USGA Women's Mid-Am: Woodard Leads at 142

West Point, Miss. (October 22, 2006) -– Dawn Woodard, 32, of Franklin, Tenn., fired a 2-under-par 70 on Sunday to take a three-stroke lead midway through the second qualifying round of the 2006 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur at the 6,151-yard, par-72 Old Waverly Golf Club. Woodard, who led Saturday’s first-round scoring with a 72, stood at 2-under-par 142 after 36 holes. She has a three-stroke lead over three-time USA Curtis Cup player and 1998 Women’s Mid-Amateur champion Virginia Derby Grimes, 42, of Meridian, Miss., who finished at 73-72—145. Half of the field of 132 competitors had afternoon starting times, including two-time champion Carol Semple Thompson, 58, of Sewickley, Pa. Thompson recorded a 75 in Saturday’s opening round and has made the match-play cut in all 19 previous Women’s Mid-Amateurs. Woodard, the mother of three girls, has competed little in recent years but has played in six amateur events in 2006. Her best finish was as a semifinalist in the Women’s Southern Amateur. Woodard was second in stroke-play qualifying in the Women’s Mid-Amateur last year. “I’ve tended to play well in stroke play in the Women’s Mid-Amateur and then, by the round of 32, I’m done,” Woodard said, referring to her early exits from match play. She fell to Mary Jane Hiestand of Naples, Fla., in 19 holes last year. Grimes, Thompson (1990 and ’97), Ellen Port (1995, ’96, and 2000) and Corey Weworski (2004) are the only former champions in the field. Port and Weworski also had afternoon starting times on Sunday. Following Sunday’s second round of stroke play, the field will be cut to the low 64 players who will advance to match play beginning on Monday. The Women’s Mid-Amateur concludes with an 18-hole final on Thursday. The Women’s Mid-Amateur is one of 13 national championship conducted annually by the USGA. Story written by Rhonda Glenn, manager of communications for the USGA. E-mail her with questions or comments at rglenn@usga.org. To view complete results, click on the tournament name next to "see also" at the top of this page and follow the "results" tab.