Home › News

Semifinals are set at U.S. Senior Women's Amateur

Tennant, Cohn, Port and Stouffer to battle for spots in Wednesday's final

The semifinals are set at the U.S. Senior Women's Amateur being held at The Lakewood Club (Dogwood Course) in Point Clear, Ala.

Tuesday morning's quarterfinal action saw two-time defending U.S. Senior Women's Amateur champion Lara Tennant (Portland, Ore.) defeat Sally Krueger (San Francisco), 3 and 2. Susan Cohn (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.) eliminated Birmingham, Ala. resident Kathy Hartwiger, 3 and 2. Ellen Port (St. Louis, Mo.) inched closer to her eighth USGA title with a 3 and 2 win over Sylvie Van Molle (Belgium) while Shelly Stouffer (Canada) closed out co-medalist Gigi Higgins on the 18th hole for a 1-up victory.

Tennant had her hands full with Krueger through the first 12 holes in the first quarterfinal match of the day. Tennant won the first two holes but Krueger battled back with wins on holes 4, 5 and 6 to take a 1 up lead. The San Francisco resident extended her lead to 2 up with a par on the ninth. With her back against the wall, the two-time defending champion responded quickly and decisively, winning holes 10, 13, 14, 15 and 16 for a 3 and 2 victory.

Cohn never trailed in her match with Hartwiger. After taking an early 2 up lead with wins on holes 3 and 4, Cohn extended her lead to 3 up on hole 7 and maintained at least a two hole advantage before closing out the match on the 16th.

Van Molle enjoyed a 1 up lead against Port through eight holes before the St. Louis native took control of the match, winning holes 9, 10, 11 and 12 - the last three with birdies. The two players halved the next three holes and shook hands on the 15th.

Stouffer and Higgins staged the tightest match of the four quarterfinals, with Stouffer earning the win on the 18th hole with a birdie. Higgins took an early 2 up lead with wins on the opening holes, but Stouffer, as she did all morning, battled back to tie the match with wins on holes 8 and 9. Higgins regained a 1 up lead with a birdie on 10 only to see Stouffer even the match with a birdie of her own on the 14th hole. The two players halved the next three holes with pars before Stouffer won the match on the 18th with a birdie, marking the only time she led the entire morning.

Tuesday afternoon's semifinal matches with see Tennant take on Cohn, while Port will meet Stouffer.

AmateurGolf.com Staff

Editorial Team

Reporting and analysis from the AmateurGolf.com editorial team.