Craig defeats Semple Thompson for WGAWP title
The last time Jordan Craig played Carole Semple Thompson things didn’t go so well for the Connellsville graduate with a 6 & 5 loss back in 2006 to the renowned amateur golfer in the state championship hosted by Oakmont. The day went far better for Craig this time as she defeated Semple Thompson, 3 & 2, for the WGAWP Championship Friday at the Pittsburgh Field Club.
Craig scored on the greens, helped by her iron play from the fairways.
“I was putting myself in good position most of the time. I had six one-putts on the front,” said Craig. “I was hitting my irons well and giving myself a lot of good chances.
“The only three-putt I had I was above the hole.”
Though scores aren’t kept and she played only 16 holes, Craig figured she would’ve carded a 4-under 69.
“I won the 11th hole to go 2-up,” explained Craig. “On No. 12, she three-putted and it went 3-up. She had a close chance on No. 15, but it didn’t fall.
“Her putter let her down.”
Teeing up against someone with Semple Thompson’s resume could be quite daunting, but Craig opted keep focused on playing the course instead of the competition.
“I wanted to play my game,” said Craig. “I wanted to give myself chances for birdie. I tried not to pay attention to her.”
Craig opened the championship with a first-round 5 & 4 victory against Chartiers Country Club’s Nora Fallers. She won her quarterfinal match against Butler Country Club’s Susan Colton, 4 & 2.
Craig had a tougher time in her semifinal match with Margaret Penntrack from the host course. She needed to play an additional hole, parring the 19th hole to advance to the finals.
“I played well all week. Everyone seemed to play well against me. I left some putts out there the past couple days,” said Craig.
Winning the WGAWP title came with an added bonus.
“I got to play five days at the Pittsburgh Field Club,” added Craig.
The recent Wake Forest University graduate with a B.S. in Business Administration, who was named to the 2008 All-ACC Academic Women’s Golf Team, still has some tournaments on her schedule, including the ESPN’s “Search for the Best Twosome” regional qualifier at Diamond Run Golf Club with her mother, Judy Lynn-Craig.
“If we qualify, we get to go to Las Vegas,” explained Craig.
She also plans to play in a couple more WGA events this summer, and then head off to the Futures qualifying school in Florida in early November.
DIVOTS: A pair of local golfers also competed in the WGAWP Championships. Lynn-Craig lost 1-up to Rosalie Wisotzki, of the Pittsburgh Field Club, in the first round of the first flight. Uniontown Country Club’s Mary Pat Bonchosky dropped a 2 & 1 decision to St. Clair Country Club’s Vicki Shepherd in the opening round of the third flight.