No I.D.’s Required for These Women’s Open Qualifiers

By David Shefter, USGA

Summit, N.J. - Not every U.S. Women's Open qualifier requires orthodontics, needs a refresher course on the SAT or faces a decision on which prom dress looks the best. It only seems that way.

While the first day of sectionals saw seven of the 12 spots go to teenagers, the Summit site at Canoe Brook Country Club's North Course had a distinctively "adult" flavor. Only two teenagers comprised the 33-person field and neither claimed one of the 11 qualifying spots.

"Experienced helped today a bit today just dealing with the conditions on the course," said a giddy Allison Fouch, a 22-year-old rising senior at Michigan State, after she earned her first trip to the Women's Open. Fouch, of Grand Rapids, Mich., was one of two amateurs to qualify on June 10, joining USA Curtis Cupper and 1998 U.S. Girls' Junior champion Leigh Anne Hardin of Martinsville, Ind.

The Women's Open will be played July 3-6 at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club in North Plains, Ore.

The North Course was set up at 6,514 yards (par 72), but weekend rains made the course play even longer during Monday's practice rounds. Fortunately, the players were treated to a perfectly sunny day for the qualifier and the course began drying out. Still, the rough was quite thick in some areas and many of the competitors were challenged by the slopey green complexes.

Only one player, Charlotta Sorenstam of Sweden, managed to break par. She posted a pair of 71s to easily claim medalist honors by six strokes over Hardin. But a couple of LPGA Tour players failed to advance, including Kris Tschetter, Michelle McGann, Leslie Spalding and Kristal Parker-Manzo.

"To tell you the truth, after (Monday's) practice round, I did not think I could shoot this far under (par)," Sorenstam said. "The course was set up at about 6,500 yards, but it played close to 7,000 yards. The ball did not fly at all because it was so cold. It's about 25 degrees warmer today. I hit a lot of fairways and I played pretty smart."

Sorenstam is looking forward to playing Pumpkin Ridge again after missing the cut by two strokes in the 1997 Women's Open. That year, her sister, Annika, was going for a three-peat but also failed to qualify for the weekend.

"I have a little revenge," Sorenstam added. "I played a practice round there last year when we were in Portland (for an LPGA event). I really enjoy that golf course."

Kellee Booth and Hilary Lunke (formerly Hilary Homeyer) also have a score to settle with Pumpkin Ridge. Both players were amateurs in 1997 and neither survived the cut. Like Charlotta Sorenstam, Booth missed by two strokes, while Homeyer, then a 17-year-old competing in her first Open, posted rounds of 84-75.

Booth, 27, of Coto de Caza, Calif., has another reason to be excited about qualifying - her 2003 season has not gone according to plan. Last year, she had to withdraw from Open qualifying due to tendonitis in her left shoulder. She only competed in seven LPGA events and had to apply for a medical extension to keep her card for 2003. Through nine events, Booth, the 1993 Girls' Junior champion, has only made one cut.

"I just haven't been able to get those putts to go in the hole," said Booth, who qualified with rounds of 76 and 74. "That's why this (qualifying) is such a thrill. I'm so excited to go back to the Open. I can finally make my travel plans."

Lunke, 23, looked like she might be making alternative plans for Fourth of July weekend after a morning-round 80 put her well back in the pack. Lunke had six three-putts and mis-clubbed on several approach shots. But her husband and caddie, Tylar, kept giving her positive reinforcement, even after a bogey on her first hole of the afternoon round moved her to nine over par.

The 2000 USA Curtis Cupper from Edina, Minn., played the next 15 holes in one under par. And despite back-to-back bogeys on her last two holes, she managed to sneak into the Open field by a stroke at 153. The final two spots went to Alicia Dibos of Peru and Cindy Schreyer of New Fairfield, Conn., at 154.

"I am very happy right now," said Lunke, who failed to qualify last year and will be playing her first Open as a professional after three appearances as an amateur. "I'm thrilled to know that I am in the event. Generally I play well on tough golf courses. I'm excited to go back to the same place to see how my game compares to when I was 17."

Despite what she called an average two rounds (76-77), Fouch couldn't contain her excitement around the scoring area. This past spring had not been a particularly successful one for Fouch or her Michigan State team. The Spartans failed to qualify for the NCAAs and Fouch said she spent most of the past few months "trying to crawl my way out a hole."

But her consistent play was rewarded at Canoe Brook as she avoided making the big mistake. "I didn't let a couple of bogeys and a double bogey get in the way," she said. "I didn't do anything spectacular. I just played two solid rounds of golf.

"I am ready for (the Open). I am excited to go out there and give it a shot. I just expect it to be one of the greatest weeks that I have ever had."

NOTES: Maybe Pumpkin Ridge just isn't in the cards for venerable amateur Carol Semple Thompson. Thompson has played in 32 U.S. Women's Opens, but she has failed to qualify for each of the national championships held at Pumpkin Ridge (1997 and 2003). The 54-year-old four-time defending USGA Senior Women's Amateur champion had rounds of 83-77 at Canoe Brook to miss by six strokes. ... Kellee Booth and Hilary Lunke have both had glimpses of the young talent in the women's game and are impressed with what they've seen. Booth played in a local qualifier in Naples, Fla., which had a plethora of teen-agers in the field. "It was interesting to see that many kids at that age trying to qualify," she said. "I wouldn't have even thought about qualifying for the Open at that age. I think it's great." Two years ago, Lunke lost in the second round of the Women's Amateur Public Links to then 11-year-old Michelle Wie, one of this year's 13-year-old Open qualifiers. "It's good to see that people are learning to play at a young age and learning to play well," said Lunke, who first picked up a club at age 13. "At that age, I was just hoping to break 100." ... Charlotta Sorenstam made headlines off the course at last week's LPGA Championship. Hall of Famer Donna Caponi was choking on a piece of apple and Sorenstam, seeing that two-time Women's Open champion needed immediate assistance, stepped in and performed the Heimlich Maneuver. On her second attempt, the apple popped out of Caponi's mouth. "I liked doing it," said Sorenstam. "It was nice to help someone (in need)."

David Shefter is a writer for the USGA. E-mail him at dshefter@usga.org with questions or comments.