Headline: Claire Sheldon Leads All at 2016 U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur Sectional Qualifying Held at Franklin Country Club; A Total of 7 Competitors Advance to Championship Proper

For Immediate Release: August 18, 2016

Claire Sheldon

Franklin, MA — Claire Sheldon (Cambridge, Mass) finished with a score of 2-over par 73 to lead the way and was one of seven competitors who earned a berth into the 2016 U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur Championship, which is scheduled for September 10-15 at The Kahkwa Club in Erie, Pennsylvania.

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Sheldon, a former collegiate player at Harvard, finished as medalist at the sectional qualifier and will be one of the 112 competitors to hit the Donald Ross-designed Kahkwa Club in September. She will be making her second straight appearance in the Championship Proper after qualifying for last year’s Championship, held at Squire Creek Country Club in Choudrant, Louisiana.

She said, “Mostly, I’m just happy to be through. Playing the USGA events, it is the highlight of the year for me when it comes to golf. I’m really excited to get to do that again.”

After making par on four of the first six holes, the Cambridge native Sheldon turned in the day’s only eagle -- on the 511-yard, par 5 7th hole.

“I hit a decent drive," said Sheldon, who also competed in the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship when she was in college. "On the second shot, there is a hazard, so you have to layup to about 150. I hit the layup short and [was hitting] 157 yards for my third shot. I hit a hybrid pretty thin. I looked around the ball for a few minutes, then checked the hole and it was in there.”

Sheldon carded two birdies on her back nine, including one on her final hole of the day, a downhill dogleg left that measures at 482 yards to conclude her round of 18.

In addition to Sheldon, Staci Creech (Bangor, Maine) and Shannon Johnson (Boston, Mass.) fired matching scores of 3-over par 75 to finish T2 in Franklin.  

In addition to the seven qualifiers, three additional players battled in a playoff for the two alternate spots.

Meredith Chiampa (New York, N.Y.) won out in the first playoff hole to garner the first alternate spot while Lauren Milosh (Boston, Mass.) took the second alternate spot after three playoff holes.

The US Women’s Mid Amateur is open to any female amateur who is 25 years of age as of Sept. 10, and whose Handicap Index does not exceed 9.4.