Locals Conclude Play at U.S. Women's Mid-Am
UPDATE (November 13, 2017) -- Met Area competitors in the 2017 U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur were defeated in their Round of 64 matches on Monday at Champions Golf Club in Houston, Texas.
Related: Scoring | U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur Home Page
Ina Kim of New York, N.Y., qualifying as the No. 16 seed, looked steady early on as she won holes Nos. 4, 6, and 7 to take a 2-up lead. She added another win on the par-three 12th, but her competitor Lisa Schlesinger of Fort Myers, Fla., rallied back, winning four of the next five holes to reclaim a 1-up lead on Kim. The pair halved the last, giving Schlesinger the 1-up victory.
Liliana Ruiz-Munoz of Yorktown Heights, N.Y., snagged the final qualifying position in a playoff on Monday morning, but fell to top-seeded Katie Miller of Jeannette, Pa., by a 4-and-3 margin. Alyssa Roland of New York, N.Y., also grabbed one of the last qualifying spots Monday morning. She faced a five-hole deficit to No. 3 seed Marissa Mar of San Francisco, Calif., through five holes, but battled back with three wins over the next five. She just ran out of momentum though, as three halves led to her 2-and-1 defeat.
The event, originally scheduled to take place Oct. 7-12, was relocated from Quail Creek Country Club in Naples, Fla., due to extensive flood damage from Hurricane Irma.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
ELMSFORD, N.Y. (November 12, 2017) -- Following 36 holes of on-site qualifying for the 2017 U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur Championship, New York, N.Y.'s Ina Kim easily earned a spot in match play as play continues on the Cypress Creek Course at Champions Golf Club in Houston, Texas. On Monday morning, both Alyssa Roland of New York, N.Y., and Liliana Ruiz-Munoz of Yorktown Heights, N.Y., were successful in advancing from an eight-for-five playoff. The event, originally scheduled to take place Oct. 7-12, was relocated from Quail Creek Country Club in Naples, Fla., due to extensive flood damage from Hurricane Irma.
Related: Scoring | U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur Home Page
Kim opened with a 1-under 71 on Saturday, carding one of just four sub-par rounds on the day. Despite starting her round with a bogey, Kim settled in nicely and placed a trio of birdies on her card, including two-straight on Nos. 15-16. "Not being at my best ball striking and still coming in under par, I am pretty happy with that," said Kim, runner up in the 2000 U.S. Girls' Junior Championship who returned to competitive golf over the last couple years.
While Kim closed with a 6-over 78 on Sunday, she easily secured an advancing position, tying for 15th with a two-day total of 5-over 149. Kim, whose sister Hana from Los Angeles also advanced to match play as the No. 11 seed, earned the No. 16 seed, and begins match play Monday at 8:09 a.m. against Lisa Schlesinger of Fort Myers, Fla.
Roland (83-77) and Ruiz-Munoz (81-79) finished tied 60th following the two rounds of stroke play and were faced with extra holes Monday morning. Roland used a trio of pars to advance, while a par-par-bogey-par sequence allowed Ruiz-Munoz to grab the final qualifying position. Ruiz-Munoz takes on medalist Katie Miller of Jeannette, Pa., at 9:03 a.m., while Roland squares off against No. 3 qualifier Marissa Mar of San Francisco, Calif., at 11:36 a.m.
Also representing the Met Area at the start of the championship were Stephanie Harris of New York, N.Y., Amy Loughney of Jersey City, N.J., Susan Sardi of Skillman, N.J.,