Laytonsville resident captures medalist honors by seven strokes
Lisa Schlesinger of Laytonsville shot a five-under par 68-71 – 139 to capture medalist honors by a whopping seven strokes at the U.S. Women’s Senior Amateur this weekend at the Honors Course in Ooltewah, Tenn.
Schlesinger, 53, who took up golf at age 35, made 10 birdies on Saturday and Sunday on the 5,876-yard course to post the second best qualifying score in the 50-year history of the tournament.
“It’s just validation that my game has improved, Schlesinger told the USGA. “All the hard work is paying off.”
The next best score in the field of 131 players was shot by Mary Ann Hayward of Canada (70-76 – 146). Defending champion Mina Hardin of Fort Worth, Tex. was nine back at 148.
Schlesinger, a Maryland graduate, advances to Monday’s match play round as the top seed. Schlesinger is a former professional basketball player and a member of the D.C. Fastpitch Softball Hall of Fame. She won the Middle-Atlantic Women’s Amateur in 2007 and the Maryland Mid-Am in 2008 and 2009, but has not advanced beyond the third round in a USGA event.
Other local players among the 64 who advanced to match play were Andrea Kraus of Baltimore (77-77 – 154), Arlene Hoffman of Alexandria (80-81 – 161), and Natalie Easterly of Charlottesville (77-85 – 162).
Schlesinger defeated Kraus in the round of 32 last year, before falling in the next round. Schlesinger lost in the round of 32 in 2009.
Carol Davies of Garrett Park (87-86 – 173) and Shelley Savage of Alexandria (96-78 – 174) did not make the cut.
