U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur scoring
Northern Virginian Michael Muehr shot a 2-under 68 on Sunday, part of a two-day 138, tying him for stroke-play medalist honors at the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship at Stonewall Links in Elverson, Pa.
Muehr (Trump National GC, Washington, D.C.) joined Thomas Werkmeister of Grandville, Mich., and Scott Harvey of Greensboro, N.C., at 138 for the two days of stroke-play qualifying. Muehr earned the No. 1 seed for match play and opened match play with a 3-and-2 win over No. 64 seed Kyle Hoffman of Lincoln, R.I., on Monday. Hoffman survived a 14-for-1 playoff for the final spot in match play.
Muehr jumped to a 2-up lead after three holes against Hoffman and held at least a 1-up lead the rest of the way. He pushed his lead to 3 up by winning No. 15 with a bogey and clinched the match when he and Hoffman both made bogey on No. 16 to halve the hole.
Muehr will meet No. 33 seed Gregor Orlando of Philadelphia in Tuesday's round of 32.
Of the seven VSGA members who were slated to start the event, only Muehr, of Potomac Falls, and Craig Mason (1757 GC) advanced to match play. Chris Cassetta (Blue Hills GC), Matt Sughrue (1757 GC), James Gallagher (Tidewater Amateur Golf Tour) and Ted Dougherty (Jefferson Lakeside CC) all played but failed to advance to the round of 64. Pat Tallent (Westwood CC) withdrew before the event began.
Mason, of Ashburn, survived a see-saw battle with Eugene Elliott of West Des Moines, Iowa, on Monday to advance to the round of 32. Mason made par on the par-4 18th hole to secure a 1-up win. Mason, the No. 27 seed, will meet Chris Noel of Broken Arrow, Okla., in Tuesday's round of 32. Noel, the No. 59 seed, upset No. 6 Darin Goldstein of New York 3 and 2 on Monday.
In the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship, played at The Kahkwa Club in Erie, Pa., defending champion Lauren Greenlief (International CC) survived two tough days of stroke-play qualifying to advance to the round of 64. Greenlief shot 80-79 for a two-day 159, putting her in a tie for 46th. Greenlief earned the No. 49 seed for match play and opened against No. 16 seed Kim Benedict of Bonita Springs, Fla., on Monday morning.
Benedict rallied after losing the first two holes to defeat Greenlief 1 up and advance to the round of 32. Benedict squared the match with a par on the par-4 9th hole, but Greenlief made birdie on the par-4 10th to regain the lead. Benedict swung the match by winning holes No. 12 and 13, but Greenlief rallied to square it with a par on the par-3 15th. The two halved the next two holes, and Benedict won the match with a par on No. 18. Greenlief bogeyed the hole.
Greenlief wasn’t alone in struggling against the difficult Kahkwa Club course. Only one player managed to break par for a round, Indianapolis’ Julie Potter, who shot a 1-under 71 in Saturday’s first round. Potter shared medalist honors with Shannon Johnson of Norton, Mass. Both shot 1-over 145 for the two days of qualifying.