British Senior Women’s Amateur Championship Day 1 Recap: Stouffer and Eakin Share Lead at Walton Heath

Shelly Stouffer of Canada and Tracy Eakin of Dooks Golf Club carded matching rounds of 73 (-1) on Walton Heath’s classic New Course to share the first-round lead in the British Senior Women’s Amateur Championship. Day one featured firm, fast heathland conditions demanding precision and smart course management from this elite senior field.

Partial Leaderboard – Round 1

In-Form Stouffer Shines on Debut

Stouffer is another player relishing the challenge of quintessential heathland golf. Making her debut in this championship, she was three-under through 14 holes before dropping shots at 16 and 18. The Canadian arrived in England in strong form after winning last week’s Irish Senior Women’s Open Championship—a victory that lifted her to 531st on the World Amateur Golf Ranking. She also owns the 2022 U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur, two Canadian Senior Women’s Amateur titles, and two Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur wins among her achievements.

“Where I play on Vancouver Island it can be dry but not so much like this and we don’t have any heather,” Stouffer said. “This is my first time playing this sort of golf and I’ve learned I need to keep out of the heather, keep it in play and go from there. I hit a low ball so this type of golf suits me. I’m really looking forward to the next three days.”

Eakin’s Eclectic Card

Eakin’s round was far more dramatic. She stood two-over through 14 holes after three birdies and five bogeys but produced a birdie at 15 and an eagle at 16 to vault to the top of the leaderboard. Her roller-coaster finish showcased both the risk and reward of Walton Heath’s New Course and leaves her tied for the lead entering day two.

Other Notables and Cut Details

Australia’s Gemma Dooley and Sue Wooster are close behind at level-par 74. England’s Jackie Foster, the 2022 champion at Woodhall Spa, returned a 78 to sit five shots off the pace. The field will be watching the cutline closely: the top 30 and ties advance after 36 holes, with a second cut after 54 holes narrowing the field to the top 20 and ties for the final round.

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