U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur features 12 from New England

NEWTON, Mass – Among the 491 entries the United States Golf Association received for the 2024 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship, which is the most entries since 2007, 132 players advanced to this week’s championship proper at Brae Burn Country Club from September 7 – 12 including 12 from New England.

This is the 37th edition of United States Women’s Mid-Amateur open to female amateurs who are 25 years old or older. Brae Burn CC, which is hosting its 8th USGA championship and known for its challenging greens and tight design, will measure 6,135 yards as a par 72. The last USGA national championship held at the historic Donald Ross course was the 1997 U.S. Women’s Amateur.

The winner receives a gold medal and custody of the Mildred Gardinor Prunaret Trophy for one year; exemption into the 2025 U.S. Women’s Open (must be an amateur); exemption into the next 10 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateurs; exemption into the next two U.S. Women’s Amateurs.

Schedule of Play at Brae Burn Country Club where the public is invited free to watch:

Saturday, Sept. 7 (Stroke Play, Round 1, 18 holes)

Thursday, Sept. 12 (Championship Match, 18 holes)

MEGAN BUCK – North Easton (MA)

The 2022 Mass Golf Women’s Player of the Year qualified shooting 72 at The Ridge Club. Buck has teamed up with Shannon Johnson to win the last five Mass Women’s Four-Ball championships. This summer she has recorded three top-five finishes. She reached the quarterfinals of the Mass. Women’s Amateur and finished in fourth place in both the New England Women’s Amateur and the Ouimet Invitational.

MARIA CIANCHETTE – Portland (ME)

The only Maine representative shot a 75 at Laconia CC (New Hampshire) in qualifying. She finished 11th in this summer’s New England Women’s Amateur.

BROOKE COOPER – Greenwich (CT)

Cooper shot a 74 at The Ridge Club to earn her spot in this year’s U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur. She recorded a T-7 in the Women’s MET Amateur championship this summer, too.

NATALIE GRAINGE – Greenwich (CT)

Grainge shot was medalist in her qualifier, shooting a 69 at Naga-Waukee Golf Course in Wisconsin. She is the 2024 New York State Women’s Mid-Amateur champion. Rounds of 74-75 earned her a five-shot win.

SHANNON JOHNSON – North Easton (MA)

The five-time Mass Women’s Player of the Year (2016, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2023), Johnson won the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship in 2018 and was runner-up in 2016. Last year, she reached the Round of 32. This summer, Johnson has recorded solid finishes in the New England Women’s Amateur (5th), the Ouimet (3rd), and the Mass Women’s Amateur (Round of 16). A second national championship in her home state would quite the triumph.

TARA JOY-CONNELLY – Middleborough (MA)

The talented senior has returned from injury with rousing success. She missed all of 2022 due to a shoulder injury from a golf cart accident. She competed in three USGA events last year. In the 2023 Mid-Amateur, Joy-Connelly reached the Round of 64. She earned her spot through her ranking in the World Amateur Rankings as a top 30 player within the mid-amateur age range. She is a two-time U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur semifinalist (2011, 2014) and is making her 19th championship start, the most of any other player in the field. The Mass Golf Hall of Famer won the 2003 and 2013 Massachusetts Women’s Amateurs and is a record nine-time Massachusetts Player of the Year. Her husband, J.P., is the head golf professional at The Kittansett Club, the site of the 2022 U.S. Senior Amateur.

TRACY MARTIN – Nashua (NH)

Martin has been competing on the golf course for a while. She won the 2008 Mass Girls’ Junior Amateur and also took home the New Hampshire state champion in high school. She shot a 76 at Laconia CC in New Hampshire to earn her spot.

CATHERINE McEVOY – Riverside (CT)

McEvoy had the pleasure of leaving last year’s U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur knowing she could book a hotel near Brea Burn. She reached the Round of 16, which granted her an exemption.

MARY MULCAHY – Scituate (MA)

Mulcahy shot a 78 at The Ridge Club to earn the fourth and final spot at that venue. Mulcahy has played in this event four other times and was a standout at the University of Central Florida.

NIKKI POWERS – Stamford (CT)

Powers has made a career out of golf. She worked for the PGA of America and now is with Excel Sports Management as an event manager. This week, she’ll be on the playing side of things and won’t have to worry about the nuts and bolts of running a golf tournament. Powers shot a 78 at Green Brook Country Club (North Caldwell, NJ) to earn her spot at Brae Burn.

CLAIRE RICHARDSON – Milton (MA)

A former Harvard golfer, Richardson shot a 76 at The Ridge Club. She was the Assistant Women’s Golf coach at Harvard before launching a consulting company that helps student-athletes through the recruiting process.

CIARA SMITH – Stamford CT)

Smith had to play the waiting game to find out if she’d have a tee time at Brae Burn this week. She shot an 80 at Tennessee Grasslands and was the first alternate. Smith grew up in Tennessee and attended Tusculum University in Greenville, TN. Her husband, who will be on the bag this week, also played college golf for the Pioneers.

LIVE SCORING

https://championships.usga.org/uswomensmidamateur/2024/scoring.html