Colorado State University freshman Ellen Secor is doing her best to make this a habit.
Two U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball qualifying tournaments with current CSU teammates, two success stories.
A year after teaming up with Jessica Sloot to qualify for the national Women’s Four-Ball, Secor did it again on Tuesday, this time with CSU sophomore Katrina Prendergast.
Secor and Prendergast shot a 2-under-par 69 Tuesday at The Ranch Country Club in Westminster to earn the lone available qualifying spot for the third annual U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Championship.
Secor, an 18-year-old freshman from Oregon, and Prendergast, a 19-year-old sophomore from Nevada, finished strong to land the medalist spot, playing the last four holes in 3 under par and making an eagle on the 417-yard par-5 16th hole. They finished the day with an eagle, three birdies and three bogeys. (The two are pictured above, with Prendergast at left.)
Though the qualifier was held in October, the U.S. Women’s Four-Ball for which Prendergast and Secor punched their tickets won’t be contested until May 27-31 at The Dunes Golf & Beach Club in Myrtle Beach, S.C.
“These national tournaments are learning experiences,” Secor said. “I just try to have fun with it because you never know when you’re going to be there next. Fortunately for me, this is my second year in a row going to this (national ) tournament, which is one of the best USGA tournaments out there.
“This one does mean a lot because me and KP, this is our first year together. It’ll be a lot of fun for us because it will be another bonding experience. These national tournaments are a huge steppingstone for us and for our (CSU) program because it makes us look really good.”
Secor and Sloot not only qualified for the 2016 national championship, but advanced to match play. Overall, the 2017 Four-Ball will be the fourth USGA championship for both Prendergast and Secor, each of whom has been to the U.S. Women’s Amateur and the U.S. Girls’ Junior. In fact, Prendergast, runner-up in the Mountain West Conference Championships as a CSU freshman, also qualified in Colorado for this year’s U.S. Women’s Am.
“I played in the Women’s Amateur this year and it was awesome to play with the really good amateurs there,” Prendergast said. “It’s really good competition. These are good preparation for college tournaments and even later in life for pro tournaments. So it’s great to be able to qualify, especially with your teammate.”
Prendergast and Secor chipped in twice on Tuesday — for birdie on No. 9 by Secor and for eagle on No. 16 by Prendergast.
“We had a rough start, bogeying the first par-5, but we finished strong,” Prendergast noted.
Finishing second in Tuesday’s seven-team field were sisters Lauren and Katelyn Lehigh of Loveland — 15 and 12 years old, respectively — who posted a 72 after bogeying their final two holes. They’re the first alternates from Tuesday’s qualifier. Lauren Lehigh qualified last year for the 2016 U.S. Women’s Four-Ball — with teammate Aili Bundy — but they elected not to play because the national event conflicted with the girls state high school tournaments.
Placing third Tuesday — and landing the second alternate spot — were Georgiana Salant of Boulder and Isabella Salant of Carlsbad, Calif., who carded a 73.
Tuesday marked the final USGA qualifier in Colorado for 2016.
U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Qualifying
At Par-71 The Ranch CC in Westminster
QUALIFIED FOR U.S. WOMEN’S FOUR-BALL
Katrina Prendergast, Sparks, Nev./Ellen Secor, Portland 35-34–69
ALTERNATES (In Order)
Lauren Lehigh, Loveland/Katelyn Lehigh, Loveland 34-38–72
Georgiana Salant, Boulder/Isabella Salant, Carlsbad, Calif. 35-38–73
FAILED TO QUALIFY
Ampi Diaz, Mexico/Ericka Diaz, Mexico 37-36–73
Kathy Malpass, Evergreen/Katherine Moore-Lilly, Longboat Key, Fla. 37-40–77
Amy Chitkoksoong, Aurora/Caroline Jordaan, Cherry Hills Village 42-38–80
Wendy Atkinson, Westminster/Kathleen Johnson, Broomfield 43-44–87
Christie Austin, Denver/Janet Moore, Centennial WD
