“This was the most solid round I’ve played in a long time,” said Wilson, who is one of two people, along with Althea Gibson, to have played in the U.S. Women’s Open in golf and tennis. “I had one bogey, and it was a good bogey. I putted well today.”
Potter-Bobb’s previous best stroke-play score in six championship starts was a 69 in her first Women’s Mid-Amateur round ever, in 2013 at Biltmore Forest Golf Club in Asheville, N.C. She went on to earn medalist honors and win the first of her two titles that year at age 25.
“I’m incredibly happy with how I played,” said Potter-Bobb, who was the oldest player to reach match play last month in the U.S. Women’s Amateur at Old Waverly Golf Club, where she lost in the first round. “It could have been better, but everyone says that. I’m very happy with being 4-under going into tomorrow.”
Potter-Bobb and Wilson each had five birdies against a lone bogey, with both blemishes coming on the par-4 sixth hole, a 369-yard par-4 that ranked as the seventh-toughest on the course today. Courtney McKim, 29, of Raleigh, N.C., a quarterfinalist in this championship in 2017, shot a 3-under 69, which matches 12 previous players who had that score in Women’s Mid-Amateur stroke-play history.
Sarah Gallagher, 46, of Canton, Ga., who missed the cut last year in her first USGA start in 25 years, was alone in fourth place after a 2-under 70. A total of seven players shot scores of 1-under 71, three of them USGA champions: seven-time champion Ellen Port (who has four of her titles in this championship), 2015 Women’s Mid-Am champion Lauren Greenlief and 2017 Women’s Mid-Am champion Kelsey Chugg, who was the runner-up last year to Shannon Johnson. Johnson, of Easton, Mass., opened with a 2-over 74.
NOTABLE:
Kelsey Chugg, 28, of Salt Lake City, Utah, has played in the last two finals of this championship, winning in 2017 and losing in 2018. In her first victory, she overcame an opening round of 85 to shoot 72 in Round 2 and won as the No. 50 seed. Last year, Chugg shot 75-75 and earned the No. 11 seed. On Saturday, she opened with 1-under 71, sparked by three consecutive birdies on her second nine. “I haven’t played a ton of tournaments this year. And in the first round, for whatever reason, I’ve had a mental block. It was nice to get in a 1-under-par round and come back on the back nine today.”The Meadow Course at Forest Highlands played to a stroke average of 78.48 on Saturday, with the uphill, 359-yard par-4 18th playing as the toughest hole with a 4.51 average. The 130-yard, par-3 17th was the fourth-toughest hole at a 3.44 average, while the 499-yard, par-5 12th was the easiest hole at a 5.22 average.
Margaret (Shirley) Starosto, 33, of Woodstock, Ga., the 2014 champion and the runner-up in 2013 and 2015, was forced to withdraw from the championship for medical reasons on the 18th hole, her ninth of the day.
QUOTABLE:
“On these greens you have to pay attention. This was one of those days where I really matched my speed and my read. Sometimes you read it well and you don’t make anything. Today felt like the hole was bigger. I’ll enjoy it while I have it.” – Caryn Wilson“We’re all really competitive and we want to win. You felt that through the entire group. Those two are so kind and so generous and fun to play with. I’m excited to play with them again tomorrow.” – Julia Potter-Bobb, who is grouped with fellow champions Kelsey Chugg and Shannon Johnson in Saturday and Sunday stroke play
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