U.S. WOMEN'S MID-AMATEUR

32nd U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur: Meet the Quarterfinalists

By Julia Pine, USGA

6 MIN READ | Sep 25, 2018 | ST. LOUIS, Mo.

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Gretchen Johnson (left) earned a hard-fought 1-up victory over Marissa Mar in the Round of 16. (USGA/Matt Sullivan)

U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur Home

Michelle Butler, 25, Columbia, Mo.
“I haven't played that many tournaments in a while, so the first two stroke-play days I was a little nervous, but once match play came around, I've just been so eager to get out here and play and compete.”

·        First time appearing in the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur

·        Played college golf at University of Missouri, where she graduated in 2016

·        Was second-team all-SEC in 2013

·        Works as a graduate assistant golf coach for Columbia College

·        Her mother, Wendy, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis when she was a baby. Michelle is her primary caregiver
- Road to the quarterfinals
  
  Shot 78-75—153 in stroke play
  
  Round of 64: Def. Olivia Herrick, 1 up
  
  Round of 32: Def. Ana Alicia Malagon, 2 and 1
  
  Round of 16: Def. Kayla Eckelkamp, 4 and 3
Kelsey Chugg, 27, Salt Lake City, Utah
“It was really an intense match, one of the most intense I’ve ever played.”

·        Won the 2017 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship

·        Played in the 2018 U.S. Women’s Open Championship (MC)

·        Qualified earlier this year for the 2019 U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Championship with Julia Potter-Bobb, whom she beat in the Round of 16 on Tuesday

·        Works as the membership director for the Utah State Golf Association

·        Played golf at Weber State University; graduated in 2013
- Road to the quarterfinals
  
  Shot 75-75—150 in stroke play
  
  Round of 64: Def. Hui Chong Dofflemyer, 3 and 2
  
  Round of 32: Def. Lauren Judson, 4 and 2
  
  Round of 16: Def. Julia Potter-Bobb, 19 holes
Clare Connolly, 25, Chevy Chase, Md.
“For being my first time here, I'm absolutely thrilled [to reach the quarterfinals]. After playing in the [U.S. Women’s] Am a couple weeks ago and being one of the oldest, it feels good to have the shoe on the other foot, to say the least.”

·        Appearing in first U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship

·        Works as a caddie at Congressional Country Club and Streamsong Resort

·        Playing in her second individual USGA championship, having missed the cut earlier this year in the 2018 U.S. Women’s Amateur

·        Played college golf at Saint Leo University
- Road to the quarterfinals
  
  Shot 76-73—149 in stroke play
  
  Round of 64: Def. Patricia Ehrhart, 8 and 7
  
  Round of 32: Def. Margaret Starosto, 5 and 4
  
  Round of 16: Def. Courtney McKim, 19 Holes
Lauren Greenlief, 28, Ashburn, Va.
“At the end of the day, it's one match and one hole at a time, and you just have to keep with that mentality.”

·        Became the youngest winner (25 years, 25 days) of the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur in 2015

·        Became the first mid-amateur since 2006 to advance to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Women’s Amateur in August

·        Works as a management consultant

·        Playing in her 20th USGA championship and fourth U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur

·        Has made match play in all four of her U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur appearances

·        Was a walk-on at the University of Virginia and earned three varsity letters from 2010-2012
- Road to the quarterfinals
  
  Shot 76-70—146 in stroke play
  
  Round of 64: Def. Kim Braaten, 4 and 3
  
  Round of 32: Def. Marilyn Hardy, 4 and 3
Julia Hodgson, 26, Canada
·        Competing in her second USGA championship

·        Made it to the Round of 32 in the 2017 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur

·        Graduated from the University of Memphis in 2013

·        Works as a buyer
- Road to the quarterfinals
  
  Shot 78-75—153 in stroke play
  
  Round of 64: Def. Christina Proteau, 19 Holes
  
  Round of 32: Def. Janet Moore, 1 up
  
  Round of 16: Def. Tara Joy-Connelly, 19 Holes
Gretchen Johnson, 32, Portland, Ore.
“It’s a great honor to make it this far. It’s such a strong field, this is the Super Bowl of mid-amateur golf, and I just want to continue to be here – take it shot by shot and see where it goes.”

·        Playing in her third straight U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship

·        Made match play for the second time this week, winning a match for the first time

·        Had competitor Amanda Jacobs (lost in Round of 64) on the bag for Rounds of 32 and 16. The two recently qualified for the 2019 U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Championship

·        Graduated from New York University in 2008

·        Didn’t start playing golf until the age of 22, when a college boyfriend introduced her to the game
- Road to the quarterfinals
  
  Shot 75-83—158 in stroke play
  
  Round of 64: Def. Katie Miller, 1 up
  
  Round of 32: Def. Sarah Davison, 6 and 5
  
  Round of 16: Def. Marissa Mar, 1 up
Shannon Johnson, 35, Norton, Mass.
“It's good preparation for the rest of the week to play someone like Ellen Port. I mean, every match is going to be a little bit tougher, and you've got to get in those situations to figure out what's going on.”

·        Earned medalist honors for the second time in three years. In 2016, she earned co-medalist honors with Julia Potter-Bobb, against whom she eventually lost in the final match

·        Playing in her fifth U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship. Her best finished occurred in 2016 in her final-match loss

·        Playing in her 14th USGA championship

·        Plays out of the same club, Thorny Lea Golf Club, as Matt Parziale, the 2017 U.S. Mid-Amateur champion

·        Works as a field sales representative for PING Golf

·        Plays ice hockey year-round in a coed league in Boston
- Road to the quarterfinals
  
  Shot 72-71—143 in stroke play to earn medalist honors
  
  Round of 64: Def. Brenda Pictor, 6 and 4
  
  Round of 32: Def. Ellen Port, 2 and 1
  
  Round of 16: Def. Jordan Craig-Nyiri, 6 and 5
Meghan Stasi, 40, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
“It's absolutely a great golf course. The greens are unbelievable. The course is in great shape. You really just have to hit good shots, and if you're putting well, then it's anyone's game.”

·        Has notched 48 career match-play victories at the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship, good for third all time

·        Has made match play in this championship 13 straight years and has won at least one match in each of those championships

·        Won the championship in 2006, 2007, 2010 and 2012. Her four victories match Ellen Port for the most all time.

·        Own the restaurant Shuck N Dive in Fort Lauderdale
- Road to the quarterfinals
  
  Shot 69-76—145 in stroke play
  
  Round of 64: Def. Allison Schultz, 4 and 3
  
  Round of 32: Def. Arielle Swan 3 and 2
  
  Round of 16: Def. Corey Weworski, 1 up

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