Norwood Hills Country Club, in St. Louis, has been selected by the USGA as the host site for the 2018 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship.
Scheduled for Sept. 22-27, the 2018 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur will be the second USGA championship contested at Norwood Hills; the club previously hosted the 2001 U.S. Senior Amateur.
“The USGA looks forward to returning to Norwood Hills for the 2018 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur and is thankful to the club for its enthusiasm and support of this championship,” said Stuart Francis, USGA Championship Committee chairman. “Norwood Hills has hosted several high-caliber golf events, and we are very pleased the 32nd U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur champion will be crowned on such a worthy course.”
Founded as North Hills Country Club in the early 1920s, the club’s two courses – East and West – were designed by Wayne Stiles. The West Course, which hosted the 2001 Senior Amateur, will also be used for the Women’s Mid-Amateur. True to the 1920s style of course architecture, the West Course features undulating fairways and contoured greens.
The 2001 Senior Amateur was won by Kemp Richardson, the first of his two Senior Amateur victories. Norwood Hills also hosted the 1948 PGA Championship, won by Ben Hogan; PGA Tour events in 1972 and 1973, won by Hall of Fame players Lee Trevino and Gene Littler; several LPGA Tour events, whose winners include World Golf Hall of Fame members Louise Suggs, Kathy Whitworth and Sandra Haynie; and numerous state amateur events, most recently the 2014 Missouri Amateur.
“On behalf of the membership of Norwood Hills Country Club, we are honored to host the 2018 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship,” said Dennis G. Hennessy, club president. “Having hosted many prestigious events, we are confident that the accomplished golfers vying for the Women’s Mid-Amateur title will enjoy our Wayne Stiles-designed course. We look forward to working with the USGA again in 2018.”
The 2018 Women’s Mid-Amateur will be the 22nd USGA championship and second Women’s Mid-Amateur contested in Missouri. The Show Me State hosted this year’s U.S. Senior Amateur at Old Warson Country Club in St. Louis, and will also host the 2017 U.S. Girls’ Junior at Boone Valley Golf Club in Augusta.
First played in 1987, the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur was created to provide a national championship for female amateurs age 25 and older who own a Handicap Index® not exceeding 9.4. The championship features 132 players who compete in two rounds of stroke play, after which the field is cut to the low 64 scorers for match play. The winner is determined by an 18-hole final. Julia Potter won her second Women’s Mid-Amateur at The Kahkwa Club, in Erie, Pa., last month.
The 2017 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur will be conducted Oct. 7-12 at Quail Creek Country Club in Naples, Fla.
