Janet Moore has had reason to depart the Vail area with a smile on her face on more than one occasion in recent weeks.
The Colorado Golf Hall of Famer happily watched her only daughter, Sarah, get married at the Chapel at Beaver Creek on Aug. 19. Then on Monday, Moore not only qualified at Vail Golf Club for the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship, but she claimed medalist honors out of a field that originally numbered 27.
The Centennial resident shot a 4-over-par 76 to lead a group of eight golfers who punched their tickets to the U.S. Women’s Mid-Am, which is limited to players 25 and older. They’ll all be bound for the national championship Oct. 7-12 at Quail Creek Country Club in Naples, Fla.
For Moore (pictured), it was the second time this month that she’s been medalist for a USGA qualifying tournament. On Aug. 1 at Pole Creek Golf Club in Tabernash, she shared medalist honors in U.S. Senior Women’s Am qualifying with Susan Hartwell of Arvada and part-time Gunnison-area resident Marilyn Hardy.
“My goal, since I was co-medalist in the Senior Amateur (qualifying) was to be medalist here,” Moore said on Monday. “I had done it in both qualifiers before, two years ago. That was special to me, so that was my goal this year as well.”
Moore will be playing in her 15th national Women’s Mid-Am, and will be one of three competitors who have earned berths into this championship both of the last two years through qualifying tournaments in Colorado. Also fitting into that category are Tiffany Maurycy of Denver (second place at 78 on Monday) and Susie Roh of Denver (81). Maurycy made match play in last year’s national tournament before bowing out in the round of 64.
Other qualifiers from Vail Golf Club were Jamie Zook of Colorado Springs (79), Jillian Braverman of Newport Beach, Calif. (80), Hayley Hammond of Mooresville, N.C. (80), Molly Dorans of Firestone (81) and Brittany Roberts of Denver (81). (The qualifiers are pictured, from left: Hammond, Roberts, Dorans, Roh, Maurycy, Moore, Braverman and Zook.)
The two alternates from the qualifier were Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Christie Austin of Denver (82) and Monica Meihack of Sandia Park, N.M. (84).
Moore birdied her first hole — with a 2-putt from 20 feet — then had a dozen pars and five bogeys the rest of the way. A balky putter kept her from sinking anything longer than 5 feet — she finished with 35 putts — but her ball-striking was solid enough to still be medalist.
“The greens were perfect, but they’re just tricky,” the 53-year-old said. “On the front side I bet I had five birdie putts within 12-15 feet and didn’t make one (other than via the second putt on No. 1). I wasn’t stroking the ball very well. But I was real happy with how I was hitting it.
“It’s such a treat to play with the Gore Range right there, and (the course) was in excellent condition. It was really a treat to play.”
With her performance this month, Moore has now earned spots in 25 USGA championships, taking into account the women’s Amateur, Mid-Amateur, Senior Amateur and State Team. The furthest in match play the five-time CWGA Stroke Play champion has advanced in a USGA event is the round of 16 of a Mid-Amateur.
“It’s always a goal (to qualify for USGA championships) and it’s very special,” said Moore, who has been limited to 20 rounds of golf this year due to a problematic back, wedding planning and other matters. “There’s nothing like a USGA event.
“Literally I think I may get 20 (more) rounds in the next four weeks between the Senior Am, Mid-Am, State Team and the Colorado Women’s Open. And it will all be competitive, which is great.”
The 27-person field was one of the largest for the Colorado-based Women’s Mid-Am Qualifying in recent years.
U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Qualifying
At Par-72 Vail GC
ADVANCE TO NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Janet Moore, Centennial, Colo. 36-40–76
Tiffany Maurycy, Denver, Colo. 37-41–78
Jamie Zook, Colorado Springs, Colo. 38-41–79
Jillian Braverman, Newport Beach, Calif. 43-37–80
Hayley Hammond, Mooresville, N.C. 37-43–80
Brittany Roberts, Denver, Colo. 42-39–81
Molly Dorans, Firestone, Colo. 39-42–81
Susan Roh, Denver, Colo. 43-38–81
ALTERNATES (In Order)
Christie Austin, Denver, Colo. 40-42″”82
Monica Meihack, Sandia Park, N.M. 40-44″”84
FAILED TO QUALIFY
Meghan Christensen, Houston, Texas 41-43–84
Marilyn Hardy, Magnolia, Texas 44-40–84
Kate Moore, Englewood, Colo. 43-42–85
Kathy West, Tulsa, Okla. 40-45–85
Natalie McNicholas, Naples, Fla. 42-44–86
Larissa Steinfeldt, Lakewood, Colo. 43-43–86
Julie McMullin, Park City, Utah 40-47–87
Jennifer Hocking, Colorado Springs, Colo. 44-44–88
Laurie Steenrod, Aurora, Colo. 47-44–91
Blair Fraser, Coto De Caza, Calif. 49-45–94
Katherine Moore-Lilly, Longboat Key, Fla. 46-49–95
Haejeong Son, Centennial, Colo. 50-46–96
Alison O’Connor, Windsor, Colo. 49-48–97
Jennifer Jacobsen, Englewood, Colo. 50-50–100
Tanya Krempel, Breckenridge, Colo. 51-50–101
Katty Rothberg, Denver, Colo. WD
Debra Woolf, Fort Worth, Texas WD
