Klasse and Anderson Punch Tickets to U.S. Senior Women's Amateur Championship

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  OWATONNA, Minn. – Just 24 hours after winning her sixth Minnesota Senior Women’s Amateur Championship by 10 strokes at Owatonna Country Club, Leigh Klasse carded a 3-over par 76 Wednesday to earn medalist honors and qualify for her sixth U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur Championship.

A field of 13 golfers competed for three qualifying spots to this year’s championship, which will be played September 17-22 at Wellesley Country Club in Wellesley, Mass.

Joining Klasse at this year’s national championship will be Susan West, of Tuscaloosa, Ala., who carded a 6-over par 79 and Hopkins, Minn., native Lynn Anderson, who earned the final qualifying spot by shooting 7-over par 80 Wednesday.

Klasse, St. Anthony, Minn., opened her round with consecutive pars before carding back-to-back bogeys at the fifth and sixth holes. The six-time Minnesota Golf Association Senior Women’s Player of the Year would record a single bogey over the final 12 holes to finish ahead of the field at 3-over par 76.

Klasse has reached the match play portion of the championship in each of her six appearances, reaching the Round of 32 in 2013 and advanced to the Round of 16 in 2011 and 2012.

West got off to a rough start by taking double-bogey on the opening hole before carding four bogeys over the final eight holes on the front nine to turn at 6-over. Finding her footing over the final nine, West recorded one birdie and one bogey on the back side to finish in second at 79, three shots behind Klasse.

Anderson’s qualifies for her second USGA event this season Wednesday as she earned a spot in the 2016 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship at The Kahkwa Club in Erie, Pa., September 10-15 by shooting 78 at Minnesota Valley Country Club two weeks ago.

Carding three bogeys on the front nine Wednesday, Anderson turned at 3-over before carding another four bogeys on the back and would finish at 7-over par 80.

Anderson teamed up with Klasse to win their second straight MWGA Senior Four-Ball Championship in June before falling to Klasse at the MWPGA Senior Public Links Championship in early August.

Anderson bounced back by winning the 2016 Minnesota Women’s State Open at Indian Hills two weeks later.

Claudia Pilot, Lake Shore, Minn., and Brenda Williams, Minnetrista, Minn., finished as first and second alternates, respectively.



2016 U.S. SENIOR WOMEN’S AMATEUR SECTIONAL QUALIFYING
OWATONNA COUNTRY CLUB
OWATONNA, MINN.
5,864 YARDS, PAR 73


FINAL RESULTS
1. Leigh Klasse, St. Anthony, Minn., 39-37—76 (medalist)
2. Susan West, Tuscaloosa, Ala., 43-36—79 (qualifier)
3. Lynn Anderson, Hopkins, Minn., 40-40—80 (qualifier)
4. Claudia Pilot, Lake Shore, Minn., 41-40—81 (first alternate)
5. Brenda Williams, Minnetrista, Minn., 45-37—82 (second alternate)
6. Robin Webb, Clive, Iowa, 44-41—85
7. Alison Hurley, Minnetonka, Minn., 44-42—86
T8. Ellie Layton, Rochester, Minn., 46-41—87
T8. Katie Falk, Milwaukee, Wis., 44-43—87
10. Norma O’Leary, Silver Bay, Minn., 48-44—92


For complete tournament results go to: www.mngolf.org/Tournament/US_Senior_Womens_Amateur_Sectional_Qualifying_4