ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. -- Stroke-play medalist Cecilia Mourgue D'Algue and defending champion Diane Lang won first-round matches Monday in the U.S. Senior Women's Amateur at Sea Island Golf Club.
The 60-year-old Mourgue D'Algue, from France, beat Lou Hart, 54, of Meridian, Miss., 4 & 3, in windy conditions on the 5,832-yard, par-71 Seaside Course, to set up a second-round match on Tuesday against Barbara Byrnes, who moved on thanks to a 2 & 1 win over Anne Zahn on Monday.
"It's tough," said Mourgue D'Algue, the 1999 runner-up. "It's very windy. With the wind out there, par is quite good. I don't think you'd lose many holes to par today."
Lang, 51, of Weston, Fla., routed Ann Beattie, 59, of Chesterfield, Mo., 7 & 5, in the last match of the day. Lang will meet Taffy Brower on Tuesday after Brower beat Shelley Savage, 3 & 2.
"All my drives were good," said Lang, who is trying to become the seventh repeat winner in tournament history. "I did not miss a drive for the day. I hit every fairway and most of the greens, and only had one three-putt."
Carol Semple Thompson, the 57-year-old star from Sewickley, Pa., who beat Mourgue D'Algue in 19 holes in the 1999 final for the first of her four consecutive titles, also advanced, beating Cindy Corlett, 50, of Lexington, N.C., 3 & 2. Semple Thompson will meet Alison Reifers on Tuesday as Reifers beat Diana L. Schwab, 4 & 3.
"We both made some mistakes," Thompson said. "Instead of winning holes with birdies and pars, I won a few with bogeys. I didn't play as well as I'd like, but I'm going to play better tomorrow. I'm very happy to get through the first round."
Marlene Streit, the 72-year-old Canadian player who has won four USGA titles, beat Jan Phillips, 50, Bonita Springs, Fla., 5 & 4.
Marianne Springer needed one extra hole to defeat Ann Lahey and will now meet Noreen Mohler on Tuesday. Mohler topped Mary Budke, 3 & 2. Other winners on Monday include: Deborah Anderson, Kristine Berger, Robyn Puckett, Anna Schultz, Annette Gaiotti, Mimi Hoffman, Judy Miller, Joan Garety, Patty Moore, Viveca Hoff, Pamela Clark-Brown, Nancy Smith, Marsha Butler, Jennifer Adams, Toni Wiesner, Sandy Woodruff, Sherry Bowman, Marianne Towersey, Lisa Smego, Carolyn Creekmore, Robin W. Donnelley, Boodie McGurn and Maggie Scott.
On Tuesday, there will be the second and third rounds of match play.
The U.S. Senior Women's Amateur is open to female amateur golfers who will have reached their 50th birthday on or before Oct. 7, 2006, and have USGA Handicap Indexes not exceeding 18.4.
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