McCurdy in the top 20 Mahon close

FAYETTEVILLE – University of Arkansas junior golfers Amanda McCurdy and Courtney Mahon opened with solid first round play at the 2005 U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship in Kansas City, Mo., Monday. McCurdy, an El Dorado, Ark., native is coming of both her first-ever appearance at the U.S. Women’s Open where she finished tied for 38th overall. McCurdy qualified for the Open by virtue of a runner-up finish in match play in Erie, Pa., last year. The opening round of this year’s event put McCurdy in good shape after the first day of play as she carded an even 71 to tie for 13th overall when she came off Swope Memorial Golf Course in Kansas City. McCurdy teed off in the afternoon beginning on the 10th hole of the golf course. She played the back nine two over with three bogies and a birdie to start. McCurdy rallied on the front side of the course despite starting with a bogy on the first hole. She birdied the par-four second hole and had an eagle on the par-three third hole to stand at one-over with six to play. The Lady’Back junior added her second eagle on eight putting it in the cup in two on the par-three, 164-yard hole to finish the day even. Mahon, a Topeka, Kan., native, finished the day at two-over and was tied for 35th late in the day. Mahon teed off in the morning flight and put together back-to-back solid nines, playing each side one-over. She came off the course tied for 15th overall in the first flight of competitors with a 73. Mahon’s play was also solid with the Lady’Back athlete two-under heading into 17. She doubled on the 535-yard par-five hole to move to even and picked up a stroke on 18 finishing the first nine at plus-one. Mahon added another stroke on the par-four fourth hole on the front nine but otherwise played the course even. The event began weeks ago when 753 women from around the United States began qualifying at local sites. The top 144 moved on to the Kansas City site beginning play on Monday. The field will compete in back-to-back rounds of stroke play with the lowest 64 scores moving on to match play beginning Wednesday. Play continues through Saturday in the elimination-style final rounds. The winner of the U.S. Amateur Public Links event receives a trophy and several exemptions for the upcoming amateur season. For more information about Arkansas golf, log on to LADYBACKS.COM.

Amanda McCurdy

Summary Information

Through:

F

Today:

Even

Total:

Even

Hole

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

Out

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

In

Total

Yards

372

317

183

368

429

150

376

164

477

2836

370

355

504

185

375

349

134

535

404

3211

6047

Par

4

4

3

4

5

3

4

3

5

35

4

4

5

3

4

4

3

5

4

36

71

Round 1 – 7/11/2005

5

3

2

4

5

3

4

2

5

33

4

3

5

4

5

4

3

5

5

38

71

Courtney Mahon

Summary Information

Through:

F

Today:

+2

Total:

+2

Hole

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

Out

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

In

Total

Yards

372

317

183

368

429

150

376

164

477

2836

370

355

504

185

375

349

134

535

404

3211

6047

Par

4

4

3

4

5

3

4

3

5

35

4

4

5

3

4

4

3

5

4

36

71

Round 1 – 7/11/2005

4

4

3

5

5

3

4

3

5

36

4

4

5

3

4

3

2

7

5

37

73