U.S. Senior Amateur, Senior Women's Amateur down to round of 32

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TULSA, Okla. (AP) -- Defending champion Anna Schultz was eliminated from the USGA Senior Women's Amateur Championship on Monday, losing her first match 2 and 1 to Anne Carr of Seattle at Tulsa Country Club.

Carol Semple Thompson, the owner of seven USGA titles, including four senior crowns, started her 109th USGA event with a 2 and 1 victory over Karen Ferree of Hilton Head, S.C.

Schultz, from Rockwall, Texas, hit just five greens in regulation on the par-71, 5,760-yard layout, including only one on the back nine, and lost a 3-up lead after eight holes to Carr.

Carr took advantage of Schultz's iffy play on the back nine to win holes 9, 13, 14, 15 and 17, the final one as Schultz conceded after failing to get on the par-3 green in three shots.

In addition to her win last year, Schultz was the 2006 runner-up. Carr, who has won numerous state and regional tournaments in the Pacific Northwest, was runner-up to Thompson in 2001.

She also lost to Thompson in the semifinals in 2002 and the third round in 2003. She dropped the game for several years after the death of her mother in 2004 and only resumed in earnest this year.

Thompson, who last won this event in 2002, said she played most of her match "like a plumber, not to insult plumbers," before a stretch of better golf late in the match allowed her to prevail.

Carolyn Creekmore of Dallas, who was the medalist in the 36-hole qualifer, advanced with a 5 and 4 victory over Mary Flynn of Eden Prairie, Minn.

Joan Higgins of Glendora, Calif., who won the USGA Mid- Amateur two weeks ago and is trying for an unprecedented sweep, rolled to a 5 and 4 win over Vicky Pertierra of Spain.

Golfers will play two rounds of match play Tuesday, with the finals scheduled for Thursday.

Meanwhile in Fort Worth, Texas, John Pallin birdied the first hole at Shady Oaks Country Club twice during his first-round victory over defending champion Stan Lee on Monday.

The first time, it gave him an early lead against Stan Lee, 56, of Heber Springs, Ark. The second time, on the 19th hole of the match, his 12-footer for birdie eliminated Lee at the par-71, 6,679-yard course.

"I figured that I was going to have to play really well to win," said Pallin of facing the 2007 Senior Amateur champion. And that he did. Pallin, 55, of Kenosha, Wis., never trailed against Lee, who struggled with his alignment and was three down after 13 holes.

"It's hard playing from behind," said Lee. "Last year when I won this thing I was never behind and that is so much easier. The pressure is always on you to hit the shot (when you're behind)."

Despite the disappointing loss, Lee was upbeat about his reign as Senior Amateur champion.

"It has been an absolute thrill and an honor to be a USGA champion," said Lee. "It's been such a great year, and such a thrill. I'm glad that I got to experience it. I'm 56 and you cherish things like that when you get to be my age. I hate to let go of it but somebody very deserving is going to win it this week, and more power to them."

Another past Senior Amateur champion, 62-year-old Kemp Richardson of Laguna Niguel, Calif., was more fortunate in his match against Canadian Kelly Roberts, 55. Richardson held a 1-up lead after 14 holes but lost the next two to fall 1 down. A birdie on No. 17 squared the match, and the two headed for extra holes after trading pars at the 18th.

On the first hole, Roberts found trouble off the tee as his drive came to rest behind a tree. He hit a brilliant shot from behind the tree that landed in a bunker. He was unable to get up and down from there and Richardson, safely on the green in two, was able to two-putt to escape with the victory.

"The whole day was just kind of seesaw," said Richardson, the 2001 and 2003 champion. "We both played OK. I just hit a couple of dummies, but that's par for the course too. But I held on, so I guess that's all that counts."

Stroke-play medalist Paul Simson, 57, of Raleigh, N.C., also had a seesaw day in his opening match against Shawn McLoughlin, 65, of Newtown, Conn. Simson was 1 down after nine holes but won No. 13 with a par and the 14th and 16th holes with birdies to earn a 3-and-2 victory.

Three past Amateur winners, 1991 champion Mitch Voges, 58, of Simi Valley, Calif., 1986 winner Stewart "Buddy" Alexander, 55, of Gainesville, Fla., and 1972 champion Vinny Giles, 65, of Richmond, Va., all recorded easy first-round wins, as did 1995 U.S. Amateur runner-up George "Buddy" Marucci, 55, of Villanova, Pa., and 2002 U.S. Mid-Amateur winner George Zahringer, 55, of New York, N.Y.

The USGA Senior Amateur continues with the second and third rounds Tuesday. The quarterfinal and semifinal matches are on Wednesday and the 18-hole championship final will be played Thursday.

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