WELLESLEY, MA (September 14, 2016) -- For the
first time in tournament history the U.S. Senior
Women's Amateur history is headed to
the state of Massachusetts and it will be Wellesley
Country Club that welcomes the event to the Bay
State. A field of
132 players will begin play on Saturday with
defending champion Karen Garcia leading the way.
Garcia will be looking to become the eighth player to
go back-to-back.
A year ago at Hillwood Country Club in Nashville, TN
Garcia defeated Pamela Kuong 1 up.
In the moments after the tournament ended Garcia
said, “I’m in shock. To win a USGA event, to think of
all the people before me that have their name on
this trophy; I’ve played in five Mid-Ams and a State
Team and never even came close.”
SCHEDULE OF PLAY | Day |
Format
|
| Saturday |
Round
One Stroke-Play | |
|
Sunday |
Round Two Stroke-Play | |
| Monday | Round of 64 | |
| Tuesday | Round of 32/Round of
16 | |
| Wednesday |
Quarterfinals/Semifinals | |
| Thursday | Championship |
|
Opened in 1910 Wellesley CC, a Donald Ross
designed lay-out is a par-74 (36-38) that plays at
6,049 yards. Originally the course was a nine-hole
track and it remained that way until 1961 when the
team led by Geoffrey Cornish, Brian Silva and Craig
Schreiner added the additional nine-holes.
Wellesley CC has hosted one USGA previously when
the
USGA Women’s State Team competition came calling
in 2003. The course also hosted the 2010
Massachusetts Open.
PLAYERS TO WATCH | Player
|
Accomplishments
|
| Robin Burke |
From Houston, TX, Burke finished as the
runner-up at the 1997 U.S. Women's Amateur. The
1998
Curtis Cupper is a member of the Texas Golf
Hall of Fame. | |
| Macarena Campomanes |
The native of Spain is making her USGA debut
after winning the European Senior Women’s Amateur
Championship to qualify. She is the only European
player in the field. | |
| Julia Potter | The 2009 U.S.
Women's Mid-Amateur champion also finished
runner-up in 2011. The Hebron, KY resident was
inducted into the Kentucky Golf Hall of Fame last
November. | |
| Ellen Port | The head coach of
Division II Washington University, Port has won four
U.S. Mid-Amateur titles and two U.S. Senior
Women's Amateur titles. The two-time Curtis Cupper
is from St. Louis, MO. | |
| Pamela Kuong |
Last years runner-up, Kuong from Wellesley
Hills, MA is the local favorite. Kuong is a three-time
New England Senior Women's Amateur Champion.
| |
-The USGA contributed to this story