Wright leads pack of USGA champions at U.S. Senior Women's Am

August 24, 2019 | by AmateurGolf.com Staff

USGA photo

Defending champion Lara Tennant is among the chasers.

The top of the leaderboard at the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur is flooded with former USGA champions, including the defending champion in this event. After one round at Cedar Rapids (Iowa) Country Club, Sherry Wright leads with 3-under 69, but Lara Tennant, a year removed from winning the event in Florida, is part of a four-woman tie for second a shot back.

Wright is a 52-year-old physical therapist from Oxnard, Calif., who took up the game just nine years ago. She is competing in her first Senior Women’s Amateur and fourth USGA championship.

“I love the golf course, but really, I was saying that before I started,” said Wright, who made her fourth career hole-in-one in a sectional qualifier for this year’s U.S. Senior Women’s Open. “I feel very fortunate to be here. To have a really good score on top of it is amazing.”

Tennant, who was the medalist in the 2017 championship at Portland’s Waverley Country Club – her home course – defeated Sue Wooster, of Australia in last year’s final at Orchid Island Golf and Beach Club in Vero Beach, Fla., had three consecutive birdies on holes 12-14 to get to 4 under, but she made a double bogey on No. 16.

“Those things happen, and you just have to keep going,” said Tennant, whose father, George Mack Sr., is again caddieing for her after last year’s title run. “I’m really happy that I parred 17 and 18, which are tough holes. I had great support out there from my dad, reading the greens and with club selection, which is very important out here.”

Tennant included, there are only seven players within four strokes of Wright, and six of those pursuers have won at least one USGA title. That includes three-time Senior Women’s Amateur champion Diane Lang, of Weston, Fla.; and 2009 U.S. Women’s Mid-Am champion Martha Leach, of Hebron, Ky., are joined by Leigh Klasse, of Cumberland, Wis., at 2-under 70, while 2002 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur champion Corey Weworski, of Carlsbad, Calif., and seven-time USGA champion Ellen Port both shot 1-under 71.

The lone player at 1-over 73 is Mary Ann Hayward, of Canada, the 2005 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur champion and a four-time Canadian Women’s Amateur winner.

Quotes and information from the USGA used in this report

About the U.S. Senior Women's Amateur

Wright leads pack of USGA champions at U.S. Senior Women's Am

The USGA Senior Women's Amateur is open to female golfers with a USGA Handicap Index not exceeding 14.4, who will have reached their 50th birthday on or before the first day of the championship. It is one of 14 national championships conducted annual...

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