Craig falls in playoff hole Friday
Jordan Craig rallied to force a playoff, but came up short on the first extra hole against Carol Semple Thompson Friday in the title match of the Women’s Golf Association of Western Pennsylvania championship flight played at Westmoreland Country Club. Craig won the title last year, defeating Semple Thompson, 3 & 2. Craig birdied the final hole to force the playoff, rallying from 3-down with six holes to play.
Both golfers were in good position after their first two shots on the playoff hole, a 476-yard par-5.
“I hit a good shot and she spun it back. I soon as she hit it I thought it was in. She just missed it,” said Craig. “I had a 3-footer left for par and it caught the lip and spun right back to me.
“She was just in shock. She already had her glove on to get ready for the next hole.”
Semple Thompson birdied the first hole to go 1-up while Craig just missed her chance. Both golfers parred the next three holes. Craig bogeyed No. 5 to go down by two, with both golfers going par, birdie, birdie over the next three holes.
Craig pared a shot off her deficit with a birdie on No. 9, but Semple Thompson birdied No. 11 to go back to 2-up. Semple Thompson made a good par save on No. 12 for a 3-up lead with six to play.
After both shot par on No. 13, Craig made a 15-foot putt on No. 14 to edge a hole closer. Both carded pars on No. 15 and a wayward tee shot by Craig on No. 16 put Semple Thompson in position to win the match.
“I hit my drive into the trees and had to punch out into the fairway. I ended up with bogey, but she double-bogeyed,” said Craig, who trailed by one with two holes to play.
Both parred No. 17 with Craig holing her birdie putt on No. 18 to force the playoff.
Although she came up one stroke shy of successfully defending her title, Craig thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
“Both of us played very well. We both shot 2-under through 18,” said Craig. “It was really nice. A lot of people came out and the members were very supportive.
“Carol is very nice. She is very supportive. It was really exciting.”
Next on Craig’s schedule is her second trip to the U.S. Women’s Amateur, beginning on Monday, Aug. 3, in St. Louis.
“It was really good practice for stroke play and match play,” said Craig. “I’m carrying a lot of confidence to come back from 3-down.”