ERIN, WA – For Erica Creed, she might begin her day thinking about staring the cut in the face on Tuesday. She also might have a long day of waiting.
After shooting even par in her first nine holes, Creed, a soon-to-be sophomore from Kernersville, NC, struggled through the second nine holes to sit on the good side of the projected cut as the second round begins Tuesday at the United States Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship at Erin Hills Golf Club. Teeing off from No. 10, Creed fired a 37 on the back side, but shot a 42 on the front to finish in a tie for 52nd after the first round of stroke play at the championship.
Participants play two rounds of stroke play to narrow the 156-player field down to 64 and set the stage for match play. The cutoff of 64 players is the group at seven-over par after Monday’s play. Creed, who finished fifth at the Southern Conference Tournament earlier this year, shot six-over on Monday.
Her first nine may have been an indicator that it wasn’t going to be the easiest of days for Creed. While shooting even par on the back side, Creed opened with two birdies, followed by three bogeys, to be followed by another birdie, before settling in with three pars to close out her first side in 37. But a bogey on No. 1 and par on No. 2 were followed with double-bogey on No. 3 and Creed was in for fight. At the end of it was a 42 on the front side, which meant a very meaningful second round.
The good news – and maybe the bad news – for Creed is that she will go off the first tee early. In the seventh group off No. 1 on Tuesday, Creed, one of three players in the field from the state of North Carolina, will have the chance to post an early number, and then wait to see if she is among the 64 golfers to advance to match play. Her round will begin at 8:30 am local time.
With groups going off of both Nos. 1 and 10, 42 of 56 groups will follow behind Creed before she knows her fate.
- UNCG -