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1997

Silvia Cavalleri

Silvia Cavalleri, 24, of Milano, Italy, defeated Robin Burke of Houston, Texas, 5 and 4, to win the 1997 U.S. Women's Amateur Championship at the 6,130-yard, par-73 Brae Burn Country Club in Newton, Mass.

Cavalleri was 5 up after the first 18 holes on the strength of sharp iron play and superb putting, while Burke, the wife of 1956 Masters champion Jack Burke Jr., struggled on the greens.

Cavalleri, whose mother Victoria caddied for her throughout the championship, gained the 5-up lead with a four-foot birdie putt on the 13th hole, a 10-foot birdie putt on the 14th hole, and a six-foot birdie at the 15th.

"I was pretty relaxed at that time," said Cavalleri, "but my mother reminded me that the match was not over."

After the lunch break, Burke changed her grip and reeled off a string of birdies on the opening holes of the afternoon round.

Burke won the 21st hole with a two-foot birdie putt, the 22nd hole with an eight-foot-birdie putt, and the 24th hole from five feet to narrow Cavalleri's margin to 2 up.

But Cavalleri won the 27th hole with a par when Burke three-putted from 35 feet, then holed a curling 38-foot chip shot on the 28th hole to regain a 4-up lead.

"I felt pretty good," said Burke. "I felt like I had a chance until I bogeyed the 27th hole. That hole hurt me the most."

Cavalleri birdied the 30th with a 10-foot putt to go 5 up with six holes remaining in the 36-hole match.

On the par-5 31st hole, Cavalleri hooked her second shot behind some shrubbery, but was given relief by a USGA Rules Official when her ball rolled onto a drain. When Cavalleri hit the green with her third shot and matched Burke's par, she was dormie.

A sudden thunderstorm caused a 90-minute suspension of play after Burke and Cavalleri had hit their second shots on the par-5 32nd hole. When play resumed, both players parred the hole, giving Cavalleri the victory.

"Silvia never let up," said Burke. "She played great. She made a lot of long putts for pars, as well as for birdies. She did what she had to do."

Asked how she would celebrate, Cavalleri said, "In Italy, because I am too tired to celebrate now."

 
 
Championship Facts

U.S. Mid-Amateur

ARCHITECTS – The Kiawah Island Club’s Cassique was designed by Tom Watson and opened in 2000. The River Course was designed by Tom Fazio and opened in 1995.

COURSE SETUP – There are two setups at Cassique – Pulpit and Nip Tuck. During stroke play, the Pulpit setup will be used with holes 4, 5 and 6 playing at 370, 148 and 525 yards, respectively. With the beginning of the second round of match play, the Nip Tuck setup will be used and holes 4, 5 and 6 will play at 360, 155 and 565 yards, respectively. The Pulpit and Nip Tuck setups may rotate during the quarterfinal, semifinal and final rounds.

The USGA Course Rating® and USGA Slope Rating® for the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship at The Kiawah Island Club’s Cassique are 75.2 and 146 for the Pulpit setup and 74.5 and 145 for the Nip Tuck setup. The USGA Course Rating® and USGA Slope Rating® for The River Course are 74.7 and 147. The grass heights in the various areas of the course for the championship should be as follows:

Cassique
Putting Greens – Prepared firm and fast to measure approximately 12 feet on the USGA Stimpmeter
Approaches collars around greens – .400 inches (30 inches in width, or one mower width, on collars)
Fairways, teeing grounds – .450 inches Intermediate Rough – 1 inch (6 feet in width)
Primary Rough – 2.5 to 3 inches Practice Tee – .450 inches

The River Course
Putting Greens – Prepared firm and fast to measure approximately 12 feet on the USGA Stimpmeter
Fairways, approaches, collars around greens – .350 inches (30 inches in width, or one mower width, on collars)
Teeing Grounds – .250 inches
Intermediate Rough – 1 inch (6 feet in width)
Primary Rough – 2.5 to 3 inches
Practice Tee – .450 inches

USGA AND SOUTH CAROLINA – The 2009 U.S. Mid-Amateur will be the 14th USGA championship conducted in the state of South Carolina. The last USGA championships in the state were the 2005 Men’s and Women’s State Team Championships, held concurrently at Berkeley Hall in Bluffton.

It is the first USGA championship for The Kiawah Island Club. The U.S. Mid-Amateur is making its second appearance in the state; the 1991 U.S. Mid-Amateur was held at Long Cove Club in Hilton Head Island.

CHAMPIONSHIP WEB SITE – Visit www.usmidam.org or www.usga.org for the latest news and scores during the championship.

ADMISSION – Admission is free. Tickets are not needed for this USGA championship, and spectators are encouraged to attend.

 

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