Golf can often be a frustrating game. But, on occasion, it can feel rejuvenating.
A qualifying tournament for the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur on Monday at Cherry Hills Country Club proved restorative for more than one player in the field.
For instance, former Greeley resident and University of Denver golfer Kelly Schaub demonstrated she still has some golf mojo despite the fact that she hadn’t played a competitive round of golf in a non-team event in almost four years. The three-time CWGA Player of the Year, who now lives in Scottdale, Ariz., not only qualified for the Mid-Am, but finished fourth in the 36-player tournament with a 6-over-par 78.
The qualifying field was “very competitive, so I’m very surprised,” said Schaub, who estimates she’s played a total of just 20 rounds of golf over the last four years since getting into the real-estate business.
Then there’s Kay Daniel (pictured) of Covington, La., who came within a stroke of her all-time best tournament score Monday despite not having played any golf at altitude until last week.
“This is one of my better (competitive rounds),” the 42-year-old orthodontist said. “I’ve been playing really good this summer, better than I have in the last 10 years. There haven’t been many years I’d step out on a golf course and expect to shoot par or under, and I really feel like I can do that now. It’s a confidence thing.”
Daniel earned medalist honors Monday with a 2-under-par 70, which was five strokes better than the nearest competition. She was joined at Cherry Hills by 10 other qualifiers for the Mid-Am, which is scheduled for Oct. 5-10 in Asheville, N.C.
Also advancing were Stacey Arnold of Westminster (75), Janet Moore of Cherry Hills Village (77), Schaub (78), Shannon Lutynski of Lakewood (79), Linda Jeffery of Abilene, Texas (79), Maren Scoggins of Nashville, Tenn. (80), Kareen Markle of Meridian, Idaho (83), Krista Morgan of Breckenridge (84), Samantha Bartron of Boulder (84), and Meg Christensen of Houston (85).
Markle and Christensen also qualified in Colorado last year for the U.S. Women’s Mid-Am.
All of the top finishers Monday are veterans of USGA championships, having competed in an estimated 10 or more.
Moore, a Colorado Golf Hall of Famer, has made it to the round of 32 at the Mid-Am each of the last two years. And given that Monday’s qualifying tournament was held at her home course, it was no surprise that she easily punched her ticket to the national tournament for players 25 and older.
Moore, 49, made a special trip back to Colorado to compete in the qualifier as she coaches the women’s golf team at Wheaton College in Illinois, and the squad had already begun practice and qualifiers for the upcoming season.
In fact, because of a scheduling conflict with the Mid-Am and her team’s conference championship, Moore isn’t sure she’ll compete in the USGA event.
“I’m going to see how our team does this year, and if our team is doing really well and has a chance to win conference, I might make a decision before then not to go to the Mid-Am,” Moore said. “It’s my daughter (Sarah’s) senior year, so I’d like to be there if I could. If we’re not playing as well, then I might try to slip out Friday night (Oct. 4 before the final round of the conference meet) and play Saturday (Oct. 5 in the Mid-Am).”
If Moore does end up playing in North Carolina, she’s proven in the last couple of years that she can make a little noise.
“I’d like to do well,” she said. “I always look forward to the Mid-Am and I always like to do well in it. Someday I’d like to do really well.”
On Monday, Moore recorded three birdies at Cherry Hills — where she and husband Kent have been members for more than two decades — en route to her 77.
“To play your home course, I think you’re a lot more relaxed,” she said. “It’s just an advantage that way.”
While Daniel, a former Louisiana women’s amateur champion, set the standard Monday, Arnold was the low Coloradan with her 75.
“I haven’t been playing very much, so it was a good round for me for sure,” said Arnold, who estimates she’s made match play in USGA championships all but once or twice on her national trips.
The 44-year-old Arnold played college golf at the University of Iowa, was the Women’s Big Ten Golfer of the Year in 1991 and was inducted into the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2003. Arnold said this will be her fourth U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur.
Schaub, a 33-year-old former golf professional, estimates she’s competed in more than 15 USGA championships, including the 2003 U.S. Women’s Open. There have also been a U.S. Girls’ Junior, along with multiple U.S. Publinks, USGA State Teams, U.S. Women’s Amateurs and U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateurs.
But it took some urging from her mom to get her to try to qualify on Monday.
“I was sitting at home and she said, ‘I think you should play,'” Schaub recalled. “I’m like, ‘Really?’ She said, ‘It’s time for you to play. I would like to see you play and get back and caddie. That was the main reason — she wanted to caddie because we used to be the duo together. So I signed up and she caddied.”
Monday’s round started out a little choppy as Schaub shot a 7-over-par 42 on the first nine. But she played the back in 1 under to easily qualify.
“I was nervous going in, then kind of got in a groove,” she said. “And I was nervous again at the end. But being back in the competitive spirit is fun. It took me four years to get back here, but now I’m ready to keep on going.”
U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Qualifying
At Par-72 Cherry Hills CC in Cherry Hills Village
QUALIFIED
Kay Daniel, Covington, La. 34-36–70
Stacey Arnold, Westminster, Colo. 36-39–75
Janet Moore, Cherry Hills Village, Colo. 39-38–77
Kelly Schaub, Greeley, Colo. 42-36–78
Shannon Lutynski, Lakewood, Colo. 40-39–79
Linda Jeffery, Abilene, Texas 37-42–79
Maren Scoggins, Nashville, Tenn. 41-39–80
Kareen Markle, Meridian, Idaho 42-41–83
Krista Morgan, Breckenridge, Colo. 42-42–84
Samantha Bartron, Boulder, Colo. 38-46–84
Meg Christensen, Houston, Texas 44-41–85
ALTERNATES (In order)
Christie Austin, Cherry Hills Village, Colo- 42-44-86
Suzanne Smith, Breckenridge, Colo. 40-46–86
FAILED TO QUALIFY
Carly McNaughton, Canada 42-44–86
Karen Hale, Boynton Beach, Fla. 42-45–87
Cindy Pallatino, Scottsdale, Ariz. 46-42–88
Laurie Steenrod, Aurora, Colo. 45-44–89
Debbie Blount, Atlanta, Ga. 44-45–89
Jill Gaschler, Denver, Colo. 45-45–90
Janet Yoder, Elbert, Colo. 42-48–90
Holly Schmitt, Centennial, Colo. 45-45–90
Rochelle Brotsky, Windsor, Colo. 44-46–90
Sheila Schroeder, Englewood, Colo. 44-47–91
Beverly Hoffenberg, Pueblo, Colo. 46-46–92
Lisa Stone, Aurora, Colo. 42-51–93
Lori Lawrence, Englewood, Colo. 46-48–94
Catherine Stypula, Boulder, Colo. 45-51–96
Vickie Brown, Aurora, Colo. 48-48–96
Katty Rothberg, Denver, Colo. 47-49–96
Ampi Diaz, Mexico 45-51–96
Tricia Manley, Denver, Colo. 47-49–96
Sheryl Larsen, Denver, Colo. 47-50–97
Blair Fraser, Bouler, Colo. 48-49–97
Patty Smogor, Centennial, Colo. 49-50–99
Sally Lawrence, Englewood, Colo. 47-52–99
Tonya Hardman, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 45-54–99
