Wichita, Kan. – Twenty-six-year-old Alexandra Casi of East Palestine, Ohio, shot even-par 72 Saturday to take the early first-round stroke-play lead in the weather-delayed 24th U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship at the 6,209-yard Wichita Country Club course.
Half of the 132-player field had afternoon tee times but endured a 2-hour 16-minute weather delay. Thirty-nine players were still on the course when play was suspended due to darkness at 7:25 p.m. after a heavy rainstorm saturated the course in some places. Play resumed at 8 a.m. CDT, with the second round starting on time.
Casi may have bolted to the lead, but she had close pursuers. Three-time Women's Mid-Amateur champion Ellen Port, 49, of St. Louis, two-time winner Meghan Stasi (formerly Meghan Bolger), 32, of Oakland Park, Fla., and Pamela Kuong, 49, of Wellesley, Mass., trailed Casi by one stroke.
Tanis Hastmann, 27, of Canada, Jennifer Lucas, 29, of Knoxville, Tenn., and Carol Robertson, 27, of Virginia Beach, Va., carded 74s; and six players came in with 75s.
Stasi was in the first group of the afternoon wave to finish. She waited out the afternoon suspension by watching college football.
We’ve all been there, and you just have to get yourself mentally prepared for how you need to get back out there, said Stasi, who missed only two fairways, both after the suspension of play.
Playing in just her third USGA championship, Casi started ominously by duck-hooking her first drive on No. 1, which led to a bogey. She quickly gained back the stroke and more with a 40-foot birdie putt on the second hole and another birdie on No. 3.
I just tried to minimize mistakes on the greens because I think that's the hardest thing out there, said Casi, who will turn professional immediately after the championship and play some mini-tour events before preparing for next year's Futures Tour qualifying tournament.
Casi is nothing short of being well-rounded. She’s dabbled as a pianist (mastering Beethoven's Sonata Pathetique in C Minor Opposition No. 13 when she was 12), began competitive golf at 14, took gymnastics, became a table tennis prodigy (beating one of Japan's highest-ranked players in a 33-point handicap division) and ran track at Youngstown State University, which ultimately stoked her competitive juices to try two triathlons. And, oh, she runs 30 miles a week.
I can’t sit still, said Casi laughing. The only bad thing about qualifying for this is that I can’t compete in a women’s triathlon in Akron [Ohio].
Casi, who failed to qualify for match play at the 2005 and ’08 U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links, simply grinded her way around the course with caddie-boyfriend Paul Wackerly alongside. She consistently burned edges of holes and hovered around one over par most of the sunny and warm day.
Lucas stayed close by taking what the course offered. She had two birdies, both of which were inside 10 feet, on Nos. 5 and 11. The birdie on No. 5 was the more rewarding of the two after she blocked her drive right before using a 6-iron to stick her approach shot within 4 feet.
She credited her caddie-husband, Ryan, for her stellar play.
I can’t play without him, said Lucas, who lost in the second round of match play last year. He knows my game, knows at what points to go for it and he knows exactly what to say to get me motivated.
Mohler, 56, of Bethlehem, Pa., the 2010 USA Curtis Cup captain, turned in a 4-over 76 but affirmed that it felt more like a 72 because of the length of the course. She came out of the chute missing makeable birdie putts on the first and second holes.
I thought I hung in there, said Mohler, who three-putted once during her round.
The key to solving the course, she added, could be traced to the greens.
You really have to putt well. You really do. It’s all about feeling and all about the speed, she said.
Defending champion Martha Leach, 48, of Hebron, Ky., who has played in all but one U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur, had difficulty with her ball-striking on the way to a 13-over 85. Leach took the disappointing round in stride saying, I played like a chumpion and not a champion.
She refused to blame the William H. Diddel design. Leach, sister to six-time USGA champion Hollis Stacy, sprayed the ball most of the round, causing her to wonder where the next shot would go.
It was not because of nerves, she said. I’m sensing there’s pressure, but I just want to play well. I haven’t been playing well.
After the second round of stroke play concludes Sunday evening, the field will be reduced to 64 players for match play. The first round of match play is scheduled for Monday, followed by the second and third rounds on Tuesday. The quarterfinals and semifinals are scheduled for Wednesday, and the 18-hole final will take place Thursday.
The U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur is one of 13 championships conducted annually by the United States Golf Association each year, 10 of which are strictly for amateurs.
Story written by Ken Klavon, web editor for the USGA. E-mail him with questions or comments at kklavon@usga.org.
Results
Wichita, Kan. – The following are results from the first round of the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur stroke-play qualifying, which is being held at the 6,209-yard par-72 Wichita Country Club course. Play was completed Sunday morning after the first round was suspended Saturday due to darkness.
Alexandra Casi, East Palestine, Ohio - 37-35--72
Pamela Kuong, Wellesley Hills, Mass. - 35-38--73
Meghan Stasi, Oakland Park, Fla. - 38-35--73
Ellen Port, St Louis, Mo. - 36-37--73
Jennifer Lucas, Knoxville, Tenn. - 36-38--74
Tanis Hastmann, Canada - 36-38--74
Carol Robertson, Virginia Beach, Va. - 36-38--74
Katy Treadwell, Oklahoma City, Okla. - 36-39--75
Leslie Folsom, Seattle, Wash. - 39-36--75
Marilyn Hardy, Houston, Texas - 37-38--75
Martha Linscott, Kansas City, Mo. - 37-38--75
Dawn Woodard, Greer, S.C. - 36-39--75
Kelly Wilson, Cameron Park, Calif. - 38-37--75
Lea Venable, Simpsonville, S.C. - 38-37--75
Noreen Mohler, Bethlehem, Pa. - 36-40--76
Karen Garcia, Cool, Calif. - 38-38--76
Kerry Postillion, Scottsdale, Ariz. - 39-37--76
Sydney Wells, Menominee, Mich. - 37-39--76
Meredith Chiampa, New York, N.Y. - 40-36--76
Patti Hogeboom, Canada - 38-38--76
Robin Burke, Houston, Texas - 38-38--76
Patty Moore, Charlotte, N.C. - 39-38--77
Shannon Hare-Rouillard, Bernardsville, N.J. - 39-38--77
Debbie Adams, Asheville, N.C. - 37-40--77
Sharon Park, Irvine, Calif. - 38-39--77
Leigh Klasse, St Anthony, Minn. - 37-40--77
Lisa McGill, Philadelphia, Pa. - 40-37--77
Tara Joy-Connelly, Pembroke, Mass. - 37-40--77
Holly Bare, Clovis, Calif. - 41-37--78
Mina Hardin, Ft Worth, Texas - 40-38--78
Mimi Hoffman, Alexandria, Va. - 40-38--78
Carolyn Creekmore, Dallas, Texas - 41-37--78
Lisa Schlesinger, Laytonsville, Md. - 36-42--78
Janet Moore, Greenwood Village, Colo. - 38-40--78
Candus Herrera, Apple Valley, Calif. - 35-43--78
Akemi Khaiat, Japan - 37-41--78
Judy Miller, Tucson, Ariz. - 38-41--79
Sasha Adams, Portland, Ore. - 41-38--79
Laura Coble, Augusta, Ga. - 40-39--79
Kathy Hartwiger, Birmingham, Ala. - 38-41--79
Thuhashini Selvaratnam, Sri Lanka - 37-42--79
Lynne Cowan, Davis, Calif. - 39-40--79
Tobi Herron, Columbus, Ind. - 38-41--79
Joan Higgins, Glendora, Calif. - 41-39--80
Abbey Reif-Hornsby, Springboro, Ohio - 39-41--80
Marlene Summers, Montgomery, Texas - 39-41--80
Tanna Richard, Fort Smith, Ark. - 42-38--80
Claudia Pilot, Austin, Minn. - 40-40--80
Wendi Golden, Bradenton, Fla. - 39-41--80
Shirley Trier, Hartville, Ohio - 38-42--80
Kim Eaton, Greeley, Colo. - 39-41--80
Mary Jane Hiestand, Naples, Fla. - 39-41--80
Kay Daniel, Covington, La. - 38-42--80
Erica Pressley, Selma, Texas - 43-37--80
Sherry Herman, Farmingdale, N.J. - 39-41--80
Kathy Glennon, St Albans, Mo. - 39-41--80
Jennifer Lochhead, Canada - 42-38--80
Linda Jeffery, Abilene, Texas - 42-39--81
Corey Weworski, Carlsbad, Calif. - 40-41--81
Tanya Olson, Naperville, Ill. - 40-41--81
Janice Roberts Wilson, Dade City, Fla. - 41-40--81
Brenda Kuehn, Asheville, N.C. - 42-39--81
Linda Pearson, Glendale, Calif. - 43-38--81
Samantha Bartron, Boulder, Colo. - 41-40--81
Julie Streng, Greensboro, N.C. - 41-40--81
Diane Lang, Jamaica - 42-39--81
Lisa Walker, Vista, Calif. - 40-41--81
Mary Kay Thanos-Zordani, Chicago, Ill. - 37-44--81
Linda Weinstein, Northbrook, Ill. - 42-40--82
Frances Gacos, Flemington, N.J. - 43-39--82
Corina Cetateanu, New York, N.Y. - 41-41--82
Camille Clay, Austin, Texas - 40-42--82
Brooke Williams, Fort Worth, Texas - 42-40--82
Julie Massa, Holt, Mich. - 41-41--82
Amber Marsh Elliott, Greensboro, N.C. - 39-43--82
Diane Irvin, Pacific Palisades, Calif. - 39-43--82
Lynn Simmons, Phoenix, Ariz. - 44-39--83
Rebecca Thomas, Wichita, Kan. - 45-38--83
Shannon Lutynski, Castle Rock, Colo. - 43-40--83
Alexandra Frazier, Haverford, Pa. - 42-41--83
Brenda Pictor, Marietta, Ga. - 42-41--83
Shannon Ogg, Alexandria, Va. - 41-42--83
Kareen Markle, Meridian, Idaho - 40-43--83
Thidarat Suangtho, Thailand - 40-43--83
Kathy Kurata, Pasadena, Calif. - 41-42--83
Lacy Shelton, Overland Park, Kan. - 42-42--84
Christie Austin, Cherry Hills Village, Colo. - 39-45--84
Lea Anne Brown, Mt Pleasant, S.C. - 42-42--84
Susan West, Tuscaloosa, Ala. - 47-37--84
Julie Carmichael, Indianapolis, Ind. - 44-40--84
Carol Martin, Irving, Texas - 40-44--84
Stacey Arnold, Westminster, Colo. - 43-41--84
Marianne Towersey, Pebble Beach, Calif. - 42-42--84
Alicia A Kapheim, Pennington, N.J. - 45-39--84
Frannie Avila, Santa Barbara, Calif. - 40-44--84
Martha Leach, Hebron, Ky. - 42-43--85
Brenda Williams, Minnetrista, Minn. - 41-44--85
Debra Mielke, Mckinney, Texas - 41-44--85
Michelle Griffith, Lagrange, Ga. - 44-41--85
Robin Donnelley, Palm Beach, Fla. - 42-43--85
Adrienne Gill, Jersey City, N.J. - 40-45--85
Maggie Leef, Brookfield, Wis. - 44-41--85
Kim Keyer-Scott, Bonita Springs, Fla. - 41-44--85
Rosalie Kubesheski, Dubuque, Iowa - 45-40--85
Barbara Byrnes, Mesa, Ariz. - 43-43--86
Jennifer Delgadillo, El Paso, Texas - 45-41--86
Julie Oxendine, Russellville, Ark. - 44-42--86
Corrie Tayman, Bethesda, Md. - 42-44--86
Karla Murra, Sioux Falls, S.D. - 43-44--87
Daria Cummings, Monroe, Conn. - 46-41--87
Annette Gaiotti, Salt Lake City, Utah - 41-46--87
Patricia Cornett, Mill Valley, Calif. - 44-43--87
Natalie McNicholas, Naples, Fla. - 42-45--87
Deborah Jamgochian, Greenwich, Conn. - 43-44--87
Lenore Martinez, Kensington, Md. - 43-44--87
Debbie Johnson, Stamford, Conn. - 45-42--87
Susan Rheney, Greensboro, Ga. - 41-46--87
Sherry Smith, Irvine, Calif. - 39-49--88
Cynthia Friend, Lexington, Mass. - 42-46--88
Andrea Kraus, Baltimore, Md. - 43-45--88
Kelly Loeb, Tucson, Ariz. - 46-43--89
Christina Steffen, Amelia Island, Fla. - 44-45--89
Suzanne Kenkel, Dallas, Texas - 47-42--89
Olivia Slutzky, Newport Beach, Calif. - 47-42--89
Martha Redfearn, Newport Beach, Calif. - 44-45--89
Teresa Cleland, Syracuse, N.Y. - 47-42--89
Phara Blair, Tualatin, Ore. - 44-45--89
Jennie Robinson, La Quinta, Calif. - 45-45--90
Jewell Malick, Rockwall, Texas - 43-47--90
Karla M Sauerwein, O'Fallon, Mo. - 48-45--93
Geri Deville, La Habra, Calif. - 46-50--96
Debra Myers, Seattle, Wash. - 45-54--99