Kellar-Luther and Williams Headed to U.S. Senior Women's Amateur

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  ST. LOUIS PARK, Minn. – Converting a pair of late birdie chances Thursday at Minneapolis Golf Club helped Andrea Kellar-Luther to a round of 6-over 78 to claim medalist honors as well as a spot in the 2024 U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur next month.

Set to be played Sept. 21-26 at Broadmoor Golf Club in Seattle, Kellar-Luther will be joined at the national event by Brenda Williams, who carded a 7-over 79 Thursday to qualify for her ninth U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur.

“Going once, you almost want to qualify even more,” Kellar-Luther said Thursday. “The USGA does such a nice job and there are people that I haven’t seen in a while, so it’s nice to reconnect with them.

“For the most part, it was nice and steady today—didn’t make too many mistakes. I knew I was going to make some, but a couple of birdies coming in helped. I stayed patient and was pretty consistent. I knew coming in that if I played my game, it could be good enough.”

A steady start for Kellar-Luther Thursday as she played her first four holes in even par before a string of three bogeys over a four-hole span put her at 3-over for her round.

She would turn in 5-over following a double-bogey at the par-4 ninth.

Following back-to-back bogeys at the 12th and 13th, Kellar-Luther rolled in her first birdie of the round at the par-3 16th from three feet, and added her second birdie from six feet at the 17th.

Despite a three-putt bogey at the last, Kellar-Luther finished on top of the leaderboard at 6-over 78 to earn medalist honors and qualify for her second U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur in three seasons.

Making her first appearance at the national event in 2022 at Anchorage Golf Club in Alaska, Kellar-Luther posted rounds of 80 and 86, respectively, to miss the cut for match play by five strokes.

“This time I’m going to enjoy it and not put a lot of pressure on myself. I missed the cut last time in Alaska—not that I wanted to miss the cut, but what a great place to miss the cut,” Kellar-Luther said.

Williams scattered three bogeys over her opening nine holes Thursday, turning in 3-over before a bogey at the par-3 10th.

She would roll in her only birdie of the round at the par-5 12th to get back to 3-over for the day, but stumbled with back-to-back double-bogeys at the 13th and 14th.

Steady from there, Williams entered the clubhouse at 7-over 79 following consecutive pars, including a 15-footer at the 16th, to close out her round to advance for the fifth time in eight seasons.

“I’m so excited—the way the USGA treats everybody is amazing” Williams said after earning her spot Thursday. “The courses are always great and the hospitality is amazing. I never have expectations going in, but once you get there, of course you want to get through to match play.

“This is the one event that I kind of get nervous for because I want it, so I was nervous this this morning.”

Williams entered Thursday’s round after finishing third in the Women’s Division at the Northland Invitational, and finished first in the Senior Women’s Division Saturday at Northland Country Club in Duluth, Minn.

“I felt like I was playing well and felt solid,” she said. “I hit my irons well and my lag putting was good, which is crucial on this course. Even the putts I didn’t get close; I was still making some longer ones.”

Williams qualified for four consecutive U.S. Senior Women's Amateur Championships beginning her first year of eligibility at the 50-and-over tournament in 2010, advancing to the Round of 32 at the 2011 championship at The Honors Course in Chattanooga, Tenn.

She returned in 2017 at Waverly Country Club in Oregon, shooting 86-82 to miss the cut for match play by five strokes, but Williams advanced to match play for a second time in 2019, falling during the Round of 64 at Cedar Rapids Country Club in Iowa.

In 2021 Williams carded a 23-over 167 at The Lakewood Club in Point Clear, Ala., to miss the cut for match play by four strokes.

She posted rounds of 86 and 84, respectively, at the championship in 2022 in Alaska, falling seven strokes short of match play.

Alison Hurley, who claimed the 2024 MGA Women’s Senior Amateur Four-Ball Championship at Burl Oaks Golf Club in June, carded a 10-over 82 to finish as first alternate, while Tracey Donesky, of Minnetonka, Minn., posted an 83 to earn second alternate honors.

Leigh Klasse, an 11-time qualifier for the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur, earned an exemption into the championship due to her top-30 status in the World Amateur Golf Rankings for senior women.

The Broadmoor Golf Club hosts the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur for the first time since the 1996 championship, won by Gayle Borthwick.

This season’s tournament will be the fifth USGA championship contested at the A. Vernon Macan design.


**This story has been updated to reflect Williams has qualified for nine U.S. Senior Women's Amateur Championships, not five as previously written.