Bendrick, Jacobs lead early at PNGA Women's Amateur

After today’s first round of stroke-play qualifying at the 118th Pacific Northwest Women’s Amateur and 18th Pacific Northwest Women’s Mid-Amateur championships, there is a crowded field at the top of the leaderboard in the Women’s Amateur, while Amanda Jacobs of Portland sits alone at the top of the Women’s Mid-Amateur scoreboard.

Both championships are being held concurrently at Arrowhead Golf Club in Molalla, Ore., and are conducted by the Pacific Northwest Golf Association (PNGA).

In the Women’s Amateur, Jacqueline Bendrick of Mercer Island, Wash., shot 3-under 68 on the par-71 layout. Bendrick just completed her senior year competing on the Furman University women’s golf team.

Right behind Bendrick is Susan Xiao of Surrey, B.C. (69) and Mary Parsons of Delta, B.C. (70), both of whom are former PNGA Players of the Year.

In the Women’s Mid-Amateur, Jacobs has her sights on her fourth title in this championship. She is the defending champion, and also won in 2014 and 2016. Jacobs shot 4-under-par 67 and has a 7-shot lead going into tomorrow’s second round of qualifying, and is set up well to earn her second consecutive No. 1 seed in the match-play bracket. She is a three-time PNGA Women’s Mid-Amateur Player of the Year.

Each championship begins with 36 holes of stroke-play qualifying on July 15-16, followed by 18-hole single-elimination match play, with the final match for each being contested on Friday, July 13. The Women’s Amateur will have a 36-hole final match, and the Mid-Amateur final match will be contested over 18 holes.