Women’s Western Golf Association
106th National Amateur Championship
Fincastle Country Club
Bluefield, Virginia
June 19 - 24, 2006 

For Immediate Release
Contact:  Judy Anderson
Phone:     276-322-2514
Email:      judithwanderson@msn.com
Website:  www.WWGA.org

Stacy Lewis defeats Jennifer Hong in the
  Women’s Western Golf Association’s
106^th National Amateur Championship Final

Bluefield, VA.
June 25, 2006

Although the weather forecast for Bluefield, Virginia called for a day of
rain, the Final Match of the Women’s Western Golf Association’s (WWGA) 106^th National Amateur Championship was completed early afternoon at the Fincastle Country Club.  Stacy Lewis The Woodlands, Texas, was victorious defeating Defending Champion Jennifer Hong, Evanston, Illinois, by a score of 9 & 7.

Earlier this week Lewis took Medalist Honors as the Low Qualifier in the Tournament.   The course record for this setup (Par 71, 5,978 yards) was established on Monday, June 19, when Lewis shot a 68 in her First Round.  Eileen Vargas, Ibaque, Columbia, a Senior at Pepperdine University, tied her 68 in Tuesday’s Round.  Today, Lewis shot a 67 in her Morning Match with five birdies and one bogey.   In the Afternoon Match, she shot a 34 on the front 9 with 4 birdies in a row on Hole 3 through Hole 6.  Everyone who was there, including her opponent Hong, expressed Lewis’ play “awesome”.    After the match, Lewis conceded that “her putts were falling all over the place.”

Lewis almost steamrolled through her competition this week.  After shooting 68-71 in qualifying, she only had one match that extended her to the 17^th hole.  She entered the competition this week because she had not much experience in Match Play format and wanted to see how well she could do.   She plans on playing the North & South Amateur at Pinehurst in a few weeks.  She has an exemption in the LPGA Jamie Farr Tournament which will be her first LPGA experience.  In August, she plans to return to the University of Arkansas in the fall for her Junior year.

Hong realized early in the match that she had a real competitor on her hands in the Final.   Even though she shot a 71 on the 1^st 18 holes, she was 5 down at the Lunch break.   She remained positive and thought she could make it a match.  After Lewis’ 4 Birdies in a row early in the afternoon match, she realized that she was going to pass on her WWGA Amateur Champion title to a great player.   In the history of the WWGA, only six previous times has the Defending Champion lost in the Final the following year.   Although Hong did not fulfill her goal of retaining her title, she said “she had a great  week, played rounds of golf with nice girls, and it all was a lot of fun.”  Hong will return to Northwestern University for her Sophomore year in the fall.

The WWGA is grateful to the members and staff of Fincastle Country Club who have so graciously and willingly hosted the tournament this week.   We are especially thankful to the Co-Chairmen, Linda Taylor, also a WWGA Director, and Frank Wilkinson, President of the First Century Bank, for volunteering their time to promote Amateur Golf for Women.    We also want to thank Tom West, Club Manager and Vic Sorrell, Head Golf Professional, and their staffs for their wonderful service and assistance that was given to all the players and the WWGA committee.

Next year’s the WWGA 107^th National Amateur Championship will be at Stone Creek Golf Club, Urbana, Illinois, June 18-23, 2007.    The WWGA 80^th National Junior Championship will be at Sugar Mill Country Club, New Smyrna Beach, Florida, July 10-14, 2006.  The WWGA 28^th National Senior Championship will be at Hershey Lodge and Hershey Country Club, Hershey, Pennsylvania, September 25-27, 2006.

For further information, visit our website at www.WWGA.org or contact Judy Anderson at judithwanderson@msn.com.

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Defending Champion Jennifer Hong to face
Top Seed Stacy Lewis in the Final of the
Women’s Western Golf Association’s
106^th National Amateur Championship

Bluefield, VA.
June 23, 2006

After a 2 hour rain delay, both Quarterfinal and Semifinal Matches were played in the Championship Flight at the Women’s Western Golf Association’s 106^th National Amateur Championship at Fincastle Country Club in Bluefield, Virginia.  Top Seed Stacy Lewis, The Woodlands, Texas, dominated in both of her matches to place her in the Final.

In her morning round, Lewis defeated University of Central Florida Graduate Ashley Grier, Hagerstown, Maryland,  3 and 1.  In the afternoon round, Lewis defeated Emily Hoeper, Kansas City, Missouri.  Hoeper, a Senior at the University of Denver, moved to the Semifinals when she defeated University  of Virginia’s Jennie Arseneault, Grinnell, Iowa, 3 and 2.  After the match, Aresneault said that “I was really playing well.  Emily was having birdies everywhere.”

On the other side of the draw, Defending Champion Jennifer Hong, a Northwestern University Sophomore now living in Evanston, Illinois, defeated Ashley Whitaker, Melbourne, Australia, 1 up.  Whitaker, soon to enter Duke University, and a Semifinalist in the 2005 USGA Women’s Amateur, and Hong had a closely contested match with the same score on 13 of the 18 holes.  In her afternoon match, Hong defeated Sara Ovadia, a Columbia University student from Santa Barbara, California, 3 and 1.

Both finalists said they were looking forward to tomorrow’s match and thought it would be a lot of fun.  Both players left early to rest up for their 7:30 am starting time for the 36-hole final.

In the First Flight final, Carol Green, a former member of the James Madison University Golf Team and now living in Tazewell, Virginia, defeated Molly Boyle, a University of Washington Sophomore from Portland, Oregon, 6 and 4.  In her Morning Match, Green defeated Bradley University Junior, Rikki Sobel, Deerfield, Illinois, 4 and 2.

The WWGA is grateful to the members and staff of Fincastle Country Club who have so graciously and willingly hosted the tournament this week.   We are especially thankful to the Co-Chairmen, Linda Taylor, also a WWGA Director, and Frank Wilkinson, President of the First Century Bank for volunteering their time to promote Amateur Golf for Women. 

The Public is welcome to attend the Final Match free of charge.   

For further information, visit our website at www.WWGA.org or contact Judy Anderson at judithwanderson@msn.com.

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Quarterfinals set for Championship Flight

in Women’s Western Golf Association’s

106^th National Amateur Championship

Bluefield, VA.
June 22, 2006

On an absolutely gorgeous day in Bluefield, Virginia, most of the top seeds advanced in the Women’s Western Golf Association’s 106^th National Amateur Championship at Fincastle Country Club.   

The Championship Flight played two Rounds today.  In the Morning Round, renowned Amateur Carol Semple Thompson, Sewickley, Pennsylvania, lost to Princeton University bound Michelle Grilli, Lutherville, Maryland, by a score of 6 & 5.  Thompson plans to return home before heading west to Bandon, Oregon to meet with the Curtis Cup players for a practice round.  Thompson, having played in 12 Curtis Cup Matches herself, is this year’s Captain in their matches with Great Britain & Ireland July 29-30.

One of the highlights of the Morning Round was Mandi McConnell’s Hole-in-One on the Eighth hole.  Using a 5H Hybrid club, McConnell, a Michigan State Senior from Grand Blanc, Michigan, needed only one shot on the 151 yard, Par 3 hole.    She easily defeated Huntington, West Virginia’s Brittany Adams, a Senior at Ohio State University, by a score of 6 & 5.

Kristin Ingram, Pasadena, California, originally from Russia, defeated Norway native Benedikte “Boo” Grotvelt, 3 & 2.   Lora Roberto, Muntinlupa City, Philippines, defeated Frederique Bruell, Shaker Heights, Ohio, 3 & 2, to remain the one of the three Philippines’ players still remaining in the tournament.

Competition continued in the Afternoon Round.  Stacy Lewis, The Woodlands, Texas, a Junior at The University of Arkansas, defeated Morgan Olds, Stamford, Connecticut, 5&3.   Ashley Grier, Hagerstown, Maryland, defeated Kristin Ingram, incoming UNLV Freshman from Pasadena, California, 4&3. Emily Hoeper, a University of Denver Senior from Kansas City, Missouri, defeated Andia Winslow, Winter Garden, Florida, 4&3.   University of Virginia’s Jennie Arseneault, Grinnell, Iowa, defeated Kent State’s Maddi Swaney, Marietta, Ohio, 3&2.  

Northwestern University’s Jennifer Hong, 2005’s WWGA Champion, now Living in Evanston, Illinois, defeated Eileen Vargas, a Colombian resident attending Pepperdine University, 1 up.   Alison Whitaker, Melbourne, Austraila, and bound for Duke University in the fall, defeated Mandi McConnell, 2&1.  Sidenote:   Whitaker’s caddie for the afternoon match was Rachel Meikle, Leo, Indiana, whom Whitaker defeated in  the Morning Round by a score of 3&2.) Adrienne Millican, Fuquay Varina, North Carolina, had her morning match go the full eighteen holes.  In the afternoon match, she had an easier time defeating Lora Roberto, 5&4.  In the last match of the day,  Michelle Grilli lost to Sara Ovadia, a sophomore at Columbia University from Santa Barbara, California.

In the First Flight, Tazewell, Virginia, resident, Carol Green defeated Kelly Baytos, Warren, Ohio by a score of 4&3.   Green will meet Rikki Sobel, Deerfield, Illinois, in a semifinal match tomorrow.  Sobel, a junior at Bradley University, defeated Ana North, Rock Island, Illinois, 3&2.

The WWGA is grateful to the members and staff of Fincastle Country Club who have so graciously and willingly hosted the tournament this week.   We are especially thankful to the Co-Chairmen, Linda Taylor, also a WWGA Director, and Frank Wilkinson, President of the First Century Bank for volunteering their time to promote Amateur Golf for Women. 

Matches will begin on Friday at 7:30 am.   The Championship Flight play their quarterfinal matches in the morning and Semifinal Matches in the afternoon starting at 1:00 pm.

The Public is welcome to attend free of charge.   

For further information, visit our website at www.WWGA.org or contact

Judy Anderson at judithwanderson@msn.com.

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International players advance in the

Women’s Western  Golf Association’s

106^th National Amateur Championship 

Bluefield, VA.
June 21, 2006

Players from Australia, Canada, Columbia, Norway, and The Philippines won the first round matches in the Championship Flight at the Women’s Western Golf Association’s (WWGA) 106^th National Amateur Championship at Fincastle Country Club in Bluefield, Virginia.   

From Nesbru, Norway, Benedikte “Boo” Grotvedt defeated Marlowe Boukis, Lutherville, Maryland, 2 &1.  Alison Whitaker, Melbourne, Australia, soon to enter Duke University, defeated Rachel Smith, Mansfield, Texas.  Two of the players from the Philippines advanced:  Anya Tanpinco defeated Marianne Towersey, Pebble Beach, California and Lora Roberto defeated Tyrette Metzendorf, Winter Haven, Florida.

The #1 Seed, Stacy Lewis, The Woodlands, Texas, defeated Rita Albertson, Scottsdale, Arizona, 4 &3.  Eileen Vargas, seeded #2, from Ibague, Columbia, defeated Lindsay Haupt, St. Louis, Missouri, 5&4.   Brittany Johnson, #3, lost to Frederique Bruell, Shaker Heights, Ohio by a score of 4 &3 and Laura Caniff, #4, Russell, Kentucky, lost to Maggie Gelber, Winnetka, Illinois, by a score of 3 & 1.

Huntington, West Virginia resident Brittany Adams had to birdie the 18^th hole to defeat Johanna Periversoff, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.   Only one match in Championship Flight went to the 19^th hole where Adrienne Millican, Fuguay Varina, North Carolina, defeated Shannon Boyle, Cary, North Carolina.

In the First Flight, Tazewell’s Carol Green defeated Jessica Buchta, Tampa, Florida by a score 6&5.     Angel Sy, formerly from Hong Kong now living in San Marino, California, defeated Marissa Muir, Lexington, Kentucky, 2 &1.

After Thursday morning’s round, Championship Flight will be reduced from 32 players to 16.  They will again play in the afternoon, reducing the players to 8.  First Flight players will play their quarterfinal matches in the morning.

Matches begin at 7:30 am.   The Public is welcome to attend free of charge.

For further information, visit our website at www.WWGA.org or contact Judy Anderson at judithwanderson@msn.com.

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Stacy Lewis takes Medalist Honors in Qualifying

in the Women’s Western  Golf Association’s

106^th National Amateur Championship

Bluefield, VA.

June 20, 2006

Yesterday’s leader in the clubhouse, Stacy Lewis, The Woodlands, Texas, shot 72 today in the Women’s Western 106^th National Amateur Championship at Fincastle Country Club in Bluefield, Virgnia.   Today’s score combined with her yesterday’s 68 gave her  a 2 day total qualifying score of 140.   Eileen Vargas, Ibaque, Columbia, shot a 68 today for a 2 day total of 141.

Vargas, a Pepperdine University Senior, placed 5^th in the 2006 NCAA Division 1 Women’s Championship.   She placed 1^st in the 2001 Junior World Championship and was named Colombian Player of the Year in 1999, 2000 and 2001.   She also qualified and competed in the 2006 USGA Women’s Open.

Lewis, a Junior at the University of Arkansas, placed 9^th in the 2006 NCAA Division 1 Women’s Championship and was an NCAA Honorable Mention All-American.   For the last 2 years she has been named to the First Team of the SEC Conference and in 2005 was named SEC Freshman of the Year.  As the Low Qualifier, Lewis will have her name put on the WWGA’s Margaret Lenz Trophy.

Brittany Johnson, Akron, Ohio, shot a 72 for a day total of 145.  Johnson is a Junior at Northwestern University,    3 players at tied at 147:  Carol Semple Thompson, Sewickley, Pennsylvania; Laura Caniff, Russell, Kentucky, a Junior at the University of North Carolina;  and Jennie Arsenault, Grinnell, Iowa, a Sophomore at the University of Virginia.

Rita Albertson, Scottsdale, Arizona, earned the 64^th spot in the Championship Flight in a three-way Playoff.    Both Ana North, Rock Island, Illinois, and Molly Boyle, Portland, Oregon, bogeyed the hole and now will compete in the First Flight.

Despite a morning rain delay of 2 ½ hours, all competitors were able to complete their qualifying rounds.  On Wednesday, all players will start single-elimination Match Play rounds.  The low 64 players will compete in Championship Flight with the remaining contestants in other flights based on their qualifying rounds.

Pairings for Wednesday will be posted on the WWGA website at www.WWGA.org.

Due to the Weather Forecast for the Bluefield area, Wednesday’s play will begin at 7:30 am.  The Tournament is open to the public free of charge.

For further information about our organization and the 106^th National Amateur Championship, visit our website at www.WWGA.org or contact Judy Anderson at judithwanderson@msn.com.

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Stacy Lewis leads the field in the WWGA’s

106^thNational Amateur Championship

Bluefield, VA.

Play commenced at 7:30 am this morning when Stacy Lewis, The Woodlands, Texas, hit the first shot into the air in the Woman’s Western Golf Association’s (WWGA)  106^th National Amateur Championship at Fincastle Country Club in Bluefield, Virginia.  At the end of the day, Lewis still led the field with a score of 68.

Lewis, a Junior at the University of Arkansas, recently placed tied for 9^th in the 2006 NCAA Division 1 Women’s Championship and was a NCAA Honorable Mention All-American.  Earlier this year she won the Harder Hall Invitational and placed 3^rd  in the South Atlantic Ladies Amateur Championship.   In 2005 she won the SEC Championship and was named SEC Freshman of the Year.

Kristin Ingram, Pasadena, California, eagled the Par 4, 355 yard, 16^th hole at Fincastle.   Her 98 yard EZ Wedge shot landed in the hole.   5 contestants eagled the short Par 5, 425 yard 15h hole.  They were Jennie Arseneault, Grinnell, Iowa; Julie Carmichael, Indianapolis, Indiana;  Michelle Grilli, Lutherville, Maryland;  Kristen Hendrix, Houston, Texas and Andia Winslow, Winter Garden, Florida. 

In today’s field there are 9 contestants who played in the WWGA 102^nd National Amateur Championship at Fincastle.   They are Julie Carmichael, Indianapolis, Indiana; Carol Green, Tazewell, Virginia; Char McLear, McHenry, Illinois; Adrienne Millican, Fuquay Varina, North Carolina; Courtnay Montgomery, Palm Beach, Florida; Carly Sobel, Deerfield, Illinois; Corrie Tayman,  Bethesda, Maryland; Carol Semple Thompson, Sewickley, Pennsylvania; and Katrin Wolfe, Johnstown, Pennsylvania.

After the completion of Tuesday’s 2^nd day of qualifying, the low 64 2-day scores will be placed in Championship Flight and  start single elimination Match Play on Wednesday.   Other players will be placed in respective flights depending on their qualifying scores.

Tuesday’s play will begin at 7:30 am.  The Tournament is open to the public free of charge.

For further information about our organization and the 106^th National Amateur Championship, visit our website at www.WWGA.org or contact Judy Anderson at judithwanderson@msn.com.  

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Date:        June 16, 2006

Players from 23 states, Australia, Canada, and the Philippines
arriving in Bluefield, Virginia for the Women’s Western Golf Association’s 106^th National Amateur Championship

Bluefield, VA.   Players from 23 states, Australia, Canada and the Philippines have started to arrive in Bluefield, Virginia in preparation for their participation in the Women’s Western Golf Association’s 106^th National Amateur Championship at Fincastle Country Club.    They are playing their practice rounds to ready themselves for the tournament which starts on Monday, June 17^th.    There is an Opening Ceremony  scheduled for 12:00 noon on Sunday, June 16^th.    The public is invited.

Three players from the Philippines have traveled a long way to participate.  Possibly the youngest competitors in the event is Debbie De Villa, from outside Manila, who has already won the Philippines Ladies Amateur Open at age 15.    She has previously competed in the Junior World Championship.

Another player far from home is Alison Whitaker, who has made her way from Beavmaris, Victoria, Australia.    2 Canadians, Maggie Steciuk, London, Ontario, and Isabelle Gendreau, St. Georges, Quebec, complete the International field.   Gendreau is currently attending the University of Michigan.

One of the best known names in Women’s Amateur circles is Carol Semple Thompson, Sewickley, Pennsylvania, who has played in the WWGA Amateur for many years.  She won USGA Women’s Amateur Championship in 1973; the USGA Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship; and the USGA Senior Women’s Amateur Championship in 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002.  This year she is honored to be the Captain of the U. S. Curtis Cup Team which is scheduled to compete against Great Britain and Ireland in their biennial competition at the Bandon Dunes Resort, Bandon, Oregon July 29-30.  

Other players entered in the event include Defending Champion, Jennifer Hong, now of Evanston, Illinois and Northwestern University;  Mandi McConnell, Grand Blanc, Michigan, a semi-finalist last year; Stacy Lewis, The Woodlands, Texas:  Haley Brown, Austin, Texas; Ashley Freeman, Belleville, Illinois; and Jennie Arsenault, Grinnell, Iowa and the University of Virginia.

Two rounds of 18 hole qualifying will take place on June 19^th and 20^th.  After the conclusion of these rounds, players will be placed in flights.   The low 64 players will contend for the Championship title while the other players will compete in various flights based on their qualifying scores.   Single elimination matches will be played each day.   The 36 hole Championship Final will take place on Saturday, June 24^th while all other Flight finals will be on Friday afternoon, June 23^th.    The public is welcome to attend at no charge.

Last June, the WWGA’s 105^th National Amateur Championship was held at Purdue University’s Kampen Course in West Lafayette, Indiana.   In the final, Jennifer Hong, an incoming Freshman at Northwestern University from Windemerre, FL, defeated Onnarin Sattayabanphot, a Purdue University student from Bangkok, Thailand.   Amanda Blumenherst, currently a Freshman at Duke University and recently ranked as the top Women College Golfer in the country, was the Low Qualifier.

The WWGA has twice previously staged tournaments at Fincastle.   In 2002 the 102^nd National Amateur Championship was contested where Janice Olivencia, a native of Puerto Rico playing for the University of Texas Golf Team, took the title.  Olivencia is now playing on the Ladies European Golf Tour.  In 1997, the WWGA held  their 71^st National Junior Championship where  Candy Hanneman was crowned Champion and matched Nancy Lopez’ record of   winning three straight WWGA Junior tournaments.   Hanneman, who hailed from  Rio de Janeiro, Brazil,  formerly a member of the Duke University’s Women’s  Golf Team, now competes on the LPGA tour.

The WWGA was founded in 1901 under the sponsorship of the Western Golf Association (which sponsors the Western Open each year) and proudly claims a history as long and as prestigious as its initial sponsor.   In 1903, the WWGA broke ranks with the Western to form its own organization with its constitution to hold an annual amateur championship for women.    This dream has been kept alive for 106 years.   Past winners include current LPGA members Cristie Kerr, Grace Park, Beth Daniel and Rookie Brittany Lang as well as LPGA Hall of Famers Patty Berg, Louise Suggs, JoAnne Gunderson( Carner) and Nancy Lopez.

Today the WWGA, a 501(c)(3) not for profit organization, has over 500 Member Clubs from all over the United States.  Over 80 women volunteer to serve as Directors to facilitate all facets of the organization including on-site management of their 3 Annual Amateur, Junior and Senior Championships.   There is no paid staff and each Director travels to the tournaments at their own expense.

The Women’s Western Golf Foundation (WWGF) was formed in 1971 as an outgrowth of the WWGA.  This chartable trust receives and distributes scholarship funds to deserving young collegians as well as provides funding to inadequately funded Women’s collegiate golf programs.   Over $2.5 million of college scholarships have been granted during the last 35 years and the WWGF is currently helping support almost 80 women from 30 states attend the college of their choice.

For further information about our organization and the 106^th National Amateur Championship, visit our website at www.wwga.org or contact Judy Anderson at judithwanderson@msn.com.

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