Three Australasians reach matchplay at US Women’s Amateur
Maddison Hinson Tolchard – continues her recent collegiate form – photo USGA Darren Carroll
Three Australasians have made it to the match-play phase of the US Women’s Amateur Championship at Chambers Bay in Washington, Kelsey Bennett, Madison Hinson Tolchard and New Zealander, Fiona Xu, negotiating their way through the 36-hole qualifying stage to earn their right to tackle the knockout matches starting tomorrow.
After an opening round of 69 yesterday Bennett’s future in the championship could have gone either way when she reached the turn in 2 over in today’s second round but then came six birdies in seven holes to start her inward nine before a bogey at the last and after a round of 70 (the par is 73) she had qualified in a share of 4th place and one shot ahead of Hinson-Tolchard.
Bennett, from the Mollymook Golf Club on the south coast of NSW, gained her start in women golf’s most prestigious event, by qualifying first at her venue a month ago. She continues a great run in big events in the last twelve months including when reaching the quarter finals at the Women’s Amateur in Britain a few weeks ago, finishing runner-up in last year’s Asia Pacific Amateur Championship, and 3rd in the Australian Amateur Championship.
Perth’s Hinson-Tolchard is currently studying and on the golf team at Oklahoma State University where she recently won a NCAA Regional title. She made it into the match play stages in this event twelve months ago but was eliminated early.
Today she finished her 36 holes qualifying with a 2 under par round of 71 to finish in a share of 7th place.
“Last year I came up against a fellow Aussie in Emily Mahar, so that was a tough match having to go up against her, and we went down 18 holes last year in 64,” said Hinson Tolchard. “I mean, we’ll see what happens and who I get paired against, but definitely a lot of confidence in my game, so I think I’m going to go pretty good.
“I feel like it (the course) was a little bit tougher. A lot of the pins were sort of tucked away in corners a bit more. You had to work with the slopes a little bit, which we didn’t really have yesterday. But it was definitely a lot cooler, so the ball wasn’t flying as far, as well, so you had to take that into account. But yeah, I think it was a little bit tougher today but still scorable.”
New Zealand’s Fiona Xu made it to the quarter finals at the recent US Junior Girls Championship before being beaten but she is considered one of the brightest prospects to come out of New Zealand since Lydia Ko. Earlier this year she won the Australian Amateur Championship and has also won the New Zealand Amateur Championship previously.
Xu bounced back from an opening round of 76 with a round of 70 today to be at even par and safely inside the top 64 (26th) heading into the matchplay.
This week’s venue – Chambers Bay Washington State – photo USGA