An unlucky putter and a demanding course cost Mariah Stackhouse her chance at playing in the U.S. Women’s Open for the second consecutive year.
Stackhouse, 18, shot a 36-hole 6-over par 150, not low enough to be one of the four players that will advance out of sectional qualifying at Dunwoody Country Club. Lightning postponed the end of the qualifier Monday evening, but Stackhouse wasn’t among the lowest posted scores. Qualifying will continue Tuesday morning.
The U.S. Women’s Open will be played at Blackwolf Run in Kohler, Wis., July 5-8.
Stackhouse advanced out of the sectional qualifying last year at Druid Hills Golf Club, which played almost 200 yards shorter than 6,816-yard Dunwoody course. This year, a 78 in the first 18 crippled Stackhouse's chances of catching the leaders on the final 18.
“I caught the bogey train and couldn’t get off," said Stackhouse, who will graduate from North Clayton High School on Tuesday. “I stuck a lot of shots through the first 13 holes. But I wasn’t converting any of the putts.”
Former Georgia standout Reilley Rankin, the sectional medalist last year, gave herself a shot at advancing. She posted an even-par 144, two shots behind Victoria Tanco, the low scorer in the clubhouse, and is among the leaders. Though 11 players had yet to finish when play was suspended, seven of them withdrew Monday evening.
Dunwoody’s length, elevation changes and tough pin placements took its toll on most of the field. Of the completed rounds, just two golfers finished below par. Stackhouse, who was solid off the tee all day, said she was often in between a 5-iron or 7-wood on her approach shots.
“It was just tough,” she said.
Playing with Stackhouse, Amira Alexander, another heralded Atlanta amateur, posted five birdies on her final 18, but was offset by too many bogeys or worse, including a four-putt triple-bogey 6 on the par-3 No. 12. Alexander, who will play at Georgia next year, shot a 153. She thought she played decently, though she said she needed to make more putts.
Stackhouse will play next year at Stanford. Until she crosses the country later this summer, she said she will play in two more American Junior Golf Association events, try to qualify for the U.S. Amateur and hopes to compete in the Wyndham Cup. Alexander hopes to play in more amateur events, instead of junior events.
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