Stasi leads Women's Mid-Am with only round under par

ST. LOUIS (Sept. 22, 2018) – For much of the afternoon at the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur, there was a log jam at even par. Norwood Hills Country Club had its defenses in place. By the end of the day, only one player was in the red.

Meghan Stasi, a four-time Women’s Mid-Amateur champion, had a 3-under 69 to take a three-shot lead in the opening round of stroke play. Her round included five birdies and two bogeys.

Related: AmateurGolf.com Feature Interview: Meghan Stasi

“I drove the ball really well, which enabled me to hit some really good shots in,” Stasi said. “It was nice to have some really good birdie looks. I also hit two of the par 5s in two and lipped out a couple of eagle putts so that was fun. It was mainly about getting the ball off the tee correctly.”

Stasi last won this championship in 2012. She celebrated her 40th birthday at the end of May by traveling around the world – and teeing it up several times along the way. Already this year, Stasi won Jones/Doherty near her home in South Florida. It’s another event that combines stroke play with match play.

Stasi leads Shannon Johnson, who was runner-up in this event in 2016. Johnson has authored a strong summer in Massachusetts. Since June, the 35-year-old has won the New England Women’s Amateur, the Massachusetts Women’s Amateur and the Keyes Cup.

In the week leading up to the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur, she played the Massachusetts Mid-Amateur, making the 36-hole cut and finishing T-48. Johnson also was one of two women invited to play the Hornblower Memorial at Plymouth (Mass.) Country Club in May.

Kelli Pry, Megan Buck and Eleanor Tucker all shot 1-over 73 on Saturday. Defending champion Kelsey Chugg opened with a 3-over 75. She was one of 11 players at that figure, including 2004 champion Corey Weworski.

A year ago, Chugg started her title-winning week with an 85.

“I played really solid golf today,” Chugg said. “I had some nerves, but I just wanted to come in and take some pressure off myself. My game feels really solid right now overall.”

A total of 20 players shot 75 or better on Saturday, and 62 players are at 7-over 79 or better heading into Sunday’s second round of stroke play.

Among the players who shot 79 is the only other four-time U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur champion, Ellen Port, who is competing in her hometown this week and hit the opening tee shot off No. 1 at 7:30 a.m. Port, who turned 57 on Friday, has won seven USGA titles, and four of those came at the Women’s Mid-Amateur.

Related: U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur: Stroke-play pairings and tee times
Related: U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur qualifying roundup

Information from the USGA used in this report