Amanda's Blumen good start at ANZ

BY Liz White | ALPG Tour | 2010 ANZ Ladies Masters | Round One | 04 Mar 2010

Despite all the stars playing at the ANZ Ladies Masters this week, it is rookie professional Amanda Blumenherst who is the surprise leader after the first day of the ANZ Ladies Masters being played on the Gold Coast.

With a world ranking of 127, the 23-year-old fired off the perfect opening round, a bogey free six under 66, to lead defending champion, Katherine Hull, by one.

A shot further back on 4 under 68, is a host of players including World No 11 and six-time Masters winner Karrie Webb, world no. 7 and last year’s LPGA rookie of the year, Anna Nordqvist and the Royal Pines course record holder, Kristie Smith.

Blumenherst has come into the Masters tournament with some solid golf credentials behind her. She was an outstanding college player, and led Duke University to three ACC Championships and two NCAA victories in the space of three years. At the age of 19 she recorded a T20th at the US Open Major.

Playing under pressure is nothing new to this Arizona native.

“Amateur golf has prepared me so well for this next step, so I really do feel every time I tee up that there’s a chance I can win,” she said.

“I was player of the year in my freshman year, player of the year in my sophomore year and player of the year in my junior year. So it was every time I had those expectations and that pressure on me, so it prepared me to be out there and face similar expectations.”

Blumenherst capped of her amateur career by finishing dual medallist with Australian Stephanie Na at the US Amateur Stroke Play and then capturing the most coveted amateur prize, the US Amateur in late 2008.

The leading world amateur for three consecutive years, Blumenherst turned pro in June last year and earned her tour card for the LPGA after winning the Q school, in December.

After just one practice round on the boggy Royal Pines layout yesterday, a course she had not previously seen, Blumenherst showed she is a quick learner.

“We really noticed during the one practice round that I had, that the putts don’t really break as much as they look like the do,” she said.

“I really didn’t play any of the putts outside the hole and that helped quite a bit.

“I’ve always been a fairly solid ball striker, so I’ve been hitting it close but now I’m getting the putts, so that definitely helps.”

Chasing Blumenherst tomorrow will be Katherine Hull and the Queenslander, who began on the back nine today, felt her game started to click on the front nine _ where she came home in 4 under 33.

“I hit a wedge close on one, and that felt probably the best swing of the day,” she said.

“I got a little bit more rhythm and momentum from that. It was nice to make three birdies in a row and not have to force making birdies out there.”

Hull, who played with Blumenhurst at the CVS Pharmacy LPGA Challenge last year, knows she will have to work hard to keep up with the rookie.

“I’m very impressed with her game and she’s a sweetheart on top of it, so it’s nice to see someone out there with some personality and talent.”

Royal Pines is Karrie Webb’s turf. This year represents her 20th year at the Masters and the 35-year-old sounded a warning after her opening round of 4 under 68.

Even though she said her back nine today was a little scratchy, Webb was still able to come in low.

“This was probably one of my better starts in probably five or six years,” she said.

“It’s definitely better to get a good start and it takes the pressure off you, and if you shoot a low round, that really puts you in with a great chance.”

Equal with Webb is 21-year-old Kristie Smith, who last year set the Royal Pines course record of 10 under 62.

 "I am happy with my round. I am always happy to shoot in the 60’s for my first round especially because it is not easy out there with the wind and the course playing longer," she said.

“It played to my advantage because the balls are sticking in the ground and being a longer hitter, it is definitely an advantage.”

One of the players tagged most likely, Australian Tamie Durdin, looked set to threaten Smith’s course record when she went out in 7 under 28, but her back nine of 4 over 41, put paid to that. Durdin ended the round on 3 under and is tied 8th.

Of the other stars at Royal Pines today, World No 6 Yani Tseng and US Open winner Eun Hee Ji are currently T30th on 1 under while Kraft Nabisco champion, Brittany Lincicome, is T45th on even par.

Blumenherst, who had a T5th finish at last year’s CVS Pharmacy LPGA Challenge in October, is not daunted going into tomorrow’s round as the leader.

“Well I have been in this situation before, never professionally though. So it’s going to be different,” she said.

“I’m just going to focus on playing one shot, one hole at a time, not looking at the leader board, or thinking that I need to keep birdying holes.”