Memphis native Rachel Heck is making her 7th appearance in the U.S. Women's Amateur staged this week at Oregon's Bandon Dunes
photo by USGA/Darren Carroll
When it comes to sheer beauty, Bandon Dunes has few peers.
Majestically perched along the Oregon coastline overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the resort features six golf courses that transformed this sleepy town of 3,300 residents into a highly-sought golf mecca.
But as picturesque as Bandon Dunes might be, it also has a nasty side. The tumbling links layout is a smorgasbord of humps and swales. Avoiding the penal bunkers and suffocating native grasses is made even more challenging while navigating the constant breezes off the ocean.
With the original Bandon Dunes design that opened in 1999 serving as the site of the 125th U.S. Women’s Amateur, the 60-degree weather and challenging layout served as a wake-up call to the five Tennessee natives competing this week.
With the first of two days of stroke play taking place Monday where the top 64 advance into Wednesday’s match play portion, the quintet from the Volunteer State – Isabella Johnson of Murfreesboro, Rachel Heck of Memphis, Kynadie Adams of Gallatin, Carlee Rogers of Hixson and Karlie Campbell of Ethridge - have work to do to remain alive beyond Tuesday.
Johnson, winner of this year’s Tennessee Women’s Amateur, started her late afternoon round on No. 10. After enduring a double bogey on her second hole, she rallied with birdies at 13 and 16 close her opening nine at even par.
Bogeys at holes 2 and 3 dampened the start of her final nine, but the MTSU freshman steadied herself to tally six consecutive pars to close her round, finishing tied for 73rd at 2-over 74.
Heck closed at 3-over 75 in her seventh appearance in this event. The former Stanford star has advanced to a pair of semifinals in her previous showings, and was stroke play medalist in 2020.
Heck was cruising through the first 13 holes on Monday at 1-under with a birdie at No. 3 and a dozen pars. But four bogeys over her final five holes left her tied for 88th.
Adams was 4-over through seven holes before rolling in consecutive birdies to close her front nine. But three more bogeys on the back side prior to a final birdie at 18 left the Gallatin native and Texas A&M senior at 4-over 76, tied for 110th.
Campbell got off to a rocky start in her first U.S. Women’s Amateur with bogeys on her opening two holes. But birdies at 3 and 12 left the University of Kentucky sophomore at at 1-over with five holes left, but she navigated those closing holes in 4-over to post a 5-over 77 for a share of 120th place.
Rogers had a nice showing to open her initial time at this event, making the turn at 1-over after a birdie on No. 9. But the Baylor School senior and Miami commit struggled over her final nine. A pair of bogeys were followed by double bogeys at 16 and 18, resulting in a 42 over her final nine holes to shoot 7-over 79.
Three golfers are tied at 4-under 68 to share the first-round lead, while five others lurk one shot back at 3-under 69.
After battling the windy elements Monday afternoon, Rogers (7:51 PDT) and Johnson (9:10 PDT) will try their luck on Tuesday morning. Adams goes off at 12:51 PDT, followed by Heck at 1:33 PDT and Campbell at 2:26 PDT.
For complete results and live scoring, go to U.S. Women's Amateur.
Paul Payne can be emailed at paulpayne6249@gmail.com
Kynadie Adams of Gallatin tees off in Monday's opening round of stroke play at the U.S. Women's Amateur
photo by USGA/Darren Carroll