EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — NCAA player of the year Amanda Blumenherst shot a 6-under 66 Monday to take a two-stroke lead after the first round of the U.S. Women's Amateur Championship at Eugene Country Club.
Alison Walshe, of Westford, Mass., shot a 4-under 68. Australian Stephanie Na and Canadian Stephanie Sherlock are three shots back entering Tuesday's final round of stroke play.
The field of 156 will be cut to 64 for five rounds of match play beginning Wednesday.
Blumenherst, the three-time reigning NCAA player of the year from Duke, was the runner-up at the U.S. Women's Amateur last year, falling 1-up to Maria Jose Uribe of Colombia. Uribe played in the Women's British Open last week and is not defending her amateur title.
Starting her round on No. 10, Blumenherst had her only bogey on the par-4 No. 15. She then played her last nine holes at 5 under, sinking back-to-back birdie putts to conclude her round.
Walshe made the turn at 3 under before an adventurous back nine, which included four birdies and three bogeys. She had three consecutive birdies, starting on No. 15, before finishing with a bogey 5 on No. 18.
After completing her senior season at the University of Arizona this spring, Walshe went 4-0 to lead the United States to victory at the Curtis Cup Match played on the Old Course at St. Andrews in Scotland. She then tied for 31st at the U.S. Women's Open in June.
