2009 USGA Women's State Team Championship Blog

Thank You

A big shout out to Sycamore Hills Golf Club. The members and staff were wonderful all week and the course was in impeccable condition. I'll get my chance to sample it on Friday, but I don't think I'll match what team champion Georgia did. Fort Wayne put on a good show from the volunteer support to the media coverage. We even had a nice gallery for the final round with several local high school girls' golf teams coming out to see the talent, especially 15-year-old Mariah Stackhouse from Georgia and Hawaii's 14-year-old Kacie Komoto. Also big thanks to my media chairwoman, Cherri Keller, who assisted me greatly this week, especially in shuttling out the local TV crews.

Would love to see the USGA come back to this facility some time in the future.

-David Shefter

Congratulations To The Champs

A toast should go out to Georgia, which played solid the entire week. What an effort by Mariah Stackhouse in the final round. She was four over after four holes and where most players might throw in the towel, she fought back and shot six under over her final 14 holes. That included a stretch of four consecutive birdies from the seventh hole.

"I didn't get too nervous after that," said Stackhouse, a 15-year-old high school sophomore from Riverdale. "My dad (Ken) had me laughing and telling jokes."

In case anyone is wondering, Ken Stackouse is a distant cousin of NBA player and former North Carolina standout Jerry Stackhouse.

Dori Carter also was a rock all week for Georgia, earning medalist honors and shooting a 3-under 69 in the final round that easily could have been a 66. She three-putted 16 and 17 -- the former from 7 feet -- and hit her tee shot at 18 into a water hazard.

Laura Coble, the veteran of the team at 45, also was a calming influence on her two younger teammates. Coble was a member of the 2005 Georgia team that won this championship at Berkeley Hall. That team also had a very similar feel with a 19 year old (Kyu Ri Ban) and 21-year-old Jean Reynolds, who played well for 54 holes at this year's U.S. Women's Open and has won twice on the Duramed Futures Tour.

It's no wonder why Coble was so emotional at the conclusion of play. This championship was special to her.

-David Shefter

Adjustment Pays Off

Prior to the second round of the Women's State Team Championship, Kathy Hartwiger knew something was a bit wrong with her putting. The quick Sycamore Hills greens required a little lighter putter, so rather than purchase a new one, Sycamore Hills pro Tim Frazier put the 43-year-old from Birmingham in touch with one of his staff members. He took some of the weight out of the putter and also found a putter grip that Hartwiger had previously used but could not find back home. The result was a 3-over 75 on Wednesday and a championship-tying-record 67 in Thursday's final round. It actually could have been even lower as Hartwiger had golden opportunities for birdies at 14, 16 and 17 before rolling in a 48-foot birdie at 18 after hitting a 5-hybrid into the green. She also converted a 30-foot downhill birdie at the eighth, one of the tougher holes on the course.

"It was huge," said Hartwiger of the adjustment. "Yesterday (Wednesday) I was so much happier. I feel real good."

Hartwiger said the 67 will go a long way for her confidence as she prepares for the upcoming U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur in Ocala, Fla., Oct. 3-7. Hartwiger won that championship in 2002 at Eugene (Ore.) Country Club.

Another player who will go into that event on a roll is Dawn Woodard of Greer, S.C., who had a 4-under 68 in her final round, which included eight birdies.

"Yesterday, I had no birdies, but I was all over the edges," said Woodard, who was the stroke-play medalist at the 2007 Women's Mid-Amateur and was two strokes shy of earning medalist honors at this week's WST. "I was a lot closer to the hole today and gave myself more chances."

Woodard was one of four players to break par on Thursday. Only three players had posted sub-par rounds in the first two days of the championship.

"The course got harder and drier," said Woodard. "More players were getting shorter clubs into their hand. It's a little easier to get the ball to stop on the green closer to the hole."

-David Shefter

Stepping On The Gas

Georgia definitely has come to play in the final round. Especially Dori Carter. The 22-year-old from Valdosta carded a tidy 4-under 32 on the outward nine of Sycamore Hills Golf Club to help Georgia extend its lead over contenders Hawaii, South Carolina, Alabama and Mississippi, posting a 3-under team total for nine holes. The team leads Alabama by seven strokes and Mississippi by eight with nine to play. Hawaii and South Carolina are 10 and 11 strokes behind, respectively.

Carter, who just completed her eligibility at the University of Mississippi this past spring and will graduate in December, holed a 6-foot birdie at the ninth. She also knocked it on in two at the par-5 fifth to set up a birdie and birdied the par-3 seventh.

Teammate Mariah Stackhouse, 15, of Riverdale, has also recovered from a triple-bogey 6 at the fourth hole. She made three consecutive birdies to close out the first nine, including a chip-in at eight and a 30-footer from the fringe at No. 9, to turn at 1-over 37. Then she birdied the 10th hole for a fourth consecutive birdie.

Team veteran Laura Coble, who played on the victorious 2005 Georgia team, also turned at one over.

Meanwhile, Hawaii and South Carolina, both of whom started the day three shots off the pace, are struggling to keep up. Dawn Woodard carded a 1-under 35 for South Carolina but teammates Lea Venable (6-over 42) and Wallace Hamerton (8-over 44) aren't helping the cause.

Hawaii has a pair of 38s from 14-year-old Kacie Komoto and 23-year-old Xyra Suyetsugu.

Alabama and Mississippi, however, are playing well, though both have lost ground to Georgia. Alabama and Mississippi each posted an even-par team score at the turn. Kathy Hartwiger, the 2002 U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur champion and a member of the winning 1997 Alabama team, shot 1-under 35 and recent Birmingham Southern graduate Jordan Hardy added a 1-over 37.

Mississippi has received even-par 35s from Alexis Rather and Virginia Derby Grimes. Grimes played on the 1997 Alabama team and is a three-time USA Curtis Cup team member along with being the 1998 U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur champion. Rather birdied the ninth hole for her 36. Cissye Gallagher, whose husband Jim played on the PGA Tour and was a member of the 1993 U.S. Ryder Cup team, turned at 1-over 37 for Mississippi. Jim grew up about an hour from Fort Wayne in Marion.

In the race for individual honors, Carter owns a two-stroke lead over Grimes.

-David Shefter

Setting The Example

Several players have chosen to carry their own bags this week in lieu of a caddie or even using an electric cart. Most are teenagers or recent college grads who are accustomed to hoofing it during competitions since college golfers aren't allowed motorized transportation or caddies. Then there's 52-year-old Loree McKay of Portland, Ore. She is carrying her own bag, eschewing the opportunity to ride. There are players much younger than McKay who are riding.

Then again, in two years when this championship is conducted at The Landings in Savannah, Ga., the option to ride won't be available. Starting in 2011, the Women's State Team Championship will be walking only. Representatives from The Landings, who were here this week as part of a Futures Site contingent, said the club is putting together enough caddies for those who need them. Even members are volunteering to carry for the contestants.

This year's Men's State Team Championship at The Country Club of St. Albans (Mo.) will be a walking-only event.

-David Shefter

Final Day

The sun is just starting to come out on what will be another glorious sunny day in northeastern Indiana for the last round of the 2009 USGA Women's State Team Championship. Players should expect conditions similar to the last two days with firm fairways and greens.

It certainly was an interesting day on Wednesday. Georgia saw its lead trimmed from four to three strokes and there were several rulings. Georgia's Laura Coble suffered a one-stroke penalty on the 17th hole when her ball moved a half-inch as she approached it. While she had not taken her stance, she did put her putter down behind the ball. It's not known if that caused the ball's movement but Decision 18-2b/4 was invoked. Basically it says if a player can't fully determine the reason for the ball's movement -- i.e. wind or gravity -- he/she is deemed to have caused the movement and is penalized. It was a tough deal for Coble, but she handled the adversity like a true veteran.

Kim Eaton of Colorado was also disqualified for signing an incorrect scorecard. It won't affect her status for the final round, but the team was unable to use her score for Wednesday's second round.

And finally, Alaska was given a two-stroke penalty when the team captain, who also is a player, jumped in a cart following her round to give some of her teammates some advice as they completed their rounds. Unfortunately, a Condition of the Competition states that team captains may not use motorized carts during a stipulated round. That gave Alaska a two-stroke team penalty.

-David Shefter

Hero's Welcome

A few weeks ago U.S. Open champion Lucas Glover returned to South Carolina where the folks in Greer celebrated his victory at Bethpage State Park this past June. Dawn Woodard, who moved to Greer from Franklin, Tenn, 18 months ago, is a member of the same club as Glover, Champions Tour player Jay Haas and PGA Tour player Charles Warren (Thornbridge).

"We've got a lot of great players out there," said Woodard of Thornbridge. "[Lucas] had the trophy in town a couple of weeks ago. The town did a big celebration for him. It was pretty cool."

If Woodard and her South Carolina teammates can put together a solid round on Thursday, there might be another reason to celebrate a USGA championship. South Carolina sits just three strokes behind front-running Georgia going into the final 18 holes of the 2009 Women's State Team Championship at Sycamore Hills Golf Club. Woodard shot a 2-over 74 on Wednesday with no birdies.

"The golf course ... is there for the taking," said Woodard, who played in the 2007 WST for Tennessee and was the stroke-play medalist at the 2007 U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur. "It's tough in spots, but there's a lot of [birdie] opportunities where we have short irons in our hands."

-David Shefter

Madam Secretary

A few months ago, Martha Lang of Birmingham, Ala., got the opportunity to play a round of golf at Shoal Creek, where she's a member, with one of the prestigious club's newest members: former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Lang said it was a wonderful experience. She said her golf game doesn't quite match her diplomacy, but she only recently took up the game.

Lang, the 1988 U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur champion and 1992 USA Curtis Cup team member, could have had another chance to play with Rice next weekend, but she had to politely turn down the invitation because she will be at The Homestead in Hot Springs, Va., competing at the 2009 USGA Senior Women's Amateur

Lang is competing at Sycamore Hills this week for Alabama, which enters the final round four strokes behind Georgia. She is one of three ladies playing this week who has competed in all eight Women's State Team Championships, joining Carol Semple Thompson of Pennsylvania and Susan Marchese of Nebraska. This is her second time representing Alabama. She competed for Louisiana six times.

-David Shefter

Georgia Sees Lead Trimmed

What looked like a runaway through 27 holes now has turned into an interesting chase for the title. Georgia was up six strokes, but struggled on the outward nine at Sycamore Hills and now only leads by three over Hawaii and South Carolina. It should be a fun final round on Thursday. And let's not forget that Alabama is only four strokes out and Mississippi is five behind.

In a team format, five strokes can disappear quite quickly, especially if a team has a great day. Through 36 holes, only three players have posted sub-par rounds, so it will be interesting to see if anyone can go low on Thursday. A team score around even par could be good enough.

Georgia certainly has experience with Laura Coble having played on the victorious 2005 team. And Dori Carter played four years of Division I golf at the University of Mississippi (she also qualified for the 2005 U.S. Women's Open) and Mariah Stackhouse, while only 15, has competed in other USGA championships. She reached the second round of match play at the 2008 U.S. Girls' Junior.

While Hawaii is young, Cyd Okino, 15, is a veteran of several USGA events and has played in a U.S. Women's Open. Fourteen year old Kacie Komoto, who shot a 74, is competing in her first USGA event. She and Okino are missing the first week of school at Punahou this week. Punahou produced Michelle Wie and UCLA All-American Stephanie Kono as well as our country current President, Barack Obama.

South Carolina's Dawn Woodard also is a USGA veteran, having earned medalist honors at the 2007 U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur.

And never count out Mississippi's Virginia Grimes, a three-time USA Curtis Cup team member and 1998 U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur champion.

-David Shefter

Increasing The Lead

Thanks to a pair of 1-over 37s from Dori Carter and Laura Coble, first-round leader Georgia has extended its advantage over South Carolina to six strokes through nine holes of Wednesday's second round. Carter, 22, of Valdosta, shot a 3-under 69 in the first round on Thursday. Coble, 45, of Augusta, had one of the team's two 74s. The team's third member, 15-year-old Mariah Stackhouse of Riverdale, birdied the 18th hole and turned at 2-over 38.

South Carolina posted four over for its first nine holes. Dawn Woodard, 35, of Greer had a 37 and 48-year-old Wallace Hamerton of Bluffton had a 39.

Alabama and Mississippi are each at eight over par through 27 holes. Virginia Derby Grimes, 45, of Meridian, a three-time USA Curtis Cup team member and 1998 U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur champion, continues to pace Mississippi. Grimes posted a 1-under 35 and now leads the individual competition for medalist honors by a stroke over Carter. Interesting enough, Grimes played on the winning 1997 Alabama team and is a graduate of Auburn University, where a women's golf tournament is named in her honor (Derby Invitational).

It's looking like those four teams will contend for the title. Hawaii and Colorado are each eight strokes back at 10 over par through 27 holes. Hawaii's Kacie Komoto, at 14 the youngest player in the field, shot even-par 36 for her first nine holes.

All of the aforementioned teams started the second round at the 10th tee.

By the way, the teams will be re-paired for Thursday's final round based on their scores, with the leaders going off last.

-David Shefter

Hearty Hardy

Jordan Hardy of Alabama is off to another good start today. On Tuesday, she posted a 2-under 34 to start her round and today she shot even-par 36 on the inward nine at Sycamore Hills. Her team still has plenty of work left to catch front-running Georgia. Hardy just graduated from Birmingham Southern and plans to enter Duramed Futures Tour Qualifying School this November.

Hardy was joined at even-par 36 by teammate and 2002 U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur champion Kathy Hartwiger of Birmingham. Hartwiger helped Alabama win the 1997 Women's State Team Championship. If Alabama can stay at even or shoot a couple of under, it will be right in the hunt for the championship.

-David Shefter

Enacting Revenge

After making a disastrous 12 on the par-5 12th hole on Tuesday, Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll of Michigan got even on Wednesday by making a par. Slobodnik-Stoll, the women's head coach at Michigan State, started her round on Tuesday with a birdie and par before carding the 12 en route to an 86. On Wednesday, the 37 year old registered a 2-over 74, which was one of the better scores from the morning wave.

-David Shefter

Feeling Better

Whitney Hand of Maine knew something wasn't right when she woke up Tuesday morning. There were sharp pains in her stomach and she spent a lot of time in the bathroom (we'll spare the details). She thought it was appendicitis or possibly food poisoning. The condition resulted in her going to a local hospital instead of teeing it up with her teammates for round one of the Women's State Team Championship.

"They didn't know, we couldn't figure it out," said the 20-year-old Hand from Bucksport. "I had a lot of stomach pains and back pains and throwing up."

But her condition improved remarkedly on Wednesday, good enough for Hand to play in the second round. Although she shot 102, Hand was just happy to be out playing instead of sitting in a hospital bed. "I don't have as much strength, but I feel better."

Hand, who normally walks, decided to use a cart, an option available to this week's contestants. She did drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated. The cool morning temperatures certainly made things much more bearable as well. "It's perfect right now for me."

-David Shefter

Pumping Them Up

After making a nice two-putt par on the ninth hole at Sycamore Hills, Maggie Weder of North Carolina received some nice applause. But not quite what she wanted. So the 52-year-old from Greenville took things up herself by self-applauding. Then when Pat Milton of Ohio holed a nice par putt, the crowd reacted with a longer and more-audible applause. "Now that's more like it," said Weder.

Weder also made sure to tell the 25 or so folks standing around the green that her fellow competitor, 17-year-old Kaitlyn Rohrback of Maryland had just shot an even-par 72. That round included an eagle-2 at the 13th hole.

-David Shefter

Maryland Makes Move

Kaitlyn Rohrback, 17, of Crofton posted a 2-under 34 on Sycamore Hills' inward nine, and teammate Corrie Tayman, 29, of Bethesda shot a 2-over 38 to help Maryland shoot even par over the first nine holes. Rohrback's round has included an eagle-2 at the 13th hole. Maryland currently sits in seventh place at 10 over par, but if its shoots even today, it will make quite a move.

-David Shefter

Early Round Two Scores

It doesn't look like Sycamore Hills is playing any easier on day two of the Women's State Team Championship. Claudia Pilot, who carded a 2-under 70 for Minnesota on Tuesday, made the turn at four over today. But her teammate, Alison Meyer, shot a 38 after firing an 86 on Tuesday. Thuhashini Selvaratnam, who led Arizona to victory in the WST two years ago, had a 36 on the inward nine.

You certainly can't blame the weather, though. It's absolutely perfect outside today for golf. This is the nicest weather we've had all year at any of our USGA championship.

-David Shefter

Round Two Begins

Another glorious day in northeastern Indiana (sunny and blue skies), although temperatures this morning are in the upper-40s. But we are expected to warm up to the mid-70s and the breeze could also kick up later this afternoon. The bigger question is if anyone will catch front-running Georgia, which begins the second round with a four-shot lead over South Carolina. How would you like to have to throw out one 74? There are a lot of teams in the field that would have loved to have that option on Tuesday.

South Carolina played very well on Tuesday with Wallace Hamerton shooting a 73 and Dawn Woodard posting a 74. They might need to go a few shots lower on Wednesday, depending, of course, what Georgia does in the second round. Georgia's Mariah Stackhouse made six birdies on Sycamore Hills' outward nine in the first round, so her game was coming together after a tough 41 over the first nine holes.

Colorado's Rachel Larson also had a nice round on Tuesday with an even-par 72. Ditto for Minnesota's Claudia Pilot and Mississippi's Virginia Grimes, both of whom posted 2-under 70s. All three will be looking for some help from their teammates in round two in hopes of chasing down Georgia.

In any case, the clear winner on Tuesday was Sycamore Hills, which played to a stroke average of 83.952, which is seven strokes above the USGA Course Rating for this championship. Jack Nicklaus might be smiling this morning. His design certainly is challenging the participants in the 2009 USGA Women's State Team Championship.

-David Shefter

Happy Birthday

A shout out to a couple of contestants who are celebrating birthdays today. Barbara Byrnes of Arizona turns 55 and three-time U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur runner-up Kerry Postillion of Illinois is 46. Postillion will be moving to Arizona full-time very soon. She and her husband are members at Desert Forest, which hosted the 2007 U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur, where Kerry was the runner-up to Meghan (Bolger) Stasi.

-David Shefter

Auto Pilot

Minnesota's Claudia Pilot has played quite well this summer in state events, but the 52-year-old from Austin didn't know what to expect out of her game after her practice rounds at Sycamore Hills Golf Club for the 2009 USGA Women's State Team Championship. She was thinking 78 might be a good score. Turns out she did much better than that. Pilot carded a 2-under 70 -- one of only three sub-par rounds on day one -- at a course where most players were shooting 80 and higher.

"God works in mysterious ways," she said after signing her card.

Pilot just won the Minnesota Senior Womens's title last week and finished second at the North and South Women's Senior Championship at Pinehurst two weeks ago to Sherry Herman of New Jersey. She did spend the entire winter in Arizona, but said she came back to Minnesota with a higher handicap than before she left.

But on Tuesday, she missed only four greens and she got up and down for par on three of them. Only a three-putt bogey at No. 16 prevented her from breaking 70.

"It was just one of those days for me," said the affable Pilot, who was the low individual scorer when Minnesota won this event in 2001 at Woodhill C.C. in Wayzata, Minn. "I was hitting quality shots. I didn't make any mistakes."

Pilot went on to say that Sycamore Hills is one of the "toughest golf courses I've played in USGA events." This from a woman who has played in a lot of USGA championships.

-David Shefter

Personal Best

The District of Columbia likely won't contend for the team title this year -- not after posting 15-over 159 -- but Janice Calomiris certainly had a round to remember. After a pedestrian 42 on Sycamore Hills' second nine, the 50-year-old architect carded a personal-best 3-under 33 on the first nine, which included three birdies.

"I think my previous best nine was even par," said an ecstatic Calomiris.

Her 75 was one of the day's best rounds as only three players broke par and one other shot even par.

-David Shefter

Afternoon Update

Nobody seems to be making a serious run at Georgia, at least in the first round. But a few teams who had afternoon starting times are playing well, including 2001 champion Minnesota. Claudia Pilot, 52, of Austin, is two under through nine holes. Pilot was the low individual scorer at the 2001 Women's State Team Championship played at Woodhill Country Club in Wayzata, Minn., and she was a semifinalist at last year's USGA Senior Women's Amateur. The Minnesota team, which also features Leigh Klasse and Alison Meyer, is three over par at the turn.

They are joined at three over by Florida and California. South Carolina is already in the clubhouse at three over.

Florida is being paced by two-time U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur champion Meghan Stasi, who is one over after nine holes. Stasi, 31, also was a member of the victorious 2008 USA Curtis Cup team. Gennifer Mendez, at 22 the youngest member of Florida's team, turned at two over. Mendez recently completed her eligibility at the University of South Florida. On her bio, it says she loves to fish and bowl and enjoys listening to country music.

Kathy Kurata, 48, of Pasadena, is leading the California contingent with a 1-over 37. Sharon Park, 31, of Irvine had a 38. Kurata listed on her bio that she is a professional Japanese classical dancer and has been dancing since the age of 4. She started playing golf two years later. Park is a 1999 graduate of the University of Michigan and helped California finish fourth at the 2007 WST.

-David Shefter

Georgia Early Clubhouse Leaders

Dori Carter, 22, of Valdosta carded a 3-under 69 to lead Georgia to an early four-shot lead midway through the first round of the Women's State Team Championship. Carter, who recently completed her eligibility at the University of Mississippi (she'll graduate in December), was the only player to break 70 among the morning wave. Teammates Laura Coble of Augusta and Mariah Stackhouse each shot 74s. One of the 74s was thrown out in the 3-count-2 format.

Although Carter has played in several USGA events, including the 2005 U.S. Women's Open, this is her first foray into the Women's State Team. "It feels weird," said Carter when asked if it's different not suiting up for the Rebels. "[The Women's State Team Championship] is very similar to college. It hasn't quite hit me yet because of this event. But the [Ole Miss] golf team leaves for an event this wewekend when we get back. I think I'll realize it then."

It must feel like a Rebels homecoming at the WST. Carter's roommate Rachel Ingram is competing for Tennessee and the Rebels' assistant women's coach, Alexis Rather, is playing for Mississippi. And the coach who recruited Carter, two-time U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur champion and 2008 USA Curtis Cup team member Meghan Stasi, is playing for Florida. Like Carter, Ingram is completing her degree this fall.

To play this week, Carter is missing a few classes, but has communicated with her professors. She is majoring in business management.

"I had to e-mail some professors to get some type of excused absence for this," said Carter. "They all understand. I am trying to represent Georgia and Ole Miss since they are letting me out of school at the same time."

Stackhouse, who is four weeks into sophomore year at North Clayton High, also is missing several days of class. "I will have a lot of work this weekend when I get home," said Stackhouse, who is playing in her first USGA event of the season after barely missing qualifying for the U.S. Girls' Junior and U.S. Women's Amateur.

-David Shefter

Grimes First Under Par

Virginia Derby Grimes, the 1998 U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur champion and a three-time USA Curtis Cup team member, shot a 2-under-par 70 for Mississippi, which posted a team score of 6-over 150. Grimes, from Meridian, had six birdies and four bogeys, and totaled just 29 putts. She hit the flagstick on the difficult 376-yard 18th hole from 155 yards out with a 5-iron. She made the 3-foot downhill putt to post 70.

"I made some putts," said Grimes, who played for the winning Alabama team in 1997. "I missed a couple of short putts -- little breakers -- but you know, that's OK.

"I'm real happy. On this course, everything is angled. There's some different numbers out there."

Grimes has had a solid summer. She just missed making match play at the U.S. Women's Amateur last month and lost to 14-year-old sensation Alexis Thompson in the 36-hole final at the Southern Amateur at Stonebridge C.C. in Albany, Ga. She also made match play at the North and South Women's Amateur at Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina.

Cissye Gallagher, 42, of Greenwood had an 80, but was upset at herself for missing a 3-foot birdie putt at 17 and bogeying 18. Gallagher is married to former PGA Tour player and 1993 U.S. Ryder Cup team member Jim Gallagher Jr., who is serving as his wife's caddie this week. Mississippi's third player, Alexis Rather, shot a non-scoring 82.

-David Shefter

Hand Out

Whitney Hand, 20, of Bucksport, Maine, was forced to withdraw from the first round due to illness. She was taken to a local hospital for tests. It is unknown if Hand will be available to play in the second round on Wednesday. Because of the championship format, Hand could play in rounds two and three. Only two scores are required from each three-person team.

-David Shefter

Alabama Posts Eight Over

Jordan Hardy, 22, of Birmingham shot a 2-over 74 and Kathy Hartwiger, 43, of Birmingham added a 78 to give Alabama a team score of 8-over 152. Hardy was two under at the turn, but only hit three of nine greens over Sycamore Hills' inward nine.

"If you don't hit greens out here, it's really hard to make it up," said Hardy, who hit eight of nine greens on the outward nine. "Nothing too terrible happened. I just couldn't hit a green."

Hardy, who carried her own bag, graduated from Division III Birmingham Southern this past spring and is planning to go through Duramed Futures Tour Qualifying School in November.

Hartwiger, the 2002 U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur champion who helped Alabama win this championship in 1997, chalked her 78 up to rust. With an 8- and 10-year-old at home, Hartwiger finds it difficult to play many competitive events.

"I needed someone to shake me because I was so nervous," said Hartwiger, whose husband, Chris, is a USGA Green Section agronomist.

Martha Lang, 56, of Birmingham had a non-scoring 82. Lang won the 1988 U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur and competed on the 1992 USA Curtis Cup team and captained the squad in 1996.

- David Shefter

Georgia Into Lead

One of the pre-championship favorites, Georgia, is two under as a team through nine holes, thanks to a 34 from 45-year-old Laura Coble of Augusta and an even-par 36 by Dori Carter, 22 of Valdosta. Both Carter and Coble qualified for this year's U.S. Women's Amateur, with Carter advancing to match play. Coble was a member of the victorious Georgia team in 2005. Carter completed her eligibility at the University of Mississippi this past spring and is taking classes this fall to complete her degree.

All the teams have now completed nine holes. Should be getting some 18-hole scores very shortly.

- David Shefter

Lending Their Support

Three Country Club of St. Albans staff members have come to Fort Wayne to cheer on the Missouri women -- specifically CCSA members Mary Ann Beattie and Kathy Glennon -- competing this week. They also are taking a look at the operations since the Lewis and Clark Course at CCSA will be hosting the Men's State Team Championship Sept. 23-25. The staffers who came are Joe Schwent, the director of golf, Skip Avery, the club manager, and Laura Hodges, the director of membership and special events. So far it's been a tough day for the Missouri women. Beattie, who just won the CCSA club championship this past weekend, shot a 9-over 45 on the first nine and Glennon carded a 43. Glennon and Beattie just arrived from Missouri on Monday, while the third member of the team, Ginny Orthwein, came in on Sunday night from St. Louis.

- David Shefter

More Early Results

Virginia Grimes, a three-time USA Curtis Cup team member and 1998 U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur champion, made the turn at 1-under 35 for Mississippi. Coupled with the 4-over 40 from Cissye Gallagher, the wife of former PGA Tour player and 1993 U.S. Ryder Cup member Jim Gallagher Jr., Mississippi is three over par

- David Shefter .

Early Results

Nine-hole scores have started to trickle in and Alabama is off to a strong start. Jordan Hardy, 22, of Birmingham turned in 2-under-par 34, while 2002 U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur champion Kathy Hartwiger posted a 3-over 39 for a team total of one over. The best two scores from each three-person squad are counted into the team score. Hardy is a 2009 graduate of Birmingham Southern, where she was a 2008 Academic All-American. She also won the 2009 Alabama Women's State Amateur and was Alabama's high school champion in 2004. She lists her best golf moment as playing with LPGA Tour members Kristy McPherson and Helen Alfredsson during 2008 U.S. Open sectional qualifying.

Julie Harrison, 49, of Baton Rouge, La., also has jumped out to a strong start, shooting 1-under 35 on the first nine at Sycamore Hills. But Louisiana stands at four over through nine. Harrison is a 1982 graduate of Louisiana State University who played on the Louisiana team that tied for sixth at the 2007 USGA Women's State Team Championship held at Carlton Woods in The Woodlands, Texas.

-David Shefter

Interesting Mix

Because the competitors have the option of walking or riding in carts at this championship, you see a variety of those using carts or strolling the fairways at Sycamore Hills Golf Club. A couple of golfers are even carrying their own bags. Rachel Larson of Colorado and Sable Hamilton of Montana are each hoofing it. The entire Georgia team is walking using caddies, while some players are using a caddie but riding in a cart. There is one stipulation: caddies must walk even if their player is riding. Team captains also must walk.

-David Shefter

Perfect Start

The 2009 USGA Women's State Team Championship has commenced under clear blue skies and cool, but very comfortable temperatures. We are supposed to reach the mid-70s today. You can't ask for better golf weather. And it's supposed to be like this the rest of the week. Temperatures could reach into the 80s on Wednesday and Thursday, but there's very little humidity. I'd take this weather 365 days a year.

-David Shefter

Rave Reviews

As the practice rounds come to a close here at Sycamore Hills Golf Club for the 2009 USGA Women's State Team Championship, the Fort Wayne, Ind., club is drawing rave reviews from the contestants. Players were able to jot down comments by the locker room and here is a sampling:

From the Tennessee team: "The course is impeccable."

One woman from Virginia wrote: "This locker room is so nice maybe I'll just stay in here all day."

The New York players said, "it's the nicest place we have ever been to and we have played lots of courses."

The Hawaii contingent loved the Vera Bradley bags handed out as a contestant gift.

The women from Washington state said, "I feel like we are being treated like queens this week."

From the Texas contingent: "You all have gone all out for us."

And finally from Lisa Fern-Boros of Connecticut: "I have to pinch myself. I can't believe I'm here. It's beautiful."

- David Shefter