WESTON, Massachusetts – On the first day of match play at the 116th Massachusetts Women’s Amateur Championship, 32 golfers were paired down to the final eight who will compete for their respective titles. The President’s Cup will tee off at 7:30 a.m. on Thursday at Weston Golf Club followed by the Championship semifinals starting at 7:50 a.m.
Top competitors still in the Championship field are Angela Garvin (The Ranch GC), Pam Kuong (Charles River CC), Rebecca Skoler (Pine Brook CC), and Anne Walsh (The Country Club). While Melissa Hem (Dedham C & PC), Courtney Lee (Thorny Lea GC), Danielle Lee (International), and Cheryl Krueger (Taconic GC) are still in the hunt for the President’s Cup.
(1) ANGELA GARVIN DEF. (16) MORGAN MITCHELL, 6&5
The first match of the day started off quick with stroke play medalist, Angela Garvin, winning holes 1 and 2. Morgan Mitchell responded nicely with a par on the par-3 third hole bringing the lead down to just 1-up. It was full speed ahead for Angela Garvin after that, taking holes 4, 5, 6, and 8 before making the turn with a 5-up lead. Angela Garvin would then proceed to take hole 12 and finally halving the 13th hole to win the match, 6&5.
(8) KYRSTAL KNIGHT DEF. (9) EMILY NASH, 3&1
Emily Nash took her first lead on the first and second hole and remained 2-up through 6 holes. Krystal Knight would then win two holes of her own and tie the match after 8 holes. The battle continued on the next couple as the lead changed three more times, with Knight taking control on hole 12 and not looking back as she pars 13, 16, and 17 the rest of the way winning, 2&1.
(4) JENNIFER KEIM DEF. (13) SUE CURTIN, 2&1
Starting the day strong, Jennifer Keim won two of her first five holes to rocket out to a 2-up lead on Sue Curtin. Curtin would then respond by taking the sixth and tenth hole and tying the match. Both players continued to put up a fight on the next seven holes, before Jennifer Keim secured her spot in the quarterfinals on the 17th hole.
(2) MORGAN SMITH DEF. (15) ELISE KEANE, 3&2
For the 8:10am start time, both players came out firing as they both won four holes going into back nine. The match remained tied through the 11th hole, before Morgan Smith makes a birdie on the par-4 12th hole and not looking back after that. Smith ending the match on the 16th hole, 3&2.
(5) PAM KUONG DEF. (12) GABRIELLE SHIEH, 19 HOLES
After 19 holes, Pam Kuong takes her spot in the quarterfinal over Gabrielle Shieh. Both players had their fair share of the lead and neither looking to give up a deficit. Toward the middle of the back nine, Pam Kuong had a 1-up leading going into 16 before that was quickly taken away by Gabrielle Shieh. They would finally go to extra holes and Kuong taking the 19th hole to move on.
(7) REBECCA SKOLER DEF. (10) MOLLY SMITH, 3&2
After jumping out to a quick 2-hole lead through the first two holes, Rebecca Skoler was not backing down anytime soon. The 2018 Massachusetts Junior Amateur Champion, held a 3-up lead through the 12th hole before giving up the next hole, to return back to 2-up. Skoler would then seal the deal over Molly Smith on the 16th hole to win the match, 3&2.
(3) HANNAH GHELFI DEF. (14) CATIE SCHERNECKER, 5&3
Right off the bat, it was the Hannah Ghelfi show as she came out firing on the front nine. The University of Michigan player was 6-up through the first 8 holes and only gave up one hole before making the turn. Despite the large lead by Ghelfi, Catie Schernecker put up a fight and extended the match all the way to 15th hole. There Hannah Ghelfi made par and ended the match.
(11) ANNE WALSH DEF. (6) MEGAN BUCK, 2-UP
A wire-to-wire victory was what Anne Walsh found herself with after winning three holes on the front nine and a 2-up lead. Neither player remained in control of the match as Megan Buck responded by taking 11, 13, and 14 to take the 1-up lead herself. Finishing the last three holes, Anne Walsh would end the match strong by taking all of the remaining holes to win 2-up.
(1) MELISSA HEM DEF. (16) DIANE NESSRALLA, 2-UP
Diane Nessralla took control early as she went 2-up on the first two holes of the match. It didn’t take long before Melissa Hem would then counter by taking five holes herself. Hem was 3-up going into hole 10, but that lead was quickly narrowed to just 1-up as Nessralla went par-par on 10 and 11. Later on in the match, Melissa Hem would regain her lead to beat Diane Nessralla on the 18th hole.
(13) ERIN O’HARA DEF. (4) TATE HADGES, 1-UP
The first five holes of this match was all Erin O’Hara, winning 3, 4, and 5 and Tate Hadges answering back on the sixth and ninth to draw the lead back to just 1-up. The rest of the match was more of the same, with O’Hara increasing her lead and Hadges responding to keep the match within one. O’Hara’s 1-up lead through 15 was just enough to hold off Hadges.
(5) COURTNEY LEE DEF. (12) BROOKE BARRETT, 4&3
Playing out of Thorny Lee GC, Courney Lee started out strong by taking a 2-up lead on the first two holes. She remained consistent the rest of the front nine and secured three more holes to increase her lead to 4-up. Brooke Barrett was able to grind out a couple more holes on the back, but was not enough to overcome Lee’s lead. Lee would finish the match with a par on the 15th hole winning, 4&3.
(15) KRIS HENDERSON DEF. (2) VICTORIA VEATOR, 4&3
At the start of the 9:30am match, the driver seat was quickly taken over by Kris Henderson. Taking all of the first eight holes and remaining consistent with six pars on the front side. Vicotria Veator would then take over driver seat herself on the ninth hole making par and winning three of the four next holes to bring the lead down to 4-up. Unfortunately, it was not enough for Veator to defeat Henderson.
(7) DANIELLE LEE DEF. (10) SOFIE ROBINSON, 2-UP
In what was a tight match all day, Danielle Lee was able to hold off Sofie Robinson to advance to the quarterfinals in match play. Things got started for Lee on the par-4 seventh hole as she made par and a nice birdie on the ninth hole. Robinson would answer back by taking the par-4 11th hole and that would be the theme the rest of the match. Danielle Lee regained her lead on the 17th hole making par and finished the day 2-up.
(14) ALEXANDRA DEALE DEF. (3) JENNY CEPPI, 3&2
Alexandra Deale took the lead on the par-3 third hole making par and never let go of it, the rest of the match. Jenny Ceppi won some holes of her own, which included 9, 10, and 13 to keep Deale’s lead to only 1-up. Deale finished the match strong by making par on the 18th hole and securing her spot in the next round.
(11) CHERYL KRUEGER DEF. (6) MARY BOYLE, 4&3
Cheryl Krueger was dominant for most of her match this morning and is looking to take that momentum with her to the quarterfinals. She started the day par-par quickly capturing a 2-up lead on Mary Boyle. Boyle answered back over a couple holes, but was never able to overcome Krueger’s growing lead. The two halved the par-4 15th hole and Krueger taking the match, 4&3.
(1) ANGELA GARVIN DEF. (8) KRYSTAL KNIGHT, 1-UP
Angela Garvin’s good week keeps getting better, as she moves on to the Semi-Finals in the Massachusetts Women’s Amateur. After losing the first hole of the day to Krystal Knight, Garvin won three of the next eight holes on the front nine to take a 2-up lead at the turn. A birdie at the Par-4 12th hole gave her a 3-up lead with only six holes to play. Knight did not go quietly, as she responded with wins on 16 and 17 to pull within one heading into 18. Pars for both players on 18 would result in Garvin continuing her great play the last two weeks.
(5) PAM KUONG DEF. (4) JENNIFER KEIM, 4&3
After losing the first hole of the day, Pam Kuong showed her mental toughness off at Weston, not dropping a hole the rest of her Quarterfinal match. Kuong was able to close out Keim with a chip in on 15, after she had won holes 4, 8, 9, 11 and 13.
(7) REBECCA SKOLER DEF. (2) MORGAN SMITH, 3&2
Rebecca Skoler found herself in an early defict in her quarterfinal match, as she was two down to Morgan Smith after six holes. However, back-to-back-to-back-to-back wins on holes 7-10 allowed her to take a two up with eight holes remaining. She would close out the match with a birdie on 16 to clinch her spot in Thursday morning’s Semi-Final matches.
(11) ANNE WALSH DEF. (3) HANNAH GHELFI, 2-UP
After two quick wins on holes one and two, Hannah Ghelfi was in the drivers seat early in this one. With no other blood drawn on the rest of the front nine, she took a solid 2up advantage into the turn. Anne Walsh then ripped off wins on holes 10, 12, 14 and 15 to take a 1-up lead with only three to play. A bogey on 18 for Ghelfi would clinch Walsh her spot into the Semis.
(1) MELISSA HEM DEF. (8) LAURA JEAN MANN, 2-UP
In a match that was a back and forth affair all day, Melissa Hem was able to pull through. Laura Jean Mann would take the first hole of the day with bogey, with no blood being drawn until holes even and eight, when Hem went par-birdie to gain a 1-up lead. A win on nine for Mann would draw the match back to even. The competitors would then go on to only halve one hole on the back nine. Mann would win holes 11, 13 and 14, while Hem was able to pull off victories on holes 10,12, 15, 17 and 18 to win 2-up in the match and get into the Presidents Cup Semis.
(11) CHERYL KRUEGER DEF. (14) ALEXANDRA DEALE, 1-UP
In a gutsy performance, Cheryl Krueger was able to hold onto a win against Alexandra Deale and clinch her own spot into a Semi-Finals match. Krueger won three of the first four holes of the day, and had a 3-up cushion after the first six. Deale responded viciously with wins on seven through nine to pull even at the turn. Another win on 11 for Deale would give her a 1-up lead, her first of the day. Krueger quickly responded with wins on 12 and 13 to regain her advantage, before Deale came right back again with a win on 15 to even the match back up. A win on 17 for Krueger ultimately sealed her 1-up victory.
(7) DANIELLE LEE DEF. (15) KRIS HENDERSON, 2-UP
Danielle Lee got off a to rocket start in her Quarterfinal match, winning five of the first seven holes and not dropping a single hole on the front to take a 5-up advantage at the turn. Kris Henderson would not go away though, as she won holes 10,11, 15 and 16 to draw within one of Lee. After both players tied on hole 17, Danielle Lee was able to get a win on 18 to close out the match.
(5) COURTNEY LEE DEF. (13) ERIN O’HARA, 20 HOLES
In the only Quarterfinal match that needed extra holes, Courtney Lee was victorious as she took down Erin O’Hara in 20 holes. Lee and O’Hara traded blows the entire match, with O’Hara winning four holes on the front nine to take a 1-up advantage at the turn. Lee responded by winning holes 10,11 and 14 to take a 2-up lead, before wins on 14 and 17 for O’Hara would force a playoff. Both competitors tied the first hole, followed by a Par on the Par 5 2nd hole for Lee to close out O’Hara.
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