Tuesday, July 10, 2001
McCord medals at N.Ky. Women's Am
Defending champ Camacho tied for 2nd after 1st day
By Ray Schaefer
Enquirer contributor
ALEXANDRIA, Ky. — The first time Anna McCord ever saw A.J. Jolly Golf Course was Monday's qualifying round at the Northern Kentucky Women's Amateur tournament. No matter. McCord fired a 3-over-par 78 to take medalist honors.
Defending champion Diana Camacho and Kim Gunning were next at 4-over 79, and Michelle Bellish was fourth at 80.
Five-time champion Lori Eberle, 1998 and '99 winner Katie Kruer and 2000 runner-up Lisa Houchen were next at 82, and Deana Clarke rounded out the championship flight with an 83.
Three of the top eight, McCord, Eberle and Kruer, missed last year's tournament. But McCord, who works at the American Airlines office downtown, has mostly skipped golf the past two years because she's been busy.
“I've only played eight times in two years,” McCord said.
But on Monday, she rebounded from a 3-over-par 41 over the first nine holes by shooting even-par 37 for the last nine.
Camacho was guaranteed the top seed because of last year's title, but she wasn't happy after Monday's round.
“I still didn't hit my woods like I wanted to,” Camacho said. “My timing's off, I guess. The greens were slow. Today, I took it easy.”
And Gunning? A smile nothing short of a 9-iron to the nose could take away — she started on the back nine with a par on No. 10, birdied 13 and eagled 16.
“I chipped and putted well,” Gunning said. “The slow greens didn't bother me at all — no 3-putts, a lot of 1-putts.”
Bellish reached the semifinals last year. She was part of the opening pair of foursomes Monday, and she said what many were thinking — Sunday's rain slowed the greens and raised the scores.
“I had three putts I thought were going straight in, and they lipped out,” Bellish said.
Like McCord, Kruer and Eberle missed last year. Monday, they differed on what they needed to improve.
Kruer said she wasn't hitting her driver well. Eberle was disappointed with her putts.
Clarke said she wouldn't have had to fret over whether she would make the championship flight if she putted better.
“I really suffered on the front nine,” she said. “I couldn't make a chip, I 3-putted two greens ... I double-bogeyed the last hole.”
N.Ky. Women's golf results, pairings
N.Ky. Men's golf pairings
Check out our Tristate golf guide for a directory and features on local courses, coverage of the Men's and Women's Met, and other news.
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McCord medals at N.Ky. Women's Am