Smith back in form at North and South
IN: News | US Womens Amateur | North and South Women's Amateur (2008) | Round One | by Liz White | 15 Jul 2008
Kristie Smith has burst back into form, shooting a one under round of 71 to be tied for third at the North and South Amateur Championships being played at Pinehurst, North Carolina.
The West Australian was solid all day and says a putting tip from her travelling partner and good friend, Stacey Keating, was the key to her good round.
“I was putting terrible and I asked the girls to have a look to see if they could see anything,” Smith said.
“Stace told me my stance was more like a driver so I narrowed the stance and had several good one putts out there today.”
It was a great turn around in form for Smith who missed out on qualifying for the US Amateur last week with a round of 80.
“I played terrible at the pre-qualifying, it was just one round where you have to play well and I didn’t,” she said.
“But things happen for a reason, I guess.”
The round of the day went to California’s Ryann (Ryann) O’Toole who scorched up the Pinehurst layout with a blistering 6 under 66. She holds a three shot lead over Jennie Arsenault who is in outright second on three under.
Smith’s one under round today was even more impressive when you consider that she literally carried her bag around the Pinehurst No 8 course as well.
“They don’t have pull carts here so we either pay $100 a day to have a caddy or $40 for a cart and none of us girls play that much golf in a cart so we decided to carry our own bags.”
Smith’s dad, former pro Wayne, normally caddies for Kristie but he has returned home.
Australia’s other two entrants, Stephanie Na and Stacey Keating, both had rounds of 4 over 78, placing them right on the cut line for the match play stage of the tournament.
In a touch of irony, Victoria’s Keating was disappointed with her putter which she said let her down all day.
“I just couldn’t get the pace,” she said.
“My distance control was pretty ordinary; I was either hitting them way past or too short.
“If I could have putted better I would have been even at least.”
The 21 year old said she had little trouble from tee to green.
“It’s not a difficult course and the rain came which made the greens pretty soft so you could afford to be aggressive,” she said.
“I was hitting it fairly well but I had two three putts early on and I couldn’t get anything going.
“I was four over after four; I got a couple back but then gave them away again. It was quite frustrating.”
Adelaide’s Stephanie Na was also frustrated with her round today.
“Looking back at my round I made some really soft bogeys out there,” she said.
“It wasn’t as if I hit a bad tee shot, I just couldn’t get the right club selection.
“It was windy at times, so I was over the back a few times and I just didn’t get any up and downs.”
Like Keating, Na said her putter was the weak link in her game today.
“Nothing would drop, I had the line but it just wouldn’t get in the hole.
“The course was not that difficult, there were a few hazards but they didn’t really come into play so I feel like I could have done that much better.
“Just to come in with four over and not make any birdies, it is annoying.”
All three girls will play their second round at Pinehurst’s famed No 2 course tomorrow.
The Donald Ross layout has hosted two US PGA Championships, the most recent in 2005 when New Zealand’s Michael Campbell held off a late charging Tiger Woods to claim victory.
The course also has fond memories for Kristie Smith.
“I played in the North and South last year, and I shot five under, so I am looking forward to tomorrow,” she said.
“It suits my game because it is a real bombers course with saucer greens, so you have to know where to put it and you have to putt well.”
Slightly more daunted about tomorrow’s round is Keating.
“We had a practice round there the other day and it looks pretty challenging,” she said.
“Hopefully my putting will be better and I can make the cut.”
Maybe Kristie could have a look at her stance.
