Michigan Women’s Amateur Reaches Sweet 16

Just sixteen are left in the 2014 Michigan Women’s Amateur, played this week at the University of Michigan golf course. They are:

  • Allyson Geer (Brighton), home-school student
  • Emma Salata (Ann Arbor), Western Michigan University golfer
  • Kimberly Dinh (Midland), University of Wisconsin golfer
  • Sarah Johnson (Wixom), former Eastern Michigan University golfer
  • Jennifer Elsholz (Grand Rapids), University of Toledo golfer
  • Kaitlyn Watkins (Frankenmuth), Western Michigan University golfer
  • Hannah Pietila (Brighton), University of Tennessee golfer
  • Danielle Crilley (East Lansing), Oakland University golfer
  • Kelly Hartigan (Lake Orion), Grand Valley State University golfer
  • Hailey Hrynewich (Muskegon), Ohio University golfer
  • Kelsey Murphy (Plymouth), Eastern Michigan University golfer
  • Lindsey McPherson (Flushing), Michigan State University golfer
  • Sarah Hoffman (Saline), nurse at University of Michigan Hospital
  • Shannon Warner (Livonia), nanny and caddie at Barton Hills Country Club
  • Gabrielle Yurik (Oakland), Michigan State University golfer
  • Jacqueline Setas (East Lansing),
  • “Sweet 16” Golfers Remain at 98th Michigan Women’s Amateur Championship

    ANN ARBOR – Lake Orion’s Kelly Hartigan said it never really crossed her mind that she was playing the Michigan golf coach on the University of Michigan course in her first-round match of the 98th Michigan Women’s Amateur Championship Wednesday.

    “I just really thought of it as another golf match,” said the senior-to-be Grand Valley State University golfer after she topped Michigan women’s golf coach Jan Dowling 2-up. “I was just thinking about my game, and it was a struggle. And it gave me a headache.”

    Hartigan made it to the “Sweet 16” for the first time in the state championship. She will play Hailey Hrynewich of Muskegon in a morning match Thursday. The quarterfinals follow in the afternoon, and the semifinals and championship match are Friday.

    Hrynewich, a sophomore-to-be at Ohio University, lost in the championship match last year to Christine Meier. She had to face fellow Muskegon golfer Aja Johnson, a University of Wisconsin golfer, on Wednesday and rallied from an early deficit to win 3 and 1.

    “Overall, I played well,” she said. “It’s a goal to get back to the championship. Last year I played great all the way to the last match, and then didn’t play so well.”

    Others in the “Sweet 16” include qualifying stroke play medalist Allyson Geer of Brighton, Emma Salata of Ann Arbor, Kimberly Dinh of Midland, Sarah Johnson of Wixom, Jennifer Elsholz of Grand Rapids, Kaitlyn Watkins of Frankenmuth, Hannah Pietila of Brighton, Danielle Crilley of East Lansing, Kelsey Murphy of Plymouth, Lindsey McPherson of Flushing, Sarah Hoffman of Saline, Shannon Warner of Livonia, Gabby Yurik of Oakland and Jacqueline Setas of East Lansing.

    Hartigan was 2-down after two holes of play against Dowling, but rallied to get a 1-up lead by the ninth hole.

    “It was back-and-forth and we were halving holes with bogeys, so neither of us played well,” Hartigan said. “I was just glad to have the lead at the end.”

    Dowling was 1-down playing 18 and dunker her approach shot on the long par 4 in the pond that fronts the green.

    “I was in the rough but I had a pretty good lie,” the coach said. “I had 195 to the pin, and I was 1-down so you have to go for it. I just toe hooked it and aqua.”

    Dowling said she recently got her amateur standing back and feels it is important to play competitive golf.

    “I think as a coach it’s important to have a feel for the game, and hopefully what you are working with your game helps you relate back to the player. Plus it was here, a good comfortable place for me to get back to competition and get my feet wet. I hit some good shots, but my short game is not quite on.”

    Geer, the 15-year-old who had the best 36-hole stroke play qualifying score by six shots, continued her solid play in beating Pader Her of Lansing, a University of Akron golfer, 5 and 4.

    “This is the first time I’ve ever won in match play,” she said. “I look forward to the next few rounds. I played pretty well. Stayed around even (par) and she made some mistakes so I took advantage.”

    Geer will play Salata, a Western Michigan University golfer, in the round of 16. Salata topped Taylor Clark of Rochester 5 and 3.

    GAM Women’s Champion Elsholz had to rally from losing the first two holes to beat Kelsey McDougall of Canton 1-up.  The University of Toledo golfer, who lost in the semifinals a year ago to Hrynewich, said she was a little nervous to start.

    “I just had to play golf and try not to be in my own head,” she said. “I settled down and played better.”

    Elsholz will play Watkins, a Western Michigan University golfer in the round of 16.

    McPherson, a senior-to-be at Michigan State, was back in the amateur ranks after spending last week playing on a sponsor’s exemption in the Meijer LPGA Classic at Blythefield Country Club in Grand Rapids.

    “I had to recalibrate myself, and it actually helped to make a double-bogey on my first hole in stroke play qualifying,” she said after she beat University of Michigan golfer Alicia Weber 5 and 4. “I had to refocus on this tournament and where I’m playing this week.”

    McPherson will play Murphy, an Eastern Michigan University golfer, in the round of 16.

    RESULTS: 98th Michigan Women’s Amateur a University of Michigan GC

    Allyson Geer (Brighton) d. Pader Har (Lansing) 5&4; Emma Salata (Ann Arbor) d. Taylor Clark (Rochester) 5&3; Kimberly Dinh (Midland) d. Lily Pendy (Grosse Pointe Farms) 1 up; Sarah Johnson (Wixom) d. Cordelia Chan (Birmingham) 2&1.

    Jennifer Elsholz (Grand Rapids) d. Kelsey McDougall (Canton) 1 up; Kaitlyn Watkins (Frankenmuth) d. Tenley Shield (Grosse Pointe Park) 4&3; Hannah Pietila (Brighton) d. Morgan Smith (Muskegon) 4&3; Danielle Crilley (East Lansing) d. Julia Montgomery (Shelby Twp.) 19 holes;
    v
    Kelly Hartigan (Lake Orion) d. Jan Dowling (Ann Arbor) 2 up; Hailey Hrynewich (Muskegon) d, Aya Johnson (Muskegon) 3&1; Kelsey Murphy (Plymouth) d. Elle Nichols (Okemos) 6&5; Lindsey McPherson (Flushing) d, Alicia Weber (Northville) 5&4

    Sarah Hoffman (Saline) d. Gabrielle Shipley (Hastings) 5&4; Shannon Warner (Livonia) d. Emily White (Saline) 4&3; Gabrielle Yurik (Oakland) d, Samantha Kellstrom (Saline) 6&4; Jacqueline Setas (East Lansing) d, Alyssa Albright (Lansing) 7&5

    THURSDAY PAIRINGS

    Geer vs. Salata 8 a.m., Dinh vs. Johnson 8:10 a.m., Elsholz vs Watkins 8:20 a.m., Pietila vs. Crilley 8:30 a.m., Hartigan vs. Hrynewich 8:40 a.m., Murphy vs. McPherson 8:50 a.m., Hoffman vs. Warner 9 a.m., Yurik vs. Setas 9:10 a.m.

    THE “SWEET 16”

    • Allyson Geer (Brighton), home-school student
    • Emma Salata (Ann Arbor), Western Michigan University golfer
    • Kimberly Dinh (Midland), University of Wisconsin golfer
    • Sarah Johnson (Wixom), former Eastern Michigan University golfer
    • Jennifer Elsholz (Grand Rapids), University of Toledo golfer
    • Kaitlyn Watkins (Frankenmuth), Western Michigan University golfer
    • Hannah Pietila (Brighton), University of Tennessee golfer
    • Danielle Crilley (East Lansing), Oakland University golfer
    • Kelly Hartigan (Lake Orion), Grand Valley State University golfer
    • Hailey Hrynewich (Muskegon), Ohio University golfer
    • Kelsey Murphy (Plymouth), Eastern Michigan University golfer
    • Lindsey McPherson (Flushing), Michigan State University golfer
    • Sarah Hoffman (Saline), nurse at University of Michigan Hospital
    • Shannon Warner (Livonia), nanny and caddie at Barton Hills Country Club
    • Gabrielle Yurik (Oakland), Michigan State University golfer
    • Jacqueline Setas (East Lansing), Michigan State University golfer

    Michigan State University golferFull press release follows:

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