GOLF INSIDER
Karen Paolozzi, a PGA assistant professional at Druid Hills Golf Club, will become the third woman to compete in the next week’s PGA Professional National Championship in Myrtle Beach, S.C.
A field of 312 will compete on The Dunes Golf and Beach Club and the Grande Dunes Resort Club, June 22-26. The top 20 finishers will earn a spot in the PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club in August.
Paolozzi is a former All-American player from Indiana who moved to Atlanta in February. She qualified for the PNC by finishing tied for seventh at the Northern Ohio Section Championship. Suzy Whaley (2002 and 2005) and Patty Post (2007) are the only other women who have earned a spot in the event.
The Georgia pros in the field also includes tour-time Senior PGA Professional Player of the Year Sonny Skinner of River Pointe in Albany, Tommy Brannen from Augusta Country Club, Charles King from the Griffin City Golf Course, Greg Lee of Chicopee Woods in Gainesville, Bill Murchison from Towne Lake Hills in Woodstock, Todd Ormsby from Braelinn Golf Clulb in Fayetteville, Tim Weinhart of The Standard Club in Duluth and Craig Stevens from Brookstone Golf and Country Club in Acworth.
On the Tours: The first player on the tee at the U.S. Women's Open on Thursday will be Bailey Tardy, a rising senior at Norcross High. Tardy, 17, was medalist at the sectional qualifier in Butler, Pa., and committed to Georgia. She'll start at 6:45 a.m. on the first tee at Pinehurst No. 2.
- Tiger Woods, 11 weeks removed from back surgery, has been cleared to hit full shots. Woods hasn't played since the WGC Cadillac Championship in March. He will host the Quicken Loans National at Congressional next week, but has not committed to play. He has until 5 p.m. Friday to make that decision.
- The amateur ranks got a little thinner after the U.S. Open, with some of the top names opting to turn professional. That means the field is even more wide open for the U.S. Amateur at the Atlanta Athletic Club in August. Those who turned professional included defending U.S. Amateur champion Matthew Fitzpatrick and 2013 runner-up Oliver Goss, No. 1-ranked amateur Patrick Rodgers, Bobby Wyatt, NCAA champion Cameron Wilson and UGA All-American Joey Garber.
Mason, Skinner in Senior Open: James Mason of Dillard was medalist at the qualifier for the U.S. Senior Open at Brookstone. Mason shot a 5-under 67, one shot ahead of Sonny Skinner of Sylvester. Tim Parum of San Diego took the third spot with a 70. Billy Mitchell of Roswell emerged from a four-hole playoff with the first alternate spot. Jack Larkin of Atlanta outlasted Bob Royak of Alpharetta for the second alternate position. The U.S. Senior Open is July 10-13 at Oak Tree in Edmond, Okla.
Etc.: Auburn's Michael Johnson returns to defend his title at the 48th Dogwood Invitational, which begins Monday at Druid Hills Golf Club. Johnson shot a record 28 under last year. The field includes Georgia Tech standouts Seth Reeves and Anders Albertson. … Tech grad Richard Werenski won his debut as a professional at the NGA Tour's Cutter Creek Golf Club. … Grant Hirschman of Tennessee beat Shad Tuten on the second playoff hole to win the Southeastern Amateur at the Country Club of Columbus. Defending champion Reeves of Tech finished sixth.
