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Kelsey Lindenschmidt, 15, who will be a sophomore at Ursuline Academy this fall, shot a 1-under-par 71 to become the top qualifier Monday at the 81st Ohio Women's Amateur Championship at Terrace Park Country Club.

Lindenschmidt, a Beckett Ridge member, will be the top seed in the match-play competition that starts today and ends with Friday's 36-hole final.

Last week, Lindenschmidt of West Chester won the state girls junior championship at Marion Country Club, preventing the two-time defending champ from playing in the Met Junior Girls championship at the same time.

Other match-play qualifiers include Gabby Wedding, Kim Keyer-Scott, Allison Couch, Janie Klare, Lynn Thompson, Shaela Wolf, Ana Brown, Berth Kirkham, Nancy Reisert and Carol Kitson.

MEN'S AMATEUR: Defending champion Steve Paramore is among 144 entrants set to tee it up in today's opening round of the 98th Ohio Amateur at Columbus Country Club. Eight former champions, including Cincinnatian Robert Gerwin (1996, 2001), are also in the field. Paramore built a six-shot lead in the final round before holding off Jason Gerken by two strokes to take last year's title at Aurora Golf and Country Club.

Columbus Country Club, founded in 1903, is hosting the state amateur for the fourth time. Francis Cardi won there in 1952, Robert Lewis Jr. in 1968 and current PGA Tour pro John Cook was the 1978 winner.

Play begins today with medal play continuing through Friday. The field will be cut to the 60 and ties after 36 holes and the low 40 and ties heading into the final round.

Past winners of the Ohio Amateur include Arnold Palmer (1953, 1954), Cook (1978, 1979) and reigning British Open champion Ben Curtis (1999, 2000).