OSTERVILLE, Massachusetts – The fall golf schedule continued taking shape Wednesday at The Wianno Club on Cape Cod as 29 competitors eyed six spots to the 2018 U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur Championship – which will take place in early October at Orchid Island Golf & Beach Club in Vero Beach, Florida.
After carding a 5-over 75 mark in the 18-hole qualifier, Auburn’s Kristen Henderson was the top finisher from the Bay State, finishing one stroke behind medalist Marie-Therese Torti of Canada and leading the contingent of three Massachusetts residents who will head south next month for the final USGA Championship of the 2018 competitive season.
Joining Henderson amongst the locals in Vero Beach, Florida next month will be Lexington’s Sharon Hayes and Ashburnham’s Joanne Catlin. Carrie Langevin of Henderson, Nevada and Winthrop, Maine edged Worcester’s Mary Gale for the final qualifying spot.
“This means everything. This is the first time that I have qualified for the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur,” said Henderson following her round Wednesday. “I was super nervous, but I am very excited to go.”
The 54-year old Henderson, who has played in a wide array of Mass Golf competitions throughout the 2018 season, used a steady start in her round at the upper-cape club to pace herself, making the turn at 2-over 37 before carding a 3-over 38 on her back nine. It was that start that helped her place amongst the top competitors in the field Wednesday.
“It did get me off to a good start,” said Henderson on her even-mark through the first four holes. “I was hitting very good approach shots in and the putting was solid, so it definitely gave me a good boost.
After bogeys on the par-3 fifth hole and the par-4 seventh hole, Henderson returned with back-to-back pars on the eighth and ninth holes, before a streak of six straight pars from the 12th to 17th holes highlighted the second half of her round.
“This is definitely the first time that I’ve been at the top of the leaderboard. Before this, my best round was coming in fourth so this one will be memorable for a long time,” said Henderson.
Entering the 2018 season, the Bedrock GC and Green Hill GC member Henderson finished amongst the top-5 finishers and ties in the 2017 Anne Marie Tobin Player of the Year standings, allowing her entrance into this year’s Ouimet Memorial Tournament at Concord Country Club and Woodland Golf Club.
In addition to qualifying for her first ever U.S Championship, she said that being able to advance to the Championship Proper with other Bay Staters made the qualifier extra special, and will be exciting when she takes the field next month.
“I’ve met some incredible women this year and I’ve been able to travel down with them. We stay overnight. The camaraderie and the friendship and the sportsmanship is amazing. That’s what I’m looking forward to most.”
In addition to Henderson’s T2 finish on the leaderboard, Lexington’s Sharon Hayes tallied a birdie and 10 pars to finish T4 with Ashburnham’s Joanne Catlin, who had a birdie and nine made pars. Earlier this summer, Catlin was triumphant in the Mass Golf Mother and Daughter Team Tournament, earning the victory with her daughter Kylie.
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