Shannon Johnson (USGA photo)
ST. LOUIS (Sept. 23, 2018) – Add another layer to Shannon Johnson’s magical summer. For the second time in three years, Johnson is stroke-play medalist at the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur.
Johnson, from Norton, Mass., started slow on Sunday with bogeys on three of her opening five holes, but in the end, she leap-frogged first-round leader Meghan Stasi to take the top spot into match play. Johnson finished 36 holes at Norwood Hills Country Club at 1 under after rounds of 72-71. She was the only player to finish stroke play under par on a difficult layout.
“It was good to see the ball go in the hole today,” Johnson said. “The key for me is just coming out and swinging away, not getting tentative. If I get tentative, I’m going to bring the rough into play. I just need to get up and hit it like I know I can.”
Since June, the 35-year-old has won the New England Women’s Amateur, the Massachusetts Women’s Amateur and the Keyes Cup. In the week leading up to the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur, she played the Massachusetts Mid-Amateur, making the 36-hole cut and finishing T-48.
Stasi and Erin Bradford tied for second at 1 over. Bradford rebounded from an opening 75 with a 2-under 70. Stasi went the other direction, following her opening 69 with 76.
“My putting could have been a lot better yesterday, and I improved on that today,” Bradford said. “I kept putting myself in great positions on the greens. I hit the fairways better than I did yesterday, and that’s so important out here. That made a huge difference going into the greens.”
Lauren Greenlief, the 2015 champion, was fourth at 2 over. Julia Potter-Bobb, who won in 2013 and ’16, was another shot back in a tie for fifth.
“I’m going to try and pull from this round tomorrow; I really hit some solid shots,” Potter-Bobb said. “I have some things I can still get better at. But knowing I can play well out here gives me confidence going into match play.”
Eight of the 11 USGA champions in the 132-player field reached match play. Only 2009 Women’s Mid-Amateur champion Martha Leach, 2010 Senior Women’s Amateur champion Mina Hardin and 2007 Senior Women’s Amateur champion Anna Schultz fell outside the 36-hole cutline.
Ellen Port, 57, of St. Louis, who has four victories in this championship among her seven USGA titles, shot 79-76 to earn the No. 32 seed for match play. She has qualified for match play 19 times in 23 starts in this championship, with victories in 1995, 1996, 2000 and 2011.
Information from the USGA used in this report
ABOUT THE
U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur
The U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur originated in
1987 to provide a national competitive arena
for amateurs 25 and older. Besides the age
restriction, the event is open to those with a
USGA Handicap Index of 9.4 or lower. It is
one of 14 national championships conducted
annually by the USGA, 10 of which are strictly
for amateurs.
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