Ela Belen Anacona (WWGA photo)
A pair of mid-afternoon storms forced the suspension of second-round play at the Women’s Western Amateur at Royal Melbourne Country Club in Golf, Ill., on Wednesday. When play was called, 57 players were still on the course.
Ela Belen Anacona, of Buenos Aires, Argentina, held the top spot on the leaderboard overall at 4-under with five holes still to play when the final weather stoppage came at 4:14 p.m.
The second round will resume at 6:30 a.m. Thursday, with the top 32 players after 36 holes qualifying for match play. The championship match is set for Saturday.
“I was confident from tee to green,” said Anacona, 18, an incoming freshman at the University of Arkansas. “I think that was the difference for me today.”
Anacona, started her second round on the 10th tee Wednesday. She had just hit her tee shot on the par-3 fifth – her 14th hole of the day – into a greenside bunker when play was suspended.
“I was tired, but I wanted to play anyway,” she said.
Sixty players finished their second round, with Antonia Matte, 16, of Santiago, Chile, posting the low 36-hole score of even-par 144. Matte is an incoming high school junior.
Sarah Shipley, of Hastings, Mich., was one back of Matte at 145 and is looking forward to the start of match play.
“I love match play, it is my favorite,” said Shipley, 21, a senior at the University of Kentucky. “I play more aggressive and comfortably. I have to give myself good chances.”
Play was stopped twice on Wednesday. The first suspension, called at 3:12 p.m., lasted just 45 minutes, with play resuming at 3:57 p.m. Just 17 minutes later, a second storm developed, forcing officials to suspend play for what proved to be the remainder of the day.
Report courtesy of Women's Western Golf Association
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