Maddison Pressel
PONTE VEDRA, FL (June 23, 2011) -- In what might be considered an upset in the morning matches at the Women’s WesternGolf Association’s 111th National Amateur Championship at Sawgrass Country Club inPonte Vedra Beach, Florida, 2nd Seed Meaghan Stasi, the Co-Medalist in the two day 36-holeQualifying Round, lost to Marina Alex, Wayne, NJ. Alex is an incoming Senior at VanderbiltUniversity who won the 2010 SEC Championship and was named as a Honorable Mentionon Golfweek’s 2011 College All American List. Stasi, a 2000 graduate of TulaneUniversity, is a 3 time winner of the USGA Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship andplayed on the 2008 Curtis Cup team. Possibly the 12 year age difference and the hot, humidand smoky playing conditions caught up with Stasi who had recorded scores of 70 and 68 inher qualifying rounds on the Par 71, 6,181 yard Sawgrass East and West course set up. Stasitook an early lead and was up by 2 after the 7th hole. She lost 4 straight holes making hertwo down after the 11th. She won the 14th and 15th to make it even, but bogeyed the 18thhole to lose the match.
The first match of the day ended quickly for Madison Pressel, Boca Raton. FL. Shedefeated Ashley Edwards, Oakley, CA, who plays on the University of Oregon golf team, 7and 6. That gave Pressel time to rest before her afternoon match against Kyle Roig,Pembroke Pines, FL, an incoming Freshman at the University of California (Los Angeles).Roig, the Winner of the 2010 Harder Hall Invitational, defeated University of Kentucky’sBetsie Johnson, Nicolasville, KY, 1 up.
Other winners include Katie Burnett, Brunswick, GA, who defeated Melanie (MJ)Audette, Lakeland, FL, 2 & 1. Burnett is on a roll having won the Women’s EasternChampionship last week at the Yeamans Hall Club in Charleston, South Carolina. Burnettwill face Julie Yang, Mesa, AZ, who earlier defeated Emily Wright, Mason, OH, anincoming Freshman at Wake Forest University. In the battle of the University of Virginiateammates, Brittany Altomare, Shrewsbury, MA, defeated Calle Nielson, Nashville, TN,2 and 1. Altomare will face Jackie Chang, Paradise Valley, AZ, who plays for the Universityof North Carolina, in an all ACC match. Chang defeated Marissa Steen, West Chester,OH and the University of Memphis, 2 and 1.
In other Flight matches, 16 year old Mia Zanghetti, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL, lost toAubrie Nelson, Edina, MN, a member of the University of Minnesota golf team in theSecond Flight.3 and2. Jacksonville Resident Brigitte Baker, who attends the University ofHawaii, lost her Fourth Flight match to Tori Stock, Woodstock, IL, who also attends theUniversity of Minnesota, 1 up. In the Fifth Flight final, Ashley Evanich, a MethodistUniversity graduate now living and working in Ponte Vedra Beach, defeated Kelsey Hughes,also of Ponte Vedra Beach, 1 up.
After the morning matches ended, 16 players remained in Championship Flight.Play started at 2:00 pm and all eight matches were in process when play was interrupted bythunder and lightning at 4:40 pm. Play resumed at 7:30 p.m . Unfinished matches willstart at 7:00 am Friday Morning. Semifinal matches for First through Fourth Flights willstart at 7:30 am with Championship Flight Quarterfinals scheduled to be begin at 8:50 am. Ifthere are no more weather delays, the First Flight Final will begin at 1:00 pm and theChampionship Flight Semifinals will began 1:45 pm.
During the qualifying rounds, the WWGA offers two additional competitions for theplayers to participate in. The first, The Augustus Maschmeyer Cup, is awarded to fourplayers from the same state or foreign country with the lowest combined gross score from the36-hole qualifying round. This year the winner is the state of Florida, whose team includesMadison Pressel, Boca Raton (138); Meaghan Stasi. Oakland Park (138); Victoria Tanco,Bradenton (139); and Victoria Trapani, Hollywood (142).
Also given out is the Derby Cup which is awarded to a two-player team from the sameMember club having the lowest combined gross score for the 36-hole qualifying round.This year’s winner was IMG Academies Golf &Country Club (Florida) which was led byVictoria Tanco (139) and So Young Hwang (145), both of Bradenton. Both Trophy winnerswill be presented at the Awards Presentation scheduled for Friday afternoon after all themorning and afternoon matches will be completed.
The only match that will remain after tomorrow will be Saturday’s 36-hole Finalwhich will start at 7:30 and will have an approximately 45 minute break between the rounds.The public is welcome to come watch some great golf at no charge.
ABOUT THE Women's Western Amateur
The The Western Golf Association (WGA) has
partnered with the Women’s Western Golf
Association to administer the
Women’s Western Amateur. Held without interruption
since 1901, this event is one of the
oldest annual championships in women’s amateur
golf. The list of past champions includes
current stars and legends of the LPGA TOUR,
including Ariya Jutanugarn (2012), Stacy Lewis
(2006), Brittany Lang (2003), Grace Park (1998),
Cristie Kerr (1995) and Nancy Lopez (1976).
The Women's Western Amateur is open to amateur
women who have an up-to-date 18-hole
handicap index
that does not exceed 5.4 under the World Handicap
System. The WWGA Committee limits the
field to a
maximum of 120 contestants.
The championship begins with 36 holes of stroke-
play qualifying, after which the field is cut to
the low 32
players for match play. In the event of a tie for the
32nd position, a sudden-elimination playoff
will determine
the final match play qualifiers. Five rounds of 18-hole
matches will decide the Women's
Western Amateur
champion.
View Complete Tournament Information