Women’s Western Am: Four tied at the top

A tournament cannot be won on the first day, but it can certainly be lost. Four ladies hold a tie for first as the sun set on the first round of the Women’s Western Amateur. As one of the top tournaments on the women’s amateur summer swing, the loaded field is crowded near the top. Mississippi State’s Blair Stockett, Indiana’s Mary Parsons, Kentucky’s Marissa Wenzler, and Michigan State commit Brooke Biermann matched each other shot for shot to card opening 3-under 69s. Four more competitors stand at 2-under as well as a slew of 17 golfers at either 1-under or even-par. Prestwick Golf Club played tough but fair as 25 participants posted even-par or better. 19 golfers are still within 6-shots of the leaders, but the main priority is to make the top 32 players who will advance to match play after 36 holes. Co-leader Marissa Wenzler had the cleanest scorecard of the four who lead. Her bogey-free 69 saw birdies on hole Nos. 4, 5, and 15 to accompany 15 pars on her round. Fellow co-leader Mary Parsons, on the other hand, had the most colorful round among the leaders. Parsons began her day with a bogey on No. 1 before immediately gaining the stroke back with a birdie on No. 2. Going out in 34 (2-under), Parsons took a ride on a 4-hole roller coaster. Flip-flopping birdies and bogeys on holes 10-12, Parsons leveled out the rest of the way with a birdie on No. 17 to give her a share of the overnight lead.