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Aug 1, 2022

Six NW players make match play in U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur

At the 2022 U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur, being held this week at Anchorage (Alaska) Golf Course, six players from the Pacific Northwest have qualified for the match-play bracket of the championship, after 36 holes of stroke-play qualifying. The round of 64 is being held today, Monday, August 1.

Shelly Stouffer, the 2022 PNGA Senior Women’s Amateur Champion, has her 15-year-old son Brett as her caddie at the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur. (USGA/Steven Gibbons)

In Sunday’s second round of qualifying, Shelly Stouffer of Nanoose Bay, B.C. shot the only under-par round of the entire 132-player field over both days, a 4-under 68, which set the competitive course record. She will be the No. 2 seed in the bracket, missing out being medalist by two shots. Lynne Cowan of Rocklin, Calif. earned medalist honors and the No. 1 seed by shooting rounds of 74-73. Earlier this year, Stouffer won the PNGA Senior Women’s Amateur, and played for Team BC in the 2022 PNGA Lamey Cup.

Follow along with the championship’s live scoring.

The other Northwest players making match play are Lara Tennant of Portland. Lara is the 3-time defending champion, trying for an unprecedented four consecutive titles. Earlier this year she was inducted into the Pacific Northwest Golf Hall of Fame, and is a 4-time PNGA Senior Women’s Player of the Year. She is the No. 3 seed.

Jackie Little of Procter, B.C. is the No. 28 seed. She is a two-time PNGA Senior Women’s Player of the Year (2008, 2009), and was inducted into the Pacific Northwest Golf Hall of Fame in 2017.

Terri Frohnmayer won the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur in 2011, which led her to be named that year’s PNGA Senior Women’s Player of the Year. (USGA)/Steven Gibbons)

Terri Frohnmayer of Meridian, Idaho is the No. 32 seed. She won this championship in 2011, and was named 2011 PNGA Senior Women’s Player of the Year.

Rosie Cook of Bend, Ore. is the No. 59 seed. She won the 2021 PNGA Senior Women’s Amateur, and played in last year’s U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur, qualifying for match play.

Mary Budke of Oregon is the No. 62 seed. She is a two-time winner of the PNGA Junior Girls’ Amateur (1970, 1971), and won the 1972 U.S. Women’s Amateur and the 1976 PNGA Women’s Amateur. She was inducted into the Pacific Northwest Golf Hall of Fame in 2005.

Qualifying for the championship but not making it to match play are Cheung Ching Ng of Washougal, Wash., and Leslie Folsom of Tukwila, Wash. Folsom had qualified for the 2019 U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur, making it to the round of 32 in that championship.

Stouffer wasn’t just the only player to break par during stroke play, her 68 was five strokes better than any of the 263 other rounds played.

The 52-year-old Canadian birdied four of her first seven holes – a polar opposite start to Saturday, when she was 4 over par through four holes. She played even par the rest of the way on Sunday, offsetting a bogey at No. 12 with a birdie at the par-4 15th.

“Everything was really working well today,” said Stouffer. “I was hitting the ball off the tee really well. I putted well; I don’t think I had one 3-putt today. I had 37 putts yesterday, not sure about today, but a lot less.”

Stouffer has her 15-year-old son Brett as her caddie for this week’s championship. “My son keeps me calm,” she said. “I’ve been leaving him a lot this year and I needed a caddie. So I just said we’re going to Alaska, you’re going to come and it’s going to be cool. He drew a birdie on a golf ball this morning that was in my cart all day, and that was my inspiration.”

Tennant, who is eyeing her fourth consecutive title, headlined the trio at 6 over after a 76 in Round 2. Wright shot a second consecutive 75 on Sunday capped by eight consecutive pars. She birdied the par-3 eighth and par-5 ninth in both rounds.