Tag: Molly Smith

Molly Smith makes history as first woman to qualify for Massachusetts Amateur in its 115-year history

The 17-year-old made history in her home state.

Molly Smith made history in her home state Tuesday.

The rising college freshman shot 1-over 73 at Andover Country Club to qualify for the Massachusetts Amateur Championship. Smith is believed to be the first woman to ever qualify for the championship in its 115-year history.

Tripp Hollister won the qualifier with a 4-under 68. A total of seven players in the field of 83 advanced to the Massachusetts Amateur, which is July 10-14 at Essex County Club in Manchester-by-the-Sea. Andover Country Club was played at 6,639 yards.

Last month, the 18-year-old Smith made headlines when she fired a 2-under 70 to miss the cut by a shot at a U.S. Open local qualifier at LeBaron Hills Country Club in Lakeville, Massachusetts.

Smith, who will compete for Central Florida starting this fall, headed next to Duxbury Yacht Club on Wednesday for a 36-hole U.S. Women’s Open qualifier along with sister Morgan. Molly shot 72 in the first round, while Morgan shot 75.

Molly begins her second round five shots behind leader Perrine Delacour. A total of three players will advance to the Women’s Open at Pebble Beach Golf Links, July 6-9.

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Teams to watch at the USGA Women’s Amateur Four-Ball include Stanford mid-ams, pair of 14-year-olds and a bomber who nearly advanced through U.S. Open local qualifying

Match play begins on Monday with the Round of 32.

History was made at the U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball as seven teams shared medalist honors at stroke-play qualifying. That’s the most for any USGA championship, surpassing the six players who medaled at the 2007 U.S. Mid-Amateur at Bandon Dunes.

During an unseasonably warm and windy day at The Home Course in DuPont, Washington, the seven sides finished at 11-under 133 to top a crowded leaderboard. A total of 32 teams advanced to match play, with an 8-for-5 playoff moving into a Monday finish.

Defending champs Thienna Huynh, 19, of Lilburn, Georgia, and Sara Im, 18, of Duluth, Georgia, carried their momentum into 2023 as they shared medalist honors thanks to a nine-hole record of 30 on the front nine.

Thienna Huynh and Sara Im at the medalist ceremony during the the second round of the 2023 U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball at The Home Course in DuPont, Wash. on Sunday, May 14, 2023. (Kathryn Riley/USGA)

Match play begins on Monday with the Round of 32. With the NCAA Championship being held this week in Arizona, few college players were able to qualify for the event due to scheduling. That leaves a number of hotshot teen tandems in the field. In fact, there were 18 players in the field this week between the ages of 12 and 15.

Two teams of 14-year-olds advanced.

Here are five more teams to watch heading into match play:

Bomber Molly Smith, 18, shot 70 against the men at a U.S. Open local qualifier, nearly advanced

The high school senior shot 2-under 70 to miss the cut by a shot.

Molly Smith birdied two of her first three holes Wednesday at U.S. Open local qualifying. The 18-year-old University of Central Florida commit drove her brown minivan, fondly known as “The Potato,” to LeBaron Hills Country Club in Lakeville, Massachusetts, and took on the men in an 18-hole qualifier.

“It’s been raining a lot here and the course was soft,” said Molly, “a day you could go pin-seeking.”

The high school senior would go on to shoot a 2-under 70 to miss the cut by a shot. Five players in the field at LeBaron advanced to U.S. Open final qualifying, with two players topping the board at 67. Smith lost out on securing one of two alternate positions in a playoff. On June 7, she’ll give U.S. Women’s Open qualifying a try.

Local qualifying is being conducted at 109 sites across the U.S. and Canada. The 123rd U.S. Open will be contested at The Los Angeles Country Club’s North Course, June 15-18.

Smith has competed against men in club championships and Massachusetts qualifiers for the state Amateur and Open. She doesn’t spend much time concerning herself with what others might think about a woman teeing it up in men’s events.

“There’s pretty clear criteria on what a golfer needs to do to play in the tournament,” she said of men’s U.S. Open qualifying.

Molly, a former Massachusetts Junior Player of the Year, averages 275 yards off the tee with 107 mph swing speed.

“She just oozes confidence,” said UCF coach Emily Marron, “and I think that comes from growing up playing with the boys. She had to be confident.”

Later this month, Smith and her older sister Morgan, 19, who heads to Georgetown this fall, will team up at the U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball at The Home Course in DuPont, Washington. Maddie, 15, is the youngest Smith sister, and she plays too. Just last week Morgan and Molly became the first sister duo to compete in the Massachusetts Four-Ball Championship, taking a share of 68th out of 192 teams.

Molly Smith (right) with sisters Morgan and Maddie (courtesy photo)

On Monday, she’ll try to qualify to compete against the men at the Massachusetts Open.

“If you spend three minutes with her,” said Marron of Smith’s infectious personality, “you’ll love her,”

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