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Former Sun Devil Kellee Booth shot a 3-under-par on the back nine at Hawthorns Golf and Country Club. |
Former women's golf standout Booth heads into final round.
June 24, 1999
FISHERS, Ind. - Three-time Indianapolis city champion Cookie English raised her eyebrows Tuesday as Kellee Booth's 3-under-par 32 on the back nine was posted on the leaderboard outside the clubhouse at the Hawthorns Golf and Country Club.
Booth, the former ASU standout and the nation's No. 2-ranked women's amateur golfer, shot a 1-under 71 Tuesday to capture the top seed heading into today's first round of match play in the 99th Women's Western Golf Association National Amateur Championship.
"She should turn pro," English said of Booth. "If you can shoot like that, you could be making some money out there. A 32 on the back nine here is a heck of a score."
Booth is thinking of turning pro. In fact, she said she plans to make a decision by the Aug. 12-16 U.S. Women's Amateur. But first things first. This week, she's eyeing the national amateur championship, a tournament that holds special meaning on more than one front. Last year, she finished second in the same event to Grace Park, who recently turned pro.
Even more special is that her mother, Jane Bastanchury Booth, won the amateur national championship in 1969 and 1970. Kellee Booth insists that fact is far from her mind this week.
"It would be incredible to win this tournament but I'm really taking it one match at a time," Booth said. "Having a top seed is important but not that important. At this point, it really is the luck of the draw. I could get paired against someone who just one had bad round."
Mike Booth is his daughter's caddie this week.
"She's close to being real good this week," Mike Booth said. "Most of the time, she's putting the ball exactly where she wants to put it. My main job right now is to make sure I stay out of her way out there."
The top 64 players from Monday and Tuesday advanced to the championship flight of match play, which begins today. The other 79 players will be placed in flights according to their total score but will not be eligible to win the national championship.
The cutoff to make the championship flight was 159. Seven players tied at 159 and a playoff was held for the final four spots. In the playoff, Meghan Spero and Miranda Smith advanced with pars on the first hole. The other five went to the second hole, where Erica Kurczewski and Franklin High School standout Ambry Bishop made par. The other three playoff finalists were Pam Harnack, Theresa McDermott and Jennifer Patterson.
Booth's 32 on the back nine tied for the best nine-hole total of qualifying. Alena Sharp, who had a two-day total of 147, also shot 32 on the back nine en route to a 72. Jamin Kang had the day's best round, shooting a 5-under67. She finished six strokes behind Booth at 146.
By Terry Hutchens
Indianapolis Star/News