Cavaliers senior makes U.S. Women’s Open for third time
While most contenders return each year to a familiar course to try to qualify, it doesn’t much matter to Brittany Altomare where she plays the U.S. Open Sectionals. For the third time in the last four years – and on the third different course – Altomare has qualified for the U.S. Women’s Open.
Firing a 74-75 – 149, Altomare was the low amateur Tuesday at Woodmont Country Club in Rockville, and will play in the U.S Women’s Open, July 5-8 at Blackwolf Run (Wis.).
Altomare, a senior to be at the University of Virginia and three-time All-American, was the medalist at the sectional qualifier at Neshanic Station, N.J. in 2009. The following year, Altomare was medalist at Twin Hills Country Club in Longmeadow, Mass., near her Shrewsberry, Mass. home.
On Tuesday, Altomare was happy to play Woodmont.
“It was in such great shape. The greens were rolling true,” Altomare said. “It’s a tough course, but I really like it.”
Altomare, who has played in the U.S. Women’s Amateur the last two years, helped Virginia to fourth place in the NCAA tournament last week, a result that wasn’t without controversy as freshman teammate Elizabeth Brightwell signed an incorrect scorecard after the opening round, a gaffe that cost Virginia five strokes.
Ultimately, the Cavaliers finished four strokes behind the winning team, Alabama, despite the play of Brightwell who turned in three strong rounds following her error.
“She used it as motivation. She played really well after that,” Altomare said. “We needed her and she really pulled through for us.”
Altomare has yet to make the cut at the U.S. Women’s Open. Legendary Oakmont in 2010 was the epitome of a severe U.S. Open test.
“Oakmont was the toughest course I’ve ever played in my entire life,” Altomare said. “It made all the other courses seem really easy – really deep rough, bunkers you can’t see out of, greens that were ridiculous.”
Notes: Other qualifiers Tuesday at Woodmont were LPGA veterans Lori Kane of Canada (146), who took medalist honors, Haru Nomura of Japan (147), Il He Lee of Korea (150), and Angela Oh of Atlanta (150). Princeton sophomore Kelly Shon (150) also qualified along with Samantha Marks (150), a high school senior from Maitland, Fla. who will play at North Carolina in the fall … The biggest name in the field, Laura Davies of England, shot 76 in the morning, but walked off the course during the second nine of her afternoon round, complaining of a sore Achilles.
