Defending Champion
RYE, NY (September 20, 2005) -- “I played much better in my afternoon match,” said Semple Thompson, 56, of Sewickley, Penn., who advanced 3-and-2 over Karen Ferree of Hilton Head, S.C.
The match was all-square through seven holes, when Semple Thompson went 1-up on the eighth and never looked back. A birdie on the par 4, 340-yard 14th hole took her to 2-up and she secured the match with a decisive par on the 16th and final hole.
In the rematch of last year’s final, Carolyn Creekmore of Dallas, Texas, defeated Liz Haines, 57, Gladwyne, Pa., 4-and-2.
“We were leaking oil,” said Creekmore. “This match was really a toss-up.”
The afternoon round was plagued by a brief rain shower, which changed the condition of the greens for the competitors.
“There really aren’t any simple putts on this golf course,” said Creekmore.
Robin Donnelly and Mary Budke, both 52, battled it out all afternoon, going back and forth until the 18th green.
“I was a bit shaky at first,” said Donnelly of Lake Forest, Ill. “But I started hitting my irons really well.”
Budke of Eugene, Oregon, chipped in on the fifth hole, but Donnelly answered with a 30 foot uphill putt to halve the hole.
“Both of us missed our fair share of putts,” said Donnelly, “but they went in for me when it counted.”
In a match-up pitting Senior Amateur first-timers, Diane Lang, 50, of Weston, Fla., outlasted Betts “Boodie” McGurn, 1-up, to move to the next round. It was a tight match from the start, with Lang never leading by more than two. They halved 11 holes and needed an extra to decide a winner.
“Today’s matches were two of the toughest I ever played,” said Lang. “That’s a bulldog…a pitbull even,” referring to McGurn, 51, of Richmond, Va.
Annette Gaiotti, 52, a nurse from Marston Mills, Mass., defeated Cheryl Brayman of East Hills, N.Y., 1-up.
“The course played totally different this afternoon from this morning,” Giotti said. “The greens were fast this morning and slow this afternoon…we were leaving a lot of putts short.”
Cecilia Mourge D’Algue of France defeated Ginny Burkey, 50, of Fircrest, Wash., 1-up.
Reggie Parker, 59, who grew up in Rye near The Apawamis Club and now calls Hobe Sound, Fla., home, defeated Cynthia Friend, a professor of chemistry at Harvard, 2-and-1. This was the first USGA championship appearance for Friend, 50, of Lexington, Mass.
“It was not my best effort of golf,” said Parker, “but I made some good recovery shots. Happy holidays….there were Christmas presents all over the place.”
“Cynthia is so steady and a great competitor,” Parker added. “She hits a lovely ball.”
Rye, NY – Following are match play results from the rounds of 16 and 32 at the USGA Senior Women’s Amateur Championship, played at the 5,796-yard, par 36-36—72, Apawamis Club:
Match Play Results Round of 16
Carol Semple Thompson, Sewickley, Pa. def. Karen Ferree, Hilton Head, S.C. 3 and 2
Marianne Towersey, Pebble Beach, Calif. def. Barbara Berkmeyer, St Louis, Mo. 5 and 4
Robin Donnelley, Lake Forest, Ill. def. Mary Budke, Eugene, Ore. 1 up
Cecilia Mourgue D'Algue, France def. Ginny Burkey, Fircrest, Wash. 1 up
Annette Gaiotti, Marstons Mills, Mass. def. Cheryl Brayman, East Hills, N.Y. 1 up
Reggie Parker, Hobe Sound, Fla. def. Cynthia Friend, Lexington, Mass. 2 and 1
Diane Lang, Weston, Fla. def. Boodie McGurn, Richmond, Va. 19 holes
Carolyn Creekmore, Dallas, Texas def. Elizabeth Haines, Gladwyne, Pa. 4 and 2
Match Play Results Round of 32
Carol Semple Thompson, Sewickley, Pa. def. Nancy Smith, North Port, Fla. 1 up
Karen Ferree, Hilton Head, S.C. def. Chris Spivey, Pell City, Ala. 7 and 6
Marianne Towersey, Pebble Beach, Calif. def. Toni Wiesner, Fort Worth, Texas 2 and 1
Barbara Berkmeyer, St Louis, Mo. def. Patty Moore, Charlotte, N.C. 1 up
Robin Donnelley, Lake Forest, Ill. def. Marcia Fisher, Canby, Ore. 3 and 2
Mary Budke, Eugene, Ore. def. Sheila Dagucon, Gaithersburg, Md. 1 up
Ginny Burkey, Fircrest, Wash. def. Cheryl Damphouse, Canada 1 up
Cecilia Mourgue D'Algue, France def. Alison Reifers, Dublin, Ohio 19 holes
Cheryl Brayman, East Hills, N.Y. def. Therese Quinn, Jacksonville, Fla. 4 and 3
Annette Gaiotti, Marstons Mills, Mass. def. Jill Christiansen, Lagrange, Ill. 6 and 5
Reggie Parker, Hobe Sound, Fla. def. Taffy Brower, Boynton Beach, Fla. 3 and 2
Cynthia Friend, Lexington, Mass. def. Ashley Rose, Vienna, Va. 4 and 3
Diane Lang, Weston, Fla. def. Marsha Butler, San Diego, Calif. 2 and 1
Boodie McGurn, Richmond, Va. def. Sandy Woodruff, Santa Cruz, Calif. 19 holes
Carolyn Creekmore, Dallas, Texas def. Martha Lang, Mandeville, La. 1 up
Elizabeth Haines, Gladwyne, Pa. def. Sharon Baerenklau, Heathrow, Fla. 2 and 1
Rye, NY - Pairings for the quarterfinals to be played on Wednesday, September 21 in the USGA Senior Women’s Amateur Championship, at the 5,796-yard, par 36-36—72, Apawamis Club. Semi-final matches will begin at 12:45 p.m. (all times are EDT):
Match Play Pairings Quarterfinal Round
8:00 am Carol Semple Thompson, Sewickley, Pa. vs. Marianne Towersey, Pebble Beach, Calif.
8:10 am Robin Donnelley, Lake Forest, Ill. vs. Cecilia Mourgue D'Algue, France
8:20 am Annette Gaiotti, Marstons Mills, Mass. vs. Reggie Parker, Hobe Sound, Fla.
8:30 am Diane Lang, Weston, Fla. vs. Carolyn Creekmore, Dallas, Texas