August 8, 2024 | 6 mins
By Nick Hunter
MEDINA, Minn. – Taylor Ledwein, playing just her fourth round of competition of the 2024 season, shot a 3-over 75 in cool, windy conditions Thursday at Medina Golf and Country Club to earn a medal and a spot in the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur for the second consecutive year.
The former Bradley University golfer secures her spot in the national championship, which will be held Sept. 7-12 at Brae Burn Country Club in West Newton, Massachusetts. She is joined by Olivia Herrick, Betsy Kelly and Paige McCullough, who secured the final three qualifying spots in a four-way playoff.
“The (US Women’s Amateur) is great – I love it and almost made it this year. I feel good that I can still compete at this level, but this one is just more fun and relaxed,” Ledwein said after her round on Thursday. “I hope to play like I did today and if I make it to match play, I’ll try to be consistent.”
“I’ve really been working on my full swing, especially after qualifying (for the U.S. Women’s Open) earlier this summer. I’ve gained a little more confidence and it felt good today.”
The 26-year-old Ledwein conceded only one bogey on her first nine holes before equalizing with a birdie on the par-4 10th hole.
She gave up a stroke with a bogey on the 11th hole and finished the day at 3-over 75, after two bogeys in a row on the 16th and 17th.
“It’s tough with the wind – you have to swing confidently because the wind does what it wants with the ball,” said Ledwein. “I also had a few good chances for a birdie. My ball didn’t land where I wanted it to. I’ll work on that in the next few weeks. Overall, I’m really happy with my game.”
Ledwein qualified for the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship in 2014 before securing a trip to the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championships in 2015 and 2019.
With two appearances in the U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball in 2021 and 2022, Ledwein qualified for the eighth USGA championship of her career on Thursday.
Herrick, 36, made two early bogeys on Thursday before converting her birdie opportunity from three feet away on the par-5 fifth hole. After a bogey on the ninth hole, she finished 3 over par.
After falling to 5 over par with two consecutive bogeys on the 11th and 12th holes, Herrick rebounded by taking advantage of her 25-foot birdie opportunity on the 15th hole to get back to 4 over par for the round.
Bogeys on the 17th and 18th holes left Herrick tied for second before she made a par on the first playoff hole to secure a spot in her 11th U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur.
“For a woman in the midfield, this is like our Olympics in competitive golf,” Herrick said Thursday. “My life is full, but I don’t always have time for golf. I feel like I gave it everything I had, and that’s all you can really ask for.”
“I tried my best to be patient today. I didn’t hit it perfectly, but I really tried to take it one shot at a time. Qualifying is a test of patience in many ways. I tend to display the same habits when I’m under pressure, so it was nice to see that and know what I need to work on over the next month.”
Herrick reached the semifinals of the 2016 championship at Kahwa Club in Erie, Pennsylvania, and the quarterfinals a year later at Champions Golf Club in Houston.
Her appearance at next month’s championship will be the 24th USGA event of her career.
Kelly rebounded from her disappointing finish at the Minnesota Women’s State Open a week ago, shooting 78 (6 over par) to secure a spot in her first USGA event since 2013.
“I’ve been first, first, second and second at the Minnesota Women’s State Open for the last four years. So you come in and you want to win, but at the end of the day you just want to qualify – I’m stoked,” said Kelly, 32, who regained her amateur status earlier this season. “Any time you compete in a USGA national event, it’s awesome. I’ll never stop competing, and now that I’ve regained my amateur status, this is like my Masters.”
“Today was tough. I couldn’t buy a birdie and was probably a bit hasty. I’m not a good wind player and the pin placements were tough.”
Kelly made two bogeys to start her round on Thursday and finished 2 over par before suffering two bogeys in a row on the 11th and 12th holes.
Bogeys on the 17th and 18th holes put Kelly in a shared second place with a 6-over 78.
Kelly chipped her approach shot over the green to three feet on the second playoff hole, saved par and qualified for her first U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur.
Kelly’s most recent appearance at a USGA championship came in 2013, when she qualified for the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links at Jimmie Austin Oklahoma University Golf Club in Norman, Oklahoma.
She also qualified for the U.S. Girls’ Junior Amateur in 2008 and 2009.
McCullough, a former University of Minnesota golfer, two-putted for par on the second playoff hole to qualify for the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur for the first time in three seasons.
“I’m grateful to be here with such great competition,” said McCullough, 38. “This is a new perspective for me – it’s my first (USGA event) with two kids. Now I’m going to enjoy it, have fun and think positive.”
“I probably play once a week now, so I definitely need to get into more of a rhythm.”
McCullough shot 2 over par through her first nine holes on Thursday, benefiting from a birdie on the sixth. She stayed consistent through 15 holes, including a long birdie putt from 40 feet on the par-3 13th, before double bogeying the 16th to drop to 4 over par for her round.
Bogeys on the 17th and 18th holes would earn her second place in the clubhouse, shared with Herrick, Kelly and 2019 MGA Player of the Year Jasi Acharya.
A two-putt par on the second playoff hole earned McCullough a ticket to her eighth USGA Championship.
After making her first appearance at the championship in 2011, McCullough qualified for five consecutive national championships starting in 2015, where she reached the quarterfinals.
Jasi Acharya, winner of five consecutive MGA Women’s Mid-Amateur titles, lost to Herrick, McCullough and Kelly on the second playoff hole to become the first alternate, while Hillary Zuleger of Edina, Minnesota, shot 7-over 79 to become the second alternate.
Brae Burn Country Club is hosting its first U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship and the first USGA event since Silvia Cavalleri won the 1997 U.S. Women’s Amateur.
This season’s national event will be the eighth USGA Championship, played on Donald Ross’s 127-year-old course.
Available qualification places: 4 Reserve places: 2
