Due to Hurricane Isaias, a full day of play was washed out for only the third time in U.S. Women’s Amateur history on Tuesday. But the competitors will return to Woodmont Country Club on Wednesday for Round 2.
Rachel Kuehn and Riley Smyth are tied for the lead at 4 under, with Maria Fernanda Escauriza, Rachel Heck and Megan Schofill one stroke back. Defending champion Gabriela Ruffels is off to a strong start in her title defense after an even-par 72. Two players – Siyun Liu and Bohyun Park – still have to complete the first round.
The focus now turns to making match play, as the 132-player field is reduced to the low 64 scorers after the second round. Because of the lost day, players will now go off the first and 10th tees in both a morning and afternoon wave.
Here are three things to know going into the final 18 holes of stroke play:
Weather Impact
The golf course absorbed 2.64 inches of rain on Tuesday morning from Hurricane Isaias, but outside of a downed tree branch on No. 11 and some standing water in a couple of bunkers, Woodmont emerged unscathed from the storm. Ryan Severidt, director of golf courses and grounds at Woodmont, led a maintenance team of 55 staff members and volunteer superintendents from nearby clubs to get the course prepared for Round 2.
According to championship director Shannon Rouillard, the course set-up team did not alter any plans for hole locations, but they did shift the placement of a few tees due to the soft conditions and less anticipated roll. The rough was not cut on Wednesday morning, putting an additional premium on keeping the ball in the fairway.
Scoring Opportunity
The greatest opportunity to score in Round 1 at Woodmont came on the outward nine. The stretch from Nos. 2 to 6 played as five of the seven-easiest holes on the course. It encompassed three of the four holes that played under par on Monday, yielding a combined one eagle and 114 birdies. No competitors took advantage of those holes more than Ela Anacona and Katherine Smith, both of whom played that span in 3 under par. If players hope to make the match-play cut, or improve their seeding, it will be important to play those five holes well on Wednesday.
Playoff Push
In most years, a playoff is needed to determine the final few spots of the match-play field. Though in 2019, for the first time in 22 years, exactly 64 players finished at 3 over or better, so extra play wasn’t needed. While no playoff survivor has ever gone on to win the Women’s Amateur, in 2017, 13-year-old Chia Yen Wu reached the semifinals after advancing through a playoff. Wu had the epic 30-hole quarterfinal victory over Lauren Stephenson, the longest 18-hole match in USGA history.
Some players currently outside the cut line through 18 holes include 2019 U.S. Women’s Open low amateur Gina Kim, 2019 U.S. Women’s Amateur co-medalist Alexa Pano and 2015 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur champion Lauren Greenlief, along with Auston Kim and Allisen Corpuz, who are both ranked in the top 25 of the World Amateur Golf Ranking™. The playoff, if needed, would take place immediately following the conclusion of stroke play on Wednesday.
Mike Trostel is the executive producer of content for the USGA. Email him at mtrostel@usga.org.
