Murfreesboro's Isabella Johnson tees off on No. 9 during her second round of stroke play at the U.S. Women's Amateur held at Bandon Dunes in Oregon
photo by USGA/Darren Carroll
The five Tennessee golfers that traveled westward to Oregon’s Bandon Dunes full of promise saw their journey at the 125th U.S. Women’s Amateur come to a halt after two days on Tuesday.
None of the five managed to wrangle their way into the top 64 that will advance to the start of match play on Wednesday, with Rachel Heck of Memphis narrowly missing out by a single stroke.
Heck moved herself into match play contention with consecutive birdies at 14 and 15 after starting on hole 10. Another birdie at 18 left her 2-under at the turn and 1-over for the tournament, squarely on the projected cut line.
After a lost stroke at No. 1 was regained with a birdie at 3, Heck needed a steady finish over her last six holes to remain alive. However, a costly bogey on No. 8 nudged her back to 2-over, and a par on her last hole left her at 1-under 71 for the day. Her total of 2-over 146 missed by one shot of landing in a playoff to advance, tied for 74th.
After struggling to an opening round 79, Hixson’s Carlee Rogers turned things around Tuesday morning by shooting even par 72. Starting her round on No. 10, the Baylor School senior was even after her opening nine with a birdie and bogey. Rogers finished out her tournament with a birdie on her final hole, the par-5 9th, to close her first U.S. Women’s Amateur at 7-over 151 (T119).
Isabella Johnson was hopeful to join the Top 64 advancing to Wednesday’s match play, entering Tuesday sitting in a tie for 73rd and one good round away from moving on. But bogeys on three of her first four holes created an uphill struggle as she shot 41 on her opening nine. The Murfreesboro native and MTSU freshman rallied with three birdies over her final six holes, but her round of 76 left Johnson at 6-over 150 (T106).
Gallatin’s Kynadie Adams, who is entering her senior year at Texas A&M, joined Johnson at 6-over 150 after recording a 74 on Tuesday. Adams had a lone bogey after starting on the back nine to make the turn at 37. She then found success on the front side with birdies at 1, 3 and 5 to give herself a chance of making it to match play. However, bogeys on three of her last four holes ended her hopes.
University of Kentucky rising sophomore Karlie Campbell of Ethridge completed her two days at 8-over 152 after posting rounds of 77-75. Campbell was even par on her round Tuesday after nine holes, but three bogeys on her homeward nine landed her in tie for 127th place in her first appearance in the national tournament.
Defending champion Rianne Malixi of the Philippines and her championship match opponent last year, Asterisk Talley of California, were stroke play co-medalists at 9-under 135. Vanessa Borovilos of Canada recorded an impressive ten birdies on her way to shooting 9-under 63 for her second round, placing her tied for 4th at 7-under 137, one shot behind Thailand’s Eila Galitsky.
For complete results, go to U.S.Women's Amateur.
Paul Payne can be emailed at paulpayne6249@gmail.com