WEST CHESTER, Pa. – Twenty players vying for six spots took to Concord Country Club (par 73, 5,947 yards) Wednesday to decipher who would gain entry into a national championship. Alyssa Roland has been in that position before – four times, precisely – and on Wednesday, she thrived in that role yet again.
| Scorecards |
Roland, of New York, N.Y., fired a 1-over 74 en route to medalist honors in a U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Qualifier. Merion Golf Club’s Catherine Elliott (Philadelphia, Pa.), Eleana Collins (Baltimore, Md.), Wilmington Country Club’s Meghan Perry (Wilmington, Del.), Fieldstone Golf Club’s Emma Sills (Bear, Del.) and Carol Davies (Garrett Park, Md.) joined Roland in punching tickets to the main event.
The first alternate spot went to Katie Dwyer (New York, N.Y.) while the second alternate position went to Connie Isler (Las Vegas, Nev.) in a 3-for-1 playoff.
The Championship Proper will be played Oct. 7-12 at Quail Creek Country Club in Naples, Fla.
Roland’s birdies all came within a five-hole stretch near the turn.
On the par-3, 156-yard 8th, she hit an easy 6-iron that nestled up to two feet, leading to a tap-in 2. She’d get another one on No. 10 (par 4, 329 yards) after a 3 wood-8 iron combination led to a 10-foot birdie conversion. Her third and final red number arrived on No. 12 (par 5, 435 yards). There, she blasted a driver, followed by a hybrid approach that left her just off the front of the green. Her two putt from there resulted in a 4 on the card.
“I had a good amount of short birdie looks today. I missed on a few of them, but overall it was a solid day,” said Roland, 28. “Concord reminds me of Overbrook because it’s a tight course with some tricky greens. It’s a great golf course.”
Roland, originally from Newtown Square, Pa., plays her golf locally at Overbrook Golf Club when returning home. She uses her time at Overbrook as an escape from her new home in New York City, where she moved after completing her degree at Yale University. At Yale, Roland was a standout for the Bulldogs, taking home the 2010 Individual Ivy League Championship as a junior.
“I don’t really have time to practice in the city – it’s tough there. But when I turned 25, I wanted to play in the Mid-Am. It’s a good tournament with some good competition, so that’s why I picked the game back up,” she said.
Roland is now set to play in her fifth USGA Championship. She’s made two U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur appearances (2013-14) and two appearances in the U.S. Women’s Amateur Four Ball (2015-16).
Elliott, a former University of Pennsylvania standout and an accomplished player on the Women’s Golf Association of Philadelphia circuit, finished two shots back of Roland at 76. The two have some competitive history, having played against each other in junior golf and against each other in the Ivy League.
“Alyssa and I played a ton of golf together and against each other. She’s a great player and just a really nice person,” said Elliott, a three-time WGAP Silver Cross Award winner.
Elliott, 29, will be making her second USGA appearance. Her first and only previous came in 2009 in the U.S. Women’s Amateur. She says she’s more than ready to make her return to the national stage.
“The USGA puts on amazing events and an incredible organization. I’m so excited to have qualified,” she said. “And, I’m excited to tell my dad!”
Golf Association of Philadelphia
Founded in 1897, the Golf Association of Philadelphia (GAP) is the oldest regional golf association in the United States and serves as the principal ruling body of amateur golf in its region. Its 151 Member Clubs and 57,000 individual members are spread across parts of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland. As Philadelphia’s Most Trusted Source of Golf Information, the Golf Association of Philadelphia’s mission is to promote, preserve and protect the game of golf.
| Qualifiers | |
| Name, city, state | Score |
| Alyssa Roland, New York, N.Y. | 74 |
| Catherine Elliott, Philadelphia, Pa. | 76 |
| Eleana Collins, Baltimore, Md. | 77 |
| Meghan Perry, Wilmington, Del. | 77 |
| Emma Sills, Bear, Del. | 78 |
| Carol Davies, Garrett Park, Md. | 79 |
| Alternates (in order) | |
| Katie Dwyer, New York, N.Y. | 80 |
| *Connie Isler, Las Vegas, Nev. | 81 |
| Failed to qualify | |
| Samantha Perrotta, Bordentown, N.J. | 81 |
| Jen Holland, Branford, Ct. | 81 |
| Amy Kennedy, Abbottstown, Pa. | 82 |
| Cynthia Cheng, Washington, D.C. | 85 |
| Alice Karr, Canada | 85 |
| Nicoll Keeney, Wilmington, Del. | 85 |
| Angie Whitley Coleman, New Castle, Del. | 85 |
| Katie Renoff, Glen Ridge, N.J. | 86 |
| Caroline Varhola, Carlsbad, Calif. | 87 |
| Diane Cardano-Casacio, Flourtown, Pa. | 87 |
| Muffy Poore- McCabe, Glen Mills, Pa. | 89 |
| Debbie Bosdosh, Clarksburg, Md. | 94 |
| *-decided in playoff |
