Defending US Senior Women's Amateur Champion

“The Creekie came back today,” said Creekmore, who recorded a 3-and-1 win over Marianne Springer, 60, of Wellington, Fla., at The Apawamis Club. “I didn’t play very well in the stroke-play rounds, but today I hit the ball well and sunk some long putts.”

Semple Thompson, 56, of Sewickley, Pa., a four-time champion of this event, won her match 6-and-4 against Barbara Pagana, 56, of Selinsgrove, Pa., who had won a playoff earlier on Monday to advance to match play.

“I played well,” said Semple Thompson. “I’m feeling more comfortable putting on these greens, although I think they are going to change as the week progresses.”

In the day’s most exciting match, Martha Lang, 52, of Mandeville, La., playing in her 48th USGA championship, found herself 2 down with two to play against Karen Mabli, 56, of Palos Verdes Estates, Calif., and in an almost unbelievable way, escaped with a 1-up victory in 20 holes.

Lang won the par-5 17th to cut Mabli’s lead in half, and then at the par-4 18th, with Mabli comfortably on the green in two, Lang holed her second shot from 120 yards for an eagle. Lang and Mabli matched pars on the 19th hole, and then Lang’s par on the 20th hole sent her into the round of 32 against Creekmore.

“I dug a deep hole for myself, but fortunately I was able to win,” said Lang, the 1998 Mid-Amateur Champion. “You just never know when it comes down to sudden death. I just live to play one more day.”

Two other matches went to extra holes, including Taffy Brower’s 1-up victory over Ann Probert, 66, of New Vernon, N.J. Brower, 60, of Boynton Beach, Fla., who had three-putted the 343-yard, par-4 first hole at the start of their match, eliminated Probert with a birdie on that same hole.

“I knew she was going to be tough,” said Brower. “I was just trying to stay in the moment, in the shot, do what I had to do.”

It also took 19 holes for Jill Christiansen, 57, of LaGrange, Ill., who is playing in her seventh Senior Championship, to overcome Patricia Cornett, 51, of Mill Valley, Calif. Cornett, returning to The Apawamis Club after her victorious 1978 Curtis Cup appearance, forced sudden death by making birdies on the 17th and 18th holes.

“This was my best game of the championship and I needed it against her,” said Christiansen.

The 1972 Women’s Amateur champion, 52-year-old Mary Budke, who is an emergency room physician from Eugene, Ore., advanced to the round of 32 with a 4-and-3 victory over Nancy Richardson, 57, of Georgetown, Mass.

Two past Senior Amateur champions made early exits. Jean Smith, 64, of Eagle, Idaho, who won in 1995, lost her first-round match to Nancy Smith, 58, of North Port, Fla., 2 and 1.

Four-time USGA Champion Marlene Streit, 71, of Cereal, Alberta, Canada, lost to 50-year-old Alison Reifers of Dublin, Ohio. Reifers pulled out the 2-up victory on the 18th hole and said Streit played tough all day.

“To play with an amateur competitor of Marlene’s stature was a thrill for me, “ said Reifers. “She never let up on me and I had a tough time closing her out.”

The Senior Women’s Amateur is one 13 national championships conducted annually by the United States Golf Association, 10 of which are strictly for amateurs.

Match Play Results

Rye, N.Y. – Scores for golfers completing in the round of 64 at the USGA Senior Women’s Amateur Championship, played at the 5,796-yard, par 36-36-72 Apawamis Club:

Round -- (Round of 64)

Carol Semple Thompson, Sewickley, Pa. def. Barbara Pagana, Selinsgrove, Pa. 6 and 4

Nancy Smith, North Port, Fla. def. Jean Smith, Eagle, Idaho 2 and 1

Chris Spivey, Pell City, Ala. def. Barbara Schmid, Grand Rapids, Mich. 4 and 3

Karen Ferree, Hilton Head, S.C. def. Jean Mowry, Webster City, Iowa 6 and 4

Toni Wiesner, Fort Worth, Texas def. Anna Schultz, Richardson, Texas 2 and 1

Marianne Towersey, Pebble Beach, Calif. def. Rae Higdon, Boonville, Ind. 2 and 1

Patty Moore, Charlotte, N.C. def. Ena Harvey, Greensboro, Ga. 4 and 3

Barbara Berkmeyer, St Louis, Mo. def. Mary Gale, Worcester, Mass. 4 and 3

Robin Donnelley, Lake Forest, Ill. def. Ginny Orthwein, St Louis, Mo. 4 and 2

Marcia Fisher, Canby, Ore. def. Robyn Puckett, Irvine, Calif. 4 and 2

Sheila Dagucon, Gaithersburg, Md. def. Roberta Hunt, N Attleboro, Mass. 5 and 4

Mary Budke, Eugene, Ore. def. Karen Richardson, Georgetown, Mass. 4 and 3

Ginny Burkey, Fircrest, Wash. def. Barbara Byrnes, Mesa, Ariz. 7 and 5

Cheryl Damphouse, Canada def. Jo-Ann Lindsay, Edina, Minn. 5 and 4

Cecilia Mourgue D'Algue, France def. Anne Zahn, Minnetonka Beach, Minn. 3 and 2

Alison Reifers, Dublin, Ohio def. Marlene Streit, Canada 2 up

Therese Quinn, Jacksonville, Fla. def. Jackie Rosart, Canada 3 and 1

Cheryl Brayman, East Hills, N.Y. def. Angela Stewart, Greenville, N.C. 2 up

Annette Gaiotti, Marstons Mills, Mass. def. Emily Harnden, Portland, Ore. 1 up

Jill Christiansen, Lagrange, Ill. def. Patricia Cornett, Mill Valley, Calif. 19 holes

Taffy Brower, Boynton Beach, Fla. def. Ann Probert, New Vernon, N.J. 19 holes

Reggie Parker, Hobe Sound, Fla. def. Connie Shorb, York, Pa. 1 up

Ashley Rose, Vienna, Va. def. Natalie Easterly, Richmond, Va. 2 and 1

Cynthia Friend, Lexington, Mass. def. Deborah Jamgochian, Greenwich, Conn. 5 and 4

Diane Lang, Weston, Fla. def. Lida Tingley, West Hartford, Conn. 3 and 2

Marsha Butler, San Diego, Calif. def. Barbara Hulke, Basking Ridge, N.J. 2 and 1

Boodie McGurn, Richmond, Va. def. Barbara Paonessa, New Rochelle, N.Y. 2 and 1

Sandy Woodruff, Santa Cruz, Calif. def. Linda Reese, Richmond, Calif. 3 and 2

Martha Lang, Mandeville, La. def. Karen Mabli, Palos Verdes Estates, Calif. 20 holes

Carolyn Creekmore, Dallas, Texas def. Marianne Springer, Wellington, Fla. 3 and 1

Sharon Baerenklau, Heathrow, Fla. def. Diane Henry, Richmond, Texas 5 and 3

Elizabeth Haines, Gladwyne, Pa. def. Carole Jones, Hillsborough, N.C. 3 and 2

Match Play Pairings

Rye, N.Y. - Pairings for the round of 32 to be played on Tuesday, September 20 in the USGA Senior Women’s Amateur Championship, at the 5,796-yard, par 36-36—72, Apawamis Club (all times are EDT):

Round -- (Round of 32)

8 a.m. Carol Semple Thompson, Sewickley, Pa. vs. Nancy Smith, North Port, Fla.

8:09 a.m. Chris Spivey, Pell City, Ala. vs. Karen Ferree, Hilton Head, S.C.

8:18 a.m. Toni Wiesner, Ft. Worth, Tex. vs. Marianne Towersey, Pebble Beach, Calif.

8:27 a.m. Patty Moore, Charlotte, N.C. vs. Barbara Berkmeyer, St Louis, Mo.

8:36 a.m. Robin Donnelley, Lake Forest, Ill. vs. Marcia Fisher, Canby, Ore.

8:45 a.m. Sheila Dagucon, Gaithersburg, Md. vs. Mary Budke, Eugene, Ore.

8:54 a.m. Ginny Burkey, Fircrest, Wash. vs. Cheryl Damphouse, Canada

9:03 a.m. Cecilia Mourgue D'Algue, France vs. Alison Reifers, Dublin, Ohio

9:12 a.m. Therese Quinn, Jacksonville, Fla. vs. Cheryl Brayman, East Hills, N.Y.

9:21 a.m. Annette Gaiotti, Marstons Mills, Mass. vs. Jill Christiansen, Lagrange, Ill.

9:30 a.m. Taffy Brower, Boynton Beach, Fla. vs. Reggie Parker, Hobe Sound, Fla.

9:39 a.m. Ashley Rose, Vienna, Va. vs. Cynthia Friend, Lexington, Mass.

9:48 a.m. Diane Lang, Weston, Fla. vs. Marsha Butler, San Diego, Calif.

9:57 a.m. Boodie McGurn, Richmond, Va. vs. Sandy Woodruff, Santa Cruz, Calif.

10:06 a.m. Martha Lang, Mandeville, La. vs. Carolyn Creekmore, Dallas, Texas

10:15 a.m. Sharon Baerenklau, Heathrow, Fla. vs. Elizabeth Haines, Gladwyne, Pa.