Two Bay Area Junior Girl Golfers Are Hopeful of U.S. Women’s Open Success

One Bay Area junior girl golfer has qualified for the 2012 U.S. Women’s Open golf tournament, and another will be on her way to Southern California early next week, determined to do the same.

Hannah O’Sullivan , 14, of Cupertino, placed second in the May 21st, 2012 qualifying tournament on the Ocean Course at Half Moon Bay Golf Links. O’Sullivan posted a 36-hole total of 143, 1 under par, 1 stroke behind medalist Gigi Stoll, of Beaverton, Oregon. Stoll, O’Sullivan and Altadena, CA golfer Mo Martin were the top three finishers at the Half Moon Bay qualifying tournament, and have earned a spot in the field at the 2012 U.S. Women’s Open, which will be played July 5 – 8, 2012 at Blackwolf Run, Kohler Wisconsin.

The other Bay Area junior girl who is taking a shot at a place in the field at the 2012 U.S. Women’s Open is Casie Cathrea, of Livermore. Cathrea, 16, is traveling to Industry Hills Golf Club, City of Industry, CA to tee it up on Tuesday, May 29th, against a field deep in professional, collegiate and post-collegiate amateur talent. According to Cathrea, she elected to travel to the Industry Hills qualifier rather than compete at Half Moon Bay because her father liked the course better – and for the challenge. Casie feels that making the cut out of the stronger field she expects to encounter there would make a statement. In her words, “Usually qualifiers don’t make the cut. I plan to.”


Casie Cathrea, of Livermore, CA, will compete for a spot in the 2012 U.S. Women’s Open golf tournament in a qualifying tournament Tuesday, May 29th, at Industry Hills Golf Club in City of Industry, CA.
Photo credit: Getty Images
 
As that statement indicates, Casie is a confident young lady, with the record to back up her confidence. Her CV is comprised of an impressive list of on-course accomplishments – including 150 tournament victories since she started playing competitive golf at age 6. In 2011 she partnered with Hall of Fame golfer Ben Crenshaw, a 2-time Masters champion and the 1999 Ryder Cup Team captain, to win the Pro-Jr competition at the The First Tee Open at Pebble Beach Golf Links with a combined score of 22-under par. Cathrea has committed to play her college golf at Oklahoma State University.

Other notable contestants who will be in the field next Tuesday at Industry Hills Golf Club include SJSU freshman golfer Jordanne Barr, of Bakersfield; Salinas native Sydney Burlison, currently playing her collegiate golf at Stanford; Meghan Hardin, of Blue Jay, CA, a contestant in the Golf Channel competition/reality show Big Break Atlantis; teen actress Kathryn Newton, of Coral Gables, FL, who has appeared in the films Gary Unmarried and Bad Teacher; and an impressive lineup from the 2011 NCAA Division 1 Women’s Championship-winning UCLA Women’s golf team which includes 2011 US Women’s Amateur Public Links champion Brianna Do, and 2010 and 2012 U.S. Curtis Cup Team member Tiffany Lua.