CHICAGO, July 13, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Hall of Famer JoAnne Carner impressed
everyone but herself Thursday as she shot her age — 79 — in the first round
of the inaugural US Senior Women’s Open.
Carner, a 43-time LPGA winner, was first off the tee at Chicago Golf Club,
where she made four birdies on the back nine after getting off to a slow
start — shooting one-under over the final five holes to sign for her 79.
“I hit some good shots, but I hit some awful shots, really,” Carner said.
“I had some six- and seven-irons into the greens and just really hit awful
shots. One went in the water. I was fighting it all the way.”
After walking 18 holes for the first time in more than a decade in
competition, Carner headed out to practice after her round with the aim of
improving enough to make the halfway cut at the low 50 scores and ties.
“I can shoot this course under par,” Carner said.
It was an emotional scene at the first tee as Carner opened the action in
the championship for golf’s best women players aged 50 and over.
Surprise package Elaine Crosby, a Legends Tour player who earned one of
five qualifying spots, was the first round leader with a three-under par 70.
She was one stroke in front of England’s Trish Johnson, 1987 US Women’s
Open champion Laura Davies of England and 1988 US Women’s Open champion
Liselotte Neumann of Sweden.
The only other player under par on the 6,279-yard layout was Sweden’s Helen
Alfredsson, at one-under 72.