Welch Leads By Five At Tennessee Women’s Open

Jessica Welch arrived at Stonehenge Golf Club riding momentum from her recent success, and Thursday’s opening round at the 27^th Tennessee Women’s Open Championship did nothing to derail her run of stellar golf.

The native of Thomasville, Ga. who has competed on the Epson Tour since 2017 put together a string of four straight birdies during her closing nine, leading to a score of 7-under 65 to lead by five shots after the first day of Open Division competition.

Welch, who played collegiately at Jacksonville University and is a member of the school’s athletic hall of fame, was at level par through six holes on Thursday before she caught fire. She birdied seven of her next nine holes before closing with a trio of pars to blister the par-72, 6,162-yard layout at Fairfield Glade.

Welch’s immaculate play comes on the heels of capturing the Michigan PGA Women’s Open in late June by a convincing four-shot margin. It was the second straight year she had won that event, becoming only the second golfer to repeat as champion in that tournament and the first since 2001.

With golfers hailing from 14 different states competing in the tournament, the 32-year-old Welch will provide a challenge for the rest of the field that will be trimmed to the low 40 players on Friday heading into Saturday’s final round.

Michaela Morard of Huntsville, Ala. was the only other golfer in red figures on Thursday, posting a tidy 2-under 70. The 2020 Tennessee Women’s Open champion had worked her way to 4-under with five birdies before encountering a pair of bogeys late in her round.

A quartet of Tennessee amateurs posted rounds of even par 72 to settle in a tie for 3rd, led by current Tennessee Women’s Amateur champion Isabella Johnson of Murfreesboro. Others joining Johnson seven shots behind Welch were Karlie Campbell of Ethridge, Molly Hardwick of Nashville, and Germantown’s Sophie Christopher.

Susie Cavanagh of Warwick, R.I., Jordan Morton of Birmingham, Ala. and Kathleen Sumner of Rock Hill, S.C. finished at 1-over 73 in a tie for 7^th.

Defending champion Chelsea Dantonio of East Aurora, N.Y. struggled in her first round, shooting 5-over 77 to sit in a tie for 29^th.

Fox Seeks to Repeat as Senior Champion

After winning the Senior Division title last year by a whopping ten strokes, Cheryl Fox of Tiffin, Ohio is halfway home in becoming the first repeat champion in the 10^th playing of this event.

Fox found herself 2-over through four holes on Thursday before covering her final 14 holes in 4-under to close her opening day at 2-under 70. Three straight birdies starting at No. 15 sealed Fox’s strong afternoon to provide a 10-shot cushion heading into Friday’s final round.

Amateur Helen Holland of Nashville is alone in 2^nd at 8-over 80, followed by amateur Karin Rader-Carson of Kingston Springs in 3^rd at 11-over 83.

Tied for 4^th are Crossville amateur Leslie Letner as well as 2023 champion Jeannette Kohlhaas of North Charleston, S.C. who are deadlocked at 12-over 84.

For complete results, go to Tennessee Women's Open.

Paul Payne can be emailed at paulpayne6249@gmail.com