Sept. 27, 2010
WICHITA, KANSAS-- ODU Assistant men's and women's golf coach Carol Robertson has advanced to the round of 32 at the 24th U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur Championships at the Wichita Country Club.
Former Virginia State Golf Association Women's Amateur champion Carol Robertson ofVirginia Beach posted an opening round victory as match play got underway on Monday at the U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur Championship at Wichita Country Club (Kan.).Robertson, the fifth low qualifier for match play at the national championship, opened up an all-square match by winning four of five holes from Nos. 6-10 to oust Samantha Bartron of Boulder, Colo., 4 and 3. Robertson will face Alexandra Casi (East Palestine, Ohio) in Tuesday's round of 32 in a match set to begin at 10:09 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time.
Battling some early nerves, Robertson dropped the first two holes before answering to return the encounter to all-square with a birdie at the par-5 fourth hole and she never trailed the rest of the way. Robertson was reinstated as an amateur on Sept. 5, and qualified for the U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur in sectional qualifying two days later. The former Futures Tour player admits she is re-acclimating herself to competitive golf.
"Nerves got me a little on the first couple of holes. It's been a year since my last [championship] besides the [sectional] qualifier, and you forget how `alive' you feel with something on the line," said Robertson, the 2006 VSGA Women's Amateur champion. "I settled down and laughed about it, because it is funny. This happens. It's golf. I settled down and started playing great."
Robertson credits newfound caddie Zac Potter, a former Wichita State University golfer, with helping to ease the transition. Robertson carried her own bag during stroke-play qualifying over the weekend, but Potter's player missed match play and the two complemented each other well in negotiating the course's subtleties.
"He really helped me stay positive and can really read the greens," Robertson said. "He's played here and is real familiar with the course. It was awesome having him on the bag."
Robertson shot 74-76 in stroke-play qualifying and says she feels reinvigorated about playing the game again, especially on the national stage after spending two-plus years on the Futures Tour from 2007-09.
"I'm playing some of the best golf I've ever played in my life. I'm playing better now than I ever did on the Futures Tour," Robertson said. "My heart is really in it out here. I do - I have high expectations. I feel like I'm the only person that can get in my way. I hope I can take it one match at a time, sneak in some birdies and minimize mistakes. There are some really good players here."
Meanwhile, Virginia's other representative in the match play field, Mimi Hoffman of Springfield, dropped a hard-fought 2 and 1 match to Lea Venable (Simpsonville, S.C.) in the round of 64.
The second and third rounds will be played on Tuesday, followed by the quarterfinals and semifinals Wednesday. The scheduled 18-hole final is set for Thursday.
The U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur is one of 13 championships conducted annually by the United States Golf Association each year, 10 of which are strictly for amateurs.
24th U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur Championship ® - Round 2 Full LeaderboardPosition Player Hometown Total Hole Today 1 2 Total1 PORT, Ellen St Louis, Mo. +2 F +1 73 73 146T2 TREADWELL, Katy Oklahoma City, Okla. +3 F E 75 72 147T2 STASI, Meghan Oakland Park, Fla. +3 F* +2 73 74 147T4 HOGEBOOM, Patti Canada +6 F +2 76 74 150T4 Robertson, Carol Virginia Beach, Va. +6 F +4 74 76 150T6 MOORE, Patty Charlotte, N.C. +7 F* +2 77 74 151T6 CREEKMORE, Carolyn Dallas, Texas +7 F +1 78 73 151T6 LUCAS, Jennifer Knoxville, Tenn. +7 F +5 74 77 151T6 HERRON, Tobi Columbus, Ind. +7 F E 79 72 151T10 BARE, Holly Clovis, Calif. +8 F* +2 78 74 152T10 COBLE, Laura Augusta, Ga. +8 F* +1 79 73 152T10 PRESSLEY, Erica Selma, Texas +8 F* E 80 72 152