“I think the first two days are just about figuring out the course,” said Brenda Corrie Kuehn, last year’s U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur runner-up, who sits T-10 after a first-round 76. “You don’t need to be medalist and, ideally, you aren’t just sneaking in either. Really just about feeling out the greens so you’re prepared for match play.”

Defending champion Sarah Gallagher began her title defense with a 4-over 74 and is T-4 after day one alongside Nadene Gole, Suzi Spotleson and Sue Wooster.

Spotleson is a banking compliance leader and former College World Series softball player who is making her 22nd appearance in a USGA championship this week and seventh in the Senior Women’s Amateur. The former Northwestern University softball player didn’t pick up a golf club until after college and has found success in the amateur game, including four Ohio State Senior and three Ohio State Mid-Amateur championships – most recently in 2021 when she claimed both titles in the same year.

Gole, from Melbourne, Australia, is competing in her second USGA championship after she lost to Gallagher in the quarterfinals last year. She has her golf writer husband, Sam, on the bag this week. Wooster, a fellow Aussie, was runner-up in the 2022 Senior Women’s Amateur, where she lost to Stouffer in the final, 4 and 3, for her third runner-up finish in the championship.

Another player in the field, Shannon Hare Rouillard, feels she has a unique advantage compared to her competitors. Rouillard works for the USGA as senior director, Championships, and leads the course setup for the U.S. Women’s Open Presented by Ally.

“I look at a golf course differently, and in fact, I was predicting where today’s hole locations would be during my practice round yesterday,” said Rouillard, who has also competed in seven USGA championships. “It’s an advantage, but I still need to hit the shots and execute.”

After a 10-over 80 in the opening round, just two shots inside the projected top-64 cut, Rouillard will need to execute on Sunday if she hopes to make match play. Other notable names near the cutline after day one include Shelly Haywood (T-48, 11 over) who is playing in her sixth U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur and has reached the Rounds of 32 the past three years, and seven-time USGA champion Ellen Port (T-48, 11 over) who celebrated her 63rd birthday on Saturday by making her 76th appearance in a USGA championship and 12th in the Senior Women’s Amateur.

What's Next

Round 2 of stroke play will begin Sunday at 7:45 a.m. The low 64 scorers following the second round will qualify for match play, which begins on Monday. If necessary, a playoff to determine the final match-play spots will take place on Monday morning.