The Women’s Western Amateur rolled into Lancaster Country Club Monday for the first of a six-day stay with Emily McLennan, a rising junior at the University of Tennessee – Chattanooga and Eunice Yi, a rising sophomore at Georgia Regents University posting dual 1-under par 71s to top the leaderboard on the first of two qualifying days.
McLennan and Yi were the only two players in the field of 144 to finish under par on the 6,201-yard lauded William Flynn design. That’s surely an indication of what type of test Lancaster CC will provide one year from now when it hosts the U.S. Women’s Open.
McLennan, the reigning Tennessee Women’s Amateur, Southern Conference champion and a native of Queensland, Australia and Yi, from Evans, Ga. will attempt to secure medalist honors as the top qualifier among 64 who will enter the championship flight of match play, which begins on Wednesday.
Nineteen players from Pennsylvania are in the field at the Women’s Western, eclipsed only by the U.S. Amateur in status among women’s national amateur events, including Shannon Gramley of Sharon, Pa. and Shady Side Academy, who posted a 1-over 73 Monday.
Other Pennsylvania residents include Erica Herr, a recent Council Rock High North graduate and New Hope resident bound for Wake Forest University in the fall. Herr opened with a 4-over 74. Herr’s younger sister, Madelein, shot 88. Allison Cooper of Harrisburg also shot 74. Ashley Cassidy (79) of Doylestown, Emily Gimpel (79) of Lafayette Hill, Kate Granahan (80) of Allentown, Amanda Ploener (80) of Chadds Ford and Aurora Kan (83) of Boothwyn will battle for spots in the 64-player championship field Tuesday.
The Women’s Western Amateur, held continuously since 1901 and featuring former champions Patty Berg, JoAnne Carner, Nancy Lopez, Beth Daniel, Cristie Kerr and Stacy Lewis is free and open to the public. Check out www.wwga.org for complete scoring and more info.
Nate Oxman
Editor
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