Tournament Results | Interview with Anna Foster | Tournament Photos
Rockville, MD – The 25th Maryland Women’s Open, presented by Toyota, was played at Woodmont Country Club—North Course this past weekend, and Anna Foster of Dublin, Ireland, claimed the title and her first professional victory.
As the first round began on Saturday morning, players were greeted with foggy and cloudy weather, but as the day progressed, the conditions improved to sunny and warm. With Woodmont and all of Maryland receiving significant rain in the weeks leading up to the championship, the golf course played tough.
By the end of the day, Becca DiNunzio (a) from Virginia Beach, VA, held the lead at two-under-par 70. Her first birdie came on the opening par-4; she then finished her front nine with eight straight pars. She made a bogey on 13 but bounced back with back-to-back birdies on Nos. 15-16. Reflecting on her round, she mentioned that staying out of the rough was the key to her success. Even when she found herself in the rough, she was able to save par. You can watch the full interview here. Melanie Green, Marley Franklin (a), and Rachel Kuehn (a) all sat at T2 with scores of 72 (E). Kendall Jackson (a) rounded out the top five with an opening round of 73 (+1).
In the Senior Division, Brenda Kuehn (a) from Asheville, North Carolina, finished atop the leaderboard after the first round. Kuehn, who recently reached the U.S. Women’s Senior Amateur semifinals, continued her success at Woodmont with a score of 40-41–81 (+9). Rounding out the top five are Veronica Karaman, Joy Bonhurst, Karen Bennett, and Shawn McCullough (a).
Sunday’s final round brought perfect weather and great golf. After the front nine, Melanie Green found herself in first place at one-over-par, with Anna Foster, Rachel Kuehn (a), and Marley Franklin (a) just behind. Heading into the 17th hole, Green held a two-shot lead over Foster. Foster hit her approach shot to about 8 feet, while Green’s ball spun off the front of the green, leaving her a chip for her third shot. Foster converted her birdie putt, and Green saved par to keep a one-shot lead.
Foster, first to tee off on the par-4 18th, carried the right bunker but ended up in the rough, while Green hit a perfect tee shot down the left side of the fairway. Foster, playing first, hit her approach shot to about 4 feet, putting pressure on Green. Green pulled her approach left of the green into the rough, leaving herself a tough chip. Green couldn’t get onto the green with her first chip and got her second chip on, leaving herself a long bogey putt. She missed the bogey putt and made a double bogey. Foster was able to convert her birdie and secured her first professional win. When asked about her keys to victory, she mentioned that she was trying to take it hole by hole and stay patient. Foster is headed to European Tour Q-School in December.
In the final group of the day, Rachel Kuehn (a) and Marley Franklin (a) battled all day for the low amateur spot. Kuehn, with four birdies during the second round, earned the Campbell Cup, which is awarded to the low amateur, and finished third overall in the championship.
In the Senior division, Brenda Kuehn (a) entered the final round with a narrow one-shot lead, and she maintained that advantage to secure the overall win and low senior amateur honors. She finished the championship at 13-over-par and defeated last year’s champion Monique Thoresz.
The Maryland State Golf Association would like to thank the membership and staff at Woodmont Country Club for being such generous and excellent hosts for this championship.
