Susan Miller Leads Tennessee Women’s Senior Amateur After First Round

  • Wednesday, September 27, 2023
  • Paul Payne

Susan Miller sits atop a crowded leaderboard with a one-shot lead after the first round of the 45th Tennessee Women’s Senior Amateur Championship held Wednesday at The Ooltewah Club.

The Loudon native posted a 6-over 78 to pace eight golfers within six shots of her mark headed into Thursday’s final round. After recording her lone birdie on the opening hole, Miller, a member of Tellico Village Golf Club, finished with five bogeys and a lone double at the challenging fifth hole.

Kathy Vaughn, representing the Brainerd Women’s Golf Association, is positioned one stroke off the lead at 7-over 79. Vaughn birdied her first two holes, and stood at 1-over thru 13. But a rocky close at 6-over across the final five holes left her in second.

Defending champion Rhonda Switzer-Nadasdi of Nashville’s Governor’s Club is alone in third at 8-over 80, just ahead of Gallatin’s Christina Nelson (9-over 81) and Crossville’s Leslie Letner (10-over 82). Amy Long of Creeks Bend Golf Club is in sixth at 11-over 83, and a pair of golfers – Hermitage’s Julie Carlton and Dena Bower of Powell – closed at 12-over 84.

Caroline Caudill, who teamed to win the Tennessee Four-Ball title earlier this year, is the leader by two in the 7th Women’s Mid-Amateur competition. The Clarksville Country Club member recorded three birdies to go along with four bogeys to close with a 1-over 73.

Council Fire Golf Club’s Katie Woodruff overcame a slow start that was understandable to sit in second at 3-over 75. Woodruff spent the night flying home from San Francisco after helping coach Cal-Berkeley’s women’s team to a tournament win on Tuesday, then driving up from Atlanta to make her tee time. After shooting 3-over on her opening nine, the wife of University of Tennessee at Chattanooga men’s coach Blaine Woodruff finished her back nine in even par with her husband on her bag.

Maddi Everts of Nolensville is in third at 6-over 78.

Chattanooga’s Patty Donahoo leads the 3rd Women’s Super Senior division after shooting 9-over 81. The Council Fire member leads Franklin’s Gena Ridings (10-over 82) by one, and holds a two-shot advantage over Linda Post of Brentwood (11-over 83). Ann McKinney of Harriman stands alone in fourth place at 14-over 86.

Cleveland’s Maggie Scott, the two-time defending champion and owner of 14 state titles, is tied for fifth at 16-over 88 along with Council Fire’s Carlene Ryon and Joanne Walker of Gallatin.

For complete results, go to https://www.golfgenius.com/pages/4313954

Paul Payne can be emailed at paulpayne6249@gmail.com

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