Five Florida women have advanced to the first round of match play at the US Senior Women’s Amateur Championship. Round of 64 Matches will begin Monday morning with the lead match including Florida’s very own Mary Jane Hiestand of Naples. Hiestand was exempt for this year’s Championship after making it to the semi-finals in 2011.
Three-time US Senior Women’s Amateur champion, Diane Lang, also advanced to match play and was in contention for being medalist. She finished third after the 36 holes of stroke play qualifying with rounds of 74-78-152. Lang expressed to USGA Media, "It’s coming together for the first time in four years, it’s a very interesting [leader] board. There are tons of great players at 162 or 163. Every match could be a tough match. I am going to prepare myself for that.” She will play fellow Florida competitor Lynda Case. Case is the 2012 FSGA Senior Women’s Amateur Champion. Both Lang and Case recently represented Florida in the Women’s Southeastern Challenge Matches where they were undefeated and helped lead Florida to a victory. Hiestand was also part of the 2012 championship team.
Taffy Brower, of Boynton Beach, also advanced to match play after shooting 79-74-153 in qualifying. As fifth seed, Brower will play sixtieth seed, Susan Beaupied of North Carolina, during Monday’s matches. Brower is a 17 time participant and three time quarter-finalist of the US Senior Women’s Amateur Championship.
With rounds of 84-77-161, Therese Quinn of Jacksonville has also qualified for match play, and will play Annette Gaiotti of Utah during Monday’s Round of 64 Matches. Quinn has had a successful summer season finishing second at the FSGA Senior Women’s Amateur Championship with rounds of 77-72-149.
The following players qualified for the Championship but failed to make match play:
Lin McMillan, Palm Coast - 82-85-167
Nancy Smith, North Port - 79-88-167
Sarah Phillips-Durst, Tallahassee - 83-87-170
Diane Bohl, Kissimmee - 85-86-171
The starting field of 132 players will play two rounds of stroke play Sept. 8-9, with the low 64 scorers advancing to match play. The schedule is as follows:
Sept. 8 (Saturday) – First round of stroke play
Sept. 9 (Sunday) – Second round of stroke play
Sept. 10 (Monday) – First round of match play
Sept. 11 (Tuesday) – Second and third rounds of match play
Sept. 12 (Wednesday) – Quarterfinals and semifinals, match play
Sept. 13 (Thursday) – Championship match
Hershey Country Club (West Course) will be set up at 6,220/6,147 yards and will play to a par of 37-37—74. The 2012 USGA Senior Women’s Amateur will be the first USGA competition conducted at Hershey Country Club. The USGA Senior Women’s Amateur Championship is open to female amateurs who have reached their 50th birthday by Sept. 8 and who have a USGA Handicap Index not exceeding 18.4.
Click here to view tee times, pairings, and results at USGA.org.
