NOBLESVILLE, Ind. – Dawn Woodard shot a 1-under 71 and sits atop the leader board following Saturday’s first round of stroke-play qualifying in the 2014 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship, being conducted at the 6,117-yard, par-72 Harbour Trees Golf Club.
Woodard, 40, of Greer, S.C., opened strong with two birdies in her first nine holes. Though she did not play as smoothly on the inward nine, carding three bogeys to two birdies, Woodard was pleased with her overall performance, the day’s only sub-par round.
I didn’t play superb by any means, but I didn’t make any mistakes, said Woodard, who holds the championship’s 18-hole scoring record with a 68 in 2005. It was a good, solid start. I was just looking for a good, consistent round, and that’s what I got.
Woodard also took advantage of her afternoon tee time, which featured sunny skies and moderate temperatures, leading to better scoring conditions. Players with morning rounds dealt with near-constant drizzle and swirling winds.
Conditions were perfect out there, said Woodard, who fell in the Round of 32 in 2013. (There was) a little bit of wind out there on the back nine, and it seemed to get a little stronger. I made more mistakes on the back than on the front.
Woodard took medalist honors in 2006, 2007 and 2012. Should she do so again on Sunday, she would join six-time USGA champion Ellen Port as the only four-time medalists in Women’s Mid-Amateur history. However, the savvy veteran knows that match play is where the championship will be decided.
These greens, every time you can get on them, you learn a little bit, said Woodard. You want to play a good, solid round of golf, but at the same time, I feel like I’m still using it for gathering information.
Defending U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur champion Julia Potter continued her strong championship play. Potter, 26, of Granger, Ind., carded an even-par72 and sits one stroke behind Woodard in solo second.
Potter, the director of marketing and women’s golf for the Indiana Golf Office, admitted to some nerves on the first tee when faced with defending her title on home soil. After an opening bogey amid the morning’s misty rain and swirling winds, Potter birdied the par-5 second hole to immediately regain her composure.
Luckily after the first few holes, I calmed myself down, said Potter, who ultimately returned an up-and-down round of four birdies and four bogeys. I just have to go out and hit some better approach shots, but I’ll take 72 with the conditions we were playing with this morning.
A trio of players is tied for third at 1-over 73, including 2013 runner-up Margaret Shirley, 28, of Atlanta.
I can’t complain about a 73, said Shirley, the manager of rules and competitions for Atlanta Junior Golf. The greens were much more receptive today than they were yesterday during the practice round. Having the rain actually helped with some things like that.
Shirley is joined at 73 by Mariko Makabe, 27, of Irvine, Calif., and Debbie Adams, 47, of Asheville, N.C. Makabe only recently returned to competitive golf after a two-year break in which she worked as a manager and translator for LPGA and JLPGA Tour player Momoko Ueda. Adams reached the Round of 16 in the 2013 Women’s Mid-Amateur, where she lost to Shirley in 19 holes.
Martha Leach, who won the 2009 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur, is one of three players tied for sixth at 2-over 74. Four-time U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur champion Meghan Stasi, 36, of Oakland Park, Fla., opened with a 5-over 77 and is tied for 18th.
The 2014 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship consists of 36 holes of stroke play followed by six rounds of match play. The championship is scheduled to conclude with an 18-hole final at 9 a.m. EDT on Thursday.
The U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur is one of 13 national championships conducted annually by the United States Golf Association, 10 of which are strictly for amateurs. It is open to female amateur golfers who are at least 25 years of age.
Results
NOBLESVILLE, Ind. – Results from the first round of stroke-play qualifying at the 2014 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship, being conducted at the 6,117-yard, par-72 Harbour Trees Golf Club:
Dawn Woodard, Greer, S.C. 34-37--71
Julia Potter, Granger, Ind. 37-35--72
Debbie Adams, Asheville, N.C. 36-37--73
Margaret Shirley, Atlanta, Ga. 35-38--73
Mariko Makabe, Irvine, Calif. 36-37--73
Lynne Cowan, Rocklin, Calif. 36-38--74
Martha Leach, Hebron, Ky. 37-37--74
Stacy Dennis, Huntsville, Texas 36-38--74
Glynnis Price, Shiprock, N.M. 38-37--75
Katie Miller, Jeannette, Pa. 39-36--75
Tara Joy-Connelly, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. 36-39--75
Connie Isler, Arlington, Va. 34-42--76
Daria Cummings, Monroe, Conn. 36-40--76
Mercedes Huarte, Argentina 39-37--76
Olivia Herrick, Roseville, Minn. 37-39--76
Shannon Langhardt, Lakewood, Colo. 39-37--76
Tobi Herron, Columbus, Ind. 36-40--76
Cara Stuckey, Terre Haute, Ind. 37-40--77
Kelly Wilson, Cameron Park, Calif. 36-41--77
Linda Jeffery, Abilene, Texas 40-37--77
Mallory Hetzel, Waynesville, N.C. 39-38--77
Meghan Stasi, Oakland Park, Fla. 37-40--77
Mina Hardin, La Quinta, Calif. 38-39--77
Sarah Matin, Winter Garden, Fla. 36-41--77
Shannon Johnson, Foxborough, Mass. 37-40--77
Amy Dickison, Rowley, Mass. 39-39--78
Charlotte Daughan, Orlando, Fla. 40-38--78
Kareen Markle, Meridian, Idaho 37-41--78
Kathy Crumley, Dallas, Texas 38-40--78
Kimberly Noonan, Austin, Texas 38-40--78
Lea Venable, Simpsonville, S.C. 39-39--78
Lynn Thompson, Cincinnati, Ohio 37-41--78
Alyssa Roland, New York, N.Y. 40-39--79
Christina Proteau, Canada 39-40--79
Midori Ishii, Torrance, Calif. 36-43--79
Patty Moore, Charlotte, N.C. 38-41--79
Sarah Davison, Choudrant, La. 41-38--79
Susan Rheney, Greensboro, Ga. 39-40--79
Suzi Spotleson, Canton, Ohio 39-40--79
Amanda Jacobs, Seattle, Wash. 38-42--80
Corey Weworski, Carlsbad, Calif. 42-38--80
Kristen Wagner, Atlantic Beach, Fla. 41-39--80
Leigh Klasse, St. Anthony, Minn. 38-42--80
Lisa Cook, Noblesville, Ind. 42-38--80
Patricia Cornett, Mill Valley, Calif. 38-42--80
Therese Quinn, Jacksonville, Fla. 39-41--80
Amy Loughney, Hoboken, N.J. 39-42--81
Brenda Pictor, Marietta, Ga. 38-43--81
Carrie Chambers, Dallas, Texas 40-41--81
Helene Thoman, Sylvania, Ohio 42-39--81
Jane Chin, Mission Viejo, Calif. 41-40--81
Jen Holland, Branford, Conn. 39-42--81
Julie Carmichael, Plainfield, Ind. 39-42--81
Kristen Obush, Greensburg, Pa. 38-43--81
Kristyl Sunderman, Corona, Calif. 37-44--81
Laura Coble, Augusta, Ga. 40-41--8
Liisa Kelo Escartin, Mexico 44-37--81
Lisa McGill, Philadelphia, Pa. 40-41--81
Lisa Schlesinger, Laytonsville, Md. 42-39--81
Wendi Golden, Bradenton, Fla. 40-41--81
Allison Mayborg, Cincinnati, Ohio 40-42--82
Andrea Kraus, Baltimore, Md. 41-41--82
Anita Venner, Monrovia, Md. 37-45--82
Cecilia Fournil, Columbia, S.C. 42-40--82
Courtney Tincher, Greenwich, Conn. 39-43--82
Julia Puscheck, Pismo Beach, Calif. 41-41--82
Leslie Folsom, Seattle, Wash. 41-41--82
Molly Gorman, Forty Fort, Pa. 42-40--82
Pamela Kuong, Wellesley Hills, Mass. 38-44--82
Renata Young, Walnut Creek, Calif. 39-43--82
Carol Martin, La Quinta, Calif. 42-41--83
Danielle Davis, Saint Simons, Ga. 40-43--83
Jamie Hoffmann, Escondido, Calif. 43-40--83
Joan Garety, Ada, Mich. 40-43--83
Julie Streng, Greensboro, N.C. 41-42--83
Katelynn Hogenson, Ames, Iowa 39-44--83
Kathy Kurata, Pasadena, Calif. 42-41--83
Katie O'Donnell, Dallas, Texas 39-44--83
Kay Daniel, Covington, La. 40-43--83
Kelly Loeb, Tucson, Ariz. 41-42--83
Kim Braaten, Las Vegas, Nev. 38-45--83
Laura Carson, Lake Forest, Ill. 41-42--83
Taffy Brower, Boynton Beach, Fla. 41-42--83
Toni Durr, Ada, Okla. 42-41--83
Anna Schultz, Rockwall, Texas 41-43--84
Audrey Akins, Canada 41-43--84
Blair Fraser, Boulder, Colo. 42-42--84
Brooke Cooper, New York, N.Y. 40-44--84
Claudia Pilot, Lake Shore, Minn. 39-45--84
Janet Moore, Cherry Hills Village, Colo. 38-46--84
Marykay Thanos-Zordani, Rancho Mirage, Calif. 43-41--84
Maureen Sheehan, Grayslake, Ill. 40-44--84
Stefi Markovich, Canada 40-44--84
Susan West, Tuscaloosa, Ala. 42-42--84
Eden Anderson, Oakland, Calif. 42-43--85
Linda Pearson, Glendale, Calif. 42-43--85
Noreen Mohler, Bethlehem, Pa. 42-43--85
Rachel Smith, Mansfield, Texas 40-45--85
Alisha Matthews, St Louis, Mo. 44-42--86
Carmen Titus, Kansas City, Mo. 43-43--86
Denise Desilet, Wichita, Kan. 43-43--86
Patti Feldman, Sands Point, N.Y. 43-43--86
Sue O'Connor, Scottsdale, Ariz. 39-47--86
Tanya Olson, Naperville, Ill. 43-43--86
Teresa Cleland, Syracuse, N.Y. 39-47--86
Ailam Newkirk, Corona Del Mar, Calif. 44-43--87
Anna Morales, Austin, Texas 42-45--87
Christie Austin, Denver, Colo. 42-45--87
Julie Murphy, Amherst, N.Y. 42-45--87
Laurie White, Carmel, N.Y. 43-44--87
Lindsey Hughes, Plano, Texas 41-46--87
Catherine Stypula, Boulder, Colo. 42-46--88
Meg Cavanaugh, Northbrook, Ill. 42-46--88
Dee Johnson, Perryville, Mo. 44-45--89
Maricel Manguinao, Somerset, N.J. 44-45--89
Angelia Whitley Coleman, New Castle, Del. 43-47--90
Cindy Morris, Portsmouth, Va. 47-43--90
Eleanor Layton, Rochester, Minn. 47-43--90
Jennifer Hays, Edmond, Okla. 45-45--90
Julie Robichaux, Kingwood, Texas 44-46--90
Marlene Summers, Montgomery, Texas 46-44--90
Ann Brownfield, Thiensville, Wis. 42-49--91
Char McLear, McHenry, Ill. 42-49--91
Deirdre Robertson, Iberia, Mo. 47-45--92
Donna Tepper, Grosse Pointe Park, Mich. 47-46--93
Lynn Fischer, Niwot, Colo. 49-45--94
Desiree Banlowe, Thousand Oaks, Calif. 44-51--95
Suzanne Stanley, Nashville, Tenn. 48-47--95
Toshiko Anan, San Gabriel, Calif. 45-52--97
Miki Gardner, Escondido, Calif. 47-51--98
Jill Johnson, Tulsa, Okla. WD
Jill Trider, Green Bay, Wis. DQ