Arizona's Score Holds Up, Leads Championship

The Woodlands, Texas – Arizona, energized by Thuhashini Selvaratnam’s 4-under-par 68 and Kayla Mortellaro’s 3-over 75, bolted into the lead after the completion of the second round at the USGA Women’s State Team Championship Wednesday.

Alabama's Kathy Hartwiger narrowly misses a birdie opportunity on the second hole, nearly bringing her to her knees. (John Mummert/USGA)

On another sticky and hot day on the par-72, 5,918-yard Jack Nicklaus design at The Club at Carlton Woods, Arizona’s combined 1-under 143 catapulted it past first-round leader Louisiana, which shot 10-over 154 for an aggregate 11-over 299 to drop into sixth. Arizona engineered a 4-over-par 292 through two rounds.

Following Arizona were Alabama with a 6-over 294, and a three-way tie between California, Florida and Tennessee; all were 10-over 298.

Selvaratnam carried the way for Arizona, carding birdies on six of her final nine holes. A 2006 runner-up at the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur, the 31-year-old product of Tempe took advantage of what she called optimum conditions to score. The first of seven birdies in the round came on the 144-yard, par-3 17th hole. Selvaratnam started on No. 10. She dropped in a 15-foot putt, then followed suit with more birdies after she made the turn with a 3-footer on No. 1, an 8-footer on No. 2 and a 15-footer on No. 5.

Playing in her fourth State Team Championship, Selvaratnam bogeyed her finishing hole to still come in with a 32 on her second nine. She equaled 33-year-old Dawn Woodard’s 4-under 68, which the Tennessean shot in Tuesday’s first round.

“I actually came for the team,” said Selvaratnam, eschewing any individual success. “I came to help them win a team medal. … It’s a team thing. We have to play two good rounds [Thursday].”

Alabama continued to hang around thanks to the one-two punch of Kathy Hartwiger of Birmingham (even-par 72) and Courtney Trimble, 27, of Auburn. Trimble constructed a 1-over 73, going as low as three under after birdieing the first, second and third holes. She gave it back though coming in, double bogeying the fifth, and then bogeying the sixth and seventh holes.

Hartwiger, the 2002 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur champion and member of the winning Alabama team in 1997, hadn’t played in a competitive tournament for eight weeks. She chalked up her first round 3-over 75 to “jitters” but felt comfortable Wednesday. She played bogey-free until No. 1, her 10th hole. An 18-foot birdie on the fifth hole provided a boost.

“That’s really all you can ask for, that’s all you want,” said Hartwiger of being in the final three groups Thursday. Asked what the team’s mindset would be, she added, “I think I tell myself – all the time – that it’s just a game and see how well I can do. It’s not life or death. No one is going to die. … In these events, the USGA will let you know what you need to work on.”

One of seven players to appear in every State Team Championship, 48-year-old Mary Jane Hiestand of Naples, Fla., again carried her team. She followed a 2-under 70 with a 2-over 74, which gave her a share of the top individual score with Selvaratnam.

Florida won the title in the weather-shortened event in 1999 at Golden Horseshoe in Williamsburg, Va. inaugural event and in 1997.

“I came here to win,” said Hiestand. “I think our team needs to go as low as possible. It’s out there.”

An 8-over 152 dropped home-state Texas into a tie for eighth (18-over 306). Pride bruised, they vowed not to give up.

“Our mindset today was go as low as we can,” said reigning USGA Senior Women’s Amateur champion Anna Schultz, 51, of Rockwall, who led the team with a 3-over 75. “If there are 68s out there by other teams, there’s no reason why we can’t do it too.”

The Women’s State Team championship is one of the national championships conducted by the United States Golf Association. In each of the three, 18-hole stroke play rounds, the two lowest scores by players from each team constitute the team score for each round. The 54-hole total is the team’s score for the championship.

The USGA is the national governing body of golf in this country and Mexico, a combined territory that includes more than half the game’s golfers and golf courses.

Story written by Ken Klavon, Web Editor for the USGA. E-mail him with questions or comments at kklavon@usga.org.

Results

The Woodlands, Texas – Second-round results of the seventh Women's State Team Championship ® that is being held on the par-72, 5,918-yard Jack Nicklaus design at The Club at Carlton Woods.

Arizona 149-143--292; Thuhashini Selvaratnam, Tempe 76-68--144; Kayla Mortellaro, Phoenix 73-75--148; Judy Miller, Tucson 79-86--165

Alabama 149-145--294; Courtney Trimble, Auburn 74-73--147; Kathy Hartwiger, Birmingham 75-72--147; Martha Lang, Birmingham 82-81--163

Florida 147-151--298; Mary Jane Hiestand, Naples 70-74--144; Diane Lang, Weston 77-81--158; Taffy Brower, Boynton Beach 85-77--162

Tennessee 146-152--298; Dawn Woodard, Franklin 68-77--145; Shelley Anderson, Clarksville 78-76--154; Holly Cantwell, Morristown 80-76--156

California 154-144--298; Sharon Park, Irvine 76-70--146; Robyn Puckett, Irvine 78-74--152; Kathy Kurata, Pasadena 80-81--161

Louisiana 145-154--299; Kyndall Ardoin, Gibsland 71-74--145; Kay Daniel, Covington 74-84--158; Julie Harrison, Baton Rouge 78-80--158

Mississippi 152-153--305; Virginia Grimes, Meridian 72-76--148; Ashleigh Korzack, Starkville 80-77--157; Cissye Gallagher, Greenwood 86-87--173

Minnesota 153-153--306; Leigh Klasse, St Anthony 76-76--152; Mari Miezwa, Brooklyn Park 77-77--154; Lynn Anderson, Hopkins 82-81--163

Ohio 153-153--306; Elizabeth Kirkham, Cincinnati 78-74--152; Lynn Thompson, Cincinnati 75-82--157; Suzi Spotleson, Canton 80-79--159

Texas 154-152--306; Carolyn Creekmore, Dallas 74-77--151; Anna Schultz, Rockwall 80-75--155; Mina Hardin, Fort Worth 80-80--160

North Carolina 146-162--308; Patty Moore, Charlotte 71-80--151; Maggie Weder, Greenville 75-82--157; Angela Stewart, Greenville 79-88--167

South Carolina 151-158--309; Lea Anne Brown, Mt Pleasant 77-78--155; Lea Venable, Simpsonville 74-85--159; Karen Ferree, Hilton Head 79-80--159

Hawaii 155-154--309; Nicole Sakamoto, Honolulu 77-75--152; Hayley Young, Honolulu 78-79--157; Hee Sue Condry, Honolulu 91-83—174

Illinois 159-151--310; Kerry Postillion, Burr Ridge 82-71--153; Char McLear, Mchenry 81-80--161; Laura Carson, Lake Bluff 78-86--164

Maryland 153-158--311; Lisa Schlesinger, Laytonsville 75-78--153; Kaitlyn Rohrback, Crofton 78-80--158; Corrie Tayman, Bethesda 83-83--166

Virginia 158-153--311; Carol Green, Tazewell 77-77--154; Linda Divall, Alexandria 81-76--157; Stephanie Hicks, Glen Allen 84-84--168

Missouri 153-158--311; Mindy Bullard, Columbia 76-79--155; Ellen Port, St Louis 77-79--156; Barbara Berkmeyer, St. Louis 83-82--165

Oregon 157-155--312; Loree McKay, Portland 76-79--155; Lara Tennant, Portland 81-76--157; Charisse Spada, Portland 90-82--172

Massachusetts 149-163--312; Susan Choi, Natick 73-80--153; Tara Joy-Connelly, Duxbury 76-83--159; Lisa Anderson, Middleton 77-87--164

South Dakota 165-152--317; Julie Jansa, Sioux Falls 82-71--153; Kelly Evans, Brookings 83-84--167; Chelsea Cadwell, Brandon 91-81--172

Georgia 157-160--317; Mariah Stackhouse, Riverdale 79-77--156; Susan Rheney, Greensboro 80-83--163; Erin Packer, Tyrone 78-88--166

Colorado 159-159--318; Lynette Duran, Lakewood 77-78--155; Kim Eaton, Greeley 82-81--163; Cindy Pallatino, Denver 92-85--177

Wisconsin 156-164--320; Rheba Mabie, Boulder Junction 74-84--158; Katie Falk, Milwaukee 89-80--169; Jan Krebs, Junction City 82-90--172

Iowa 160-161--321; Lisa Meshke, West Des Moines 76-81--157; Jenny Graeser, Cedar Falls 84-80--164; Julie Bush, Cedar Rapids 91-93--184

Arkansas 159-163--322; Julie Oxendine, Russellville 79-80--159; Tanna Lee Richard, Ft Smith 80-85--165; Pam Spikes, Little Rock 86-83--169

Washington 166-156--322; Leslie Folsom, Seattle 83-76--159; Lisa Smego, Olympia 83-81--164; Ginny Burkey, Fircrest 85-80--165

Kentucky 166-157--323; Morgan Cross, Elizabethtown 83-77--160; Jessica Grace, Henderson 83-80--163; Megan Moir, Louisville 92-81--173

Montana 164-161--325; Jasi Acharya, Columbus 79-78--157; Jennifer Orcutt, Whitefish 85-83--168; Sue Matson, Laurel 111-95--206

Oklahoma 166-160--326; Lee Ann Fairlie, Oklahoma City 83-80--163; Natalie McNicholas, Tulsa 83-80--163; Ann Cowan, Elk City 92-102--194

New York 167-159--326; Barbara Israel, New York 85-78--163; Cheryl Brayman, East Hills 82-81--163; Teresa Cleland, Syracuse 94-83--177

Idaho 161-165--326; Kareen Markle, Meridian 77-86--163; Karen Darrington, Boise 85-80--165; Jean Smith, Eagle 84-85--169

Pennsylvania 161-166--327; Lisa McGill, Philadelphia 79-81--160; Carol Semple Thompson, Sewickley 82-85--167; Elizabeth Haines, Gladwyne 88-86--174

New Mexico 165-163--328; Kelli Dalpes, Las Cruces 84-80--164; Katharine Dorris, Glenwood 81-86--167; Tessa Rae Jimenez, Grants 86-83--169

Indiana 163-166--329; Nina Whalen, Indianapolis 82-77--159; Frances Walker, North Vernon 81-93--174; Jackie Hauck, Fort Wayne 93-89--182

Kansas 163-166--329; Gail Burden, Winfield 77-85--162; Alex Beury, Benton 88-81--169; Barbara Taber, Wichita 86-95--181

Connecticut 164-167--331; Daria Cummings, Monroe 78-83--161; Debbie Jamgochian, Greenwich 86-84--170; Lisa Fern-Boros, Shelton 89-90--179

Michigan 165-171--336; Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll, Haslett 80-88--168; Joan Garety, Ada 85-84--169; Theresa Delcamp, Grand Blanc 85-87--172

New Jersey 173-163--336; Alicia Kapheim, Pennington 87-80--167; Donna Young, Ewing 86-83--169; Frances Gacos, Flemington 88-84—172

Utah 167-169--336; Sue Nyhus, Orem 80-85--165; Lachell Poffenberger, Salt Lake City 87-84--171; Brooke Stewart, Salt Lake City 93-93—186

Nevada 165-172--337; Elizabeth Carroll, Las Vegas 83-84--167; Lisa Stanley, Reno 82-88--170; Christy Atencio, Reno 90-89--179

Maine 173-170--343; Leslie Guenther, Hebron 83-83--166; Kristin Kannegieser, Minot 92-87--179; Laurie Hyndman, Cumberland Foreside 90-92--182

District of Columbia 172-174--346; Deborah Klein, Washington 88-87--175; Maggie Brady, Washington 89-87--176; Janice Calomiris, Washington 84-93--177

New Hampshire 173-176--349; Paula Ainsworth, Franconia 87-86--173; Andrea Morrell, Manchester 87-90--177; Louise Billy, Manchester 86-91--177

Alaska 175-177--352; Margaux Sheehan, Anchorage 87-79--166; Jamie Berge, Anchorage 88-98--186; Cecilia Hopper, Anchorage 117-105--222

West Virginia 171-181--352; Sue Goldcamp, Parkersburg 86-86--172; Karen Kinnett, Shepherdstown 85-96--181; Patricia Maroney, Glen Dale 94-95--189

Nebraska 177-177--354; Jane Pohlman, Omaha 88-88--176; Susan Marchese, Omaha 89-90--179; Julie Hall, Norfolk 92-89--181

Wyoming 174-180--354; Sarah Bowman, Parkman 83-87--170; Mary Smith, Sheridan 91-93--184; Falinda Hall, Cody 99-102--201

Rhode Island 177-177--354; Kibbe Reilly, Providence 87-85--172; Katherine Bullock, Warren 90-92--182; Donna Warner, Portsmouth 91-98--189

Delaware 183-180--363; Sandy Scitti, Selbyville 93-87--180; Dottie Farmer, Middletown 92-93--185; Andrea Daly, New Castle 91-95--186

Vermont 185-193--378; Nancy Gorham-La Sante, East Burke 93-95--188; Elizabeth Walker, Marlboro 92-98--190; Deirdre Morris, Brandon 97-102--199

North Dakota 192-189--381; Mary Lobin, Fargo 94-94--188; Gwen Nestaval, Grand Forks 98-95--193; Mary Adams, Grand Forks 102-100—202