SUSAN HESS OWNER AND DESIGNER of GOLFTINI an industry leader in Women’s golf apparel, joins Bill Berger and Rory Spears as a guest host in this weeks edition of Golfers on Golf Radio, on the tee this Saturday morning at 10 Am on WCPT AM 820. _____________________________________________________________________
THE GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS, Director of Content and Creation for Golfers on Golf. Follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy or on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.
A major in Women’s Amateur Golf returns to the Chicago area, with the playing of the 120th Women’s Western Amateur Golf Championship at Prestwick Country Club.
First round play begins on Tuesday, and concludes with the 18-hole championship match Saturday July 25th.
It’s the first Women’s Western Golf Association Championship at Prestwick, located in Frankfort of the southern suburbs of Chicago, since the 1972 WWGA Junior Championship, won then by 15-year old Nancy Lopez. A title some would call her first major win in golf. Lopez then went on to win two more WWGA Junior Titles in the following years of 1973 and 1974.
The Par 5, 2nd hole at Prestwick Country Club, will play 494 yards for the championship.
“Prestwick is looking forward to hosting the Women’s Western Amateur, and the club members and staff are planning another memorable and rewarding experience for the players,” said Susan Buchanan of Athens, Georgia, tournament chairman and Women’s Western Golf Association first vice president, “The course is in excellent condition and ready to challenge some of the nation’s finest amateurs in another first-class event.”
Four current LPGA stars are among those on the past champions list, including Ariya Jutanugarn, Stacy Lewis, Brittany Land and Christie Kerr.
The defending champion Sarah Shipley of Hastings, Michigan, is unable to defend her title this year, after she received a sponsors exemption into this weeks Symetra Tour event.
The par 4, 18th hole green at Prestwick Country Club.
As a result, the championship will crown a new champion in 2020, who will have her name engraved on the W.A. Alexander Cup.
Among the contenders from the field of 120 players is last years runner-up Antonia Matte, of Santiago Chile. 2017 USGA Junior Girls Champion Erica Shepherd, who has competed in the Augusta National Women’s Amateur in 2019, is among the top players who will compete.
Players with local ties include University of Illinois graduate Tristyn Nowlin, 2018 WWGA-Amateur runner-up in 2018 at Mistwood Golf Club in Romeville. Later that summer Nowlin was runner-up at the Illinois Women’s Open, also contested at Mistwood Golf Club.
Lauren Beaudreau from Lemont, who attends the University of Notre Dame. 2019 Illinois State Amateur Champion Sarah Arnold from St. Charles of Western Kentucky University. Five players from Northwestern University will join the field. Sr. Brook Riley, Juniors Kelly Su and Kelly Sim, Freshman Rachel DeAngulo and Charlotte Hillary.
This years champion and runner-up will receive invitations to play in the U.S. Women’s Amateur, at Woodmont Country Club in Rockville Maryland, this coming August 3-9.
Format for the championship is Tuesday 18 holes, Wednesday 18 holes, with the top 32 players advancing to match play on Thursday morning. The round of 16 will be played on Thursday afternoon, with the quarterfinals on Friday morning, and the semi-finals on Friday afternoon.
The 18-hole championship match is expected to begin approximately 7:30 or 8 Am on Saturday. The course yardage will be set at 6,374 yards, and a par of 72.
The WWGA and WGA have been monitoring Covid-19 developments, and will take several precautions to help ensure a safe and healthy environment for championship week at Prestwick Country Club.