff, Mo. - 85-81--166
Sandy Woodruff, Santa Cruz, Calif. - 79-87--166
Janie Carpenter, Garland, Texas - 82-84--166
Barbara Berkmeyer, St Louis, Mo. - 85-81--166
Marcia Fisher, Canby, Ore. - 82-84--166
Linda Dillon, Winter Garden, Fla. - 84-82--166
Leilani Norman, Eugene, Ore. - 84-83--167
Catherine Richey, Winter Park, Fla. - 86-81--167
Marianne Springer, Wellington, Fla. - 86-81--167
Georgia Peirce, Boston, Mass. - 81-86--167
Karen Ferree, Hilton Head Island, S.C. - 84-83--167
Kim Clarke, Newton, N.C. - 86-81--167
Laurie Steenrod, Aurora, Colo. - 83-84--167
Nannette Wheelis, Waco, Texas - 85-82--167
Barbara Pagana, Selinsgrove, Pa. - 90-78--168
Brenda Williams, Minnetrista, Minn. - 81-87--168
Lindsay Wortham, Richmond, Va. - 85-83--168
Dianne Yelovich, Pinehurst, N.C. - 90-78--168
Patty Kimball, Scottsdale, Ariz. - 87-81--168
Linda McMillan, Ormond Beach, Fla. - 87-81--168
Claudia Cenko, Beverly Hills, Mich. - 86-82--168
Sisi Hedges, Mulberry, Fla. - 86-83--169
Leslie Henry, Dallas, Texas - 89-80--169
Amy Dickison, Rowley, Mass. - 85-84--169
Dana Harrity, N Hampton, N.H. - 84-85--169
Marylou Henderson, Canada - 84-85--169
Mary Helen McElreath, Augusta, Ga. - 85-84--169
Ann Swanson, Seattle, Wash. - 85-85--170
Nancy Kromar, Austin, Texas - 86-84--170
Margaret Brady, Washington, D.C. - 92-78--170
Denise Kieffer, University Place, Wash. - 83-87--170
Vicki Thomas, Wales - 86-85--171
Christie Austin, Cherry Hills Village, Colo. - 87-84--171
Deborah Hughes, Denver, Colo. - 85-86--171
Lili McMillan, Orono, Minn. - 86-85--171
Danna King, Coto De Caza, Calif. - 87-85--172
Maureen Sheehan, Grayslake, Ill. - 88-84--172
Rita Albertson, Scottsdale, Ariz. - 87-85--172
Leslie Wilk, Agoura Hills, Calif. - 89-84--173
Sheila Dagucon, Sonoita, Ariz. - 87-86--173
Marie Miyashiro, Tucson, Ariz. - 89-84--173
Mary Flynn, Eden Prairie, Minn. - 85-89--174
Lindsey Noble, Fort Myers, Fla. - 94-81--175
Mary S Smith, Sheridan, Wyo. - 87-88--175
Carina Watkins, Baldwinsville, N.Y. - 86-89--175
Melanie McCaffery, Huntington Beach, Calif. - 91-86--177
Rebecca Montgelas, Darien, Conn. - 88-89--177
Arline Hoffman, Alexandria, Va. - 84-93--177
Kathy Malpass, Evergreen, Colo. - 94-83--177
Patsy Ehret, Stuart, Fla. - 89-89--178
Diane Barber, Burbank, Calif. - 95-84--179
Denise Martorana, Sag Harbor, N.Y. - 86-93--179
Patty Lang, Saegertown, Pa. - 97-83--180
Jo-Ann Lindsay, Edina, Minn. - 91-89--180
Sharon Hoffman, Lawrence, N.Y. - 94-86--180
Rae Higdon, Boonville, Ind. - 89-92--181
Keiki-Dawn Izumi, Kaneohe, Hawaii - 88-93--181
Bonnie Grizzard, North Palm Bch, Fla. - 89-93--182
Louise Matthews, St Louis, Mo. - 92-93--185
Lynn Keefe, Coppell, Texas - 94-93--187
Kathie Stevens, Milton, Mass. - 98-90--188
Judy Collins, Canada - 98-93--191
Keiko Kushida, Dundee, Ill. - 94-97--191
Kibbe Reilly, Providence, R.I. - 95-96--191
Laura Risher, Issaquah, Wash. - 99-105--204