Can Smidinger topple defending champion Rohrback?
At age 15, Elyse Smidinger advanced to the finals of the Maryland Women’s Amateur, but after leading 4 up with seven holes left, lost to a player steeled by two years of college competition, Kelly Lynch of James Madison.
Two years later, does Smidinger have the seasoning to win?
Friday morning at Lake Presidential, Smidinger will square off against another college standout, Tennessee’s Kaitlyn Rohrback, also the defending champion. One thing Smidinger, a senior this fall at Arundel, has in common with Rohrbach is where they learned the game. Both grew up playing at Crofton Country Club.
Smidinger has been dominant throughout the tournament, firing a 69 on Monday to capture medalist honors with the best opening-round score in the tournament in more than a decade. Smidinger needed just 11 holes on Thursday to dispose of High Point University junior Audra McShane (Cattail Creek), 8 and 7, in the semifinals. The previous day in the quarterfinals, she shot 4-under for 12 holes in an 8 and 6 victory over Stephanie Bosdosh (Holly Hills).
Smidinger, who won the Maryland public schools championship last fall, has received instruction lately from former standout touring pro Bruce Crampton, who now resides in Annapolis. In the U.S. Women’s Amateur Sectionals in May at Woodmont, the 75-year-old, a 14-time winner on the PGA Tour, caddied for Smidinger.
Rohrback, a sophomore this fall, averaged 76.0 per round this year for the Volunteers, fourth best on the team.
