Low Amateur Medalist at a 2022 US Women's Open Qualifier (May 9th)
This was my first attempt at a US Women's Open Qualifier, and at 6309 yards the longest course I had played to date. I attempted the front 9 once in pouring rain and only played a complete practice round the day before the qualifier. My Dad was on the bag. The winds were brutal in the morning and flat out ridiculous in the afternoon, According to friends who are used to USGA conditions, the thickness of the rough made it the most penal they had played. My goal was to have fun, learn something, and try to break 80.
I made three straight birdies on holes 2-4, while my only bogey on the front nine came on hole No. 7. While walking off of the hole 7 green I said, "Dad, that was the first hole I've had to use the putter more than once." By the time we turned the corner and headed to the 10th tee, I had gotten up and down to save par 4 out of 5 times (one being a sandy) and needed only 11 putts for the 2-under par 34. I made my final birdie of the morning round on Hole 10 and I was leading the tournament at 3-under through Hole 14. I bogeyed two holes coming in and finished the morning round with a 1-under-par 71. I missed one fairway, hit 10 greens, got Up and Down 6 of 8 times and had 28 putts. My short game was on fire.
With winds 25-30 mph and gusting to 41 in the afternoon, I somehow shot a 76 to finish the tournament with a +3 total of 147. In the afternoon I hit all 14 fairways, 8 greens, 5 of 10 Up and Downs, and again 28 putts.
In the end I was the Low Amateur, 5 strokes away from winner Ingrid Gutierrez Nunez, the Epson Tour Pro who played college golf at the University of New Mexico. Second was an LPGA Tour Pro at -1, third was another LPGA Tour Pro at Even par. I was very proud of myself to have beaten some very good players, including good college golfers from good D1 schools.