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Junior Samantha Sloan will be competing in the U.S. Women's Amateur Championship in Charlotte, N.C., on August 9-15.
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Aug. 7, 2010
Junior Samantha Sloan will be competing in the U.S. Women's Amateur Championship in Charlotte, N.C., on August 9-15. While at the event Samantha will be sharing her experiences through a diary on fightingillini.com. Here is her first installment.
Greetings Illini fans!
Sammi here, reporting to you from Chicago where I am getting ready for the 2010 US Women's Amateur Championship. Tomorrow I will be on my way to Charlotte, N.C., where I will be playing the beautiful Charlotte Country Club. Two weeks ago I played in the local qualifier at Balmoral Woods Country Club and shot a 74 to earn my spot into the event. This is my first trip to a USGA championship. I don't really know what to expect, but I have only heard great things about them! My dad will be caddying for me and I am so excited to share this experience with him!
I am so excited to put my game against the other best amateurs in the world. I feel Iike my summer schedule has prepared me well for this. I learned so much about myself and my game when I played in the Duramed Futures Tour Tate and Lyle Player's Championship in Decatur back in June. The Illinois Women's Open exposed some weaknesses in my game, which for the last two weeks I have worked hard on to make them my strengths. In looking at the course tour online, it seems that it will demand precise tee shots and placement on the greens. Because it is a USGA Championship, I expect only the thickest rough and the fastest greens. For the last two weeks I have structured my practice around this to best prepare myself for what is to come. I've spent a great deal of time on the short game area in the deep rough, working on precision with my irons, and as always, lots of putting practice! I plan on spending a lot of time on the practice greens in Charlotte to get used to the speed.
Saturday and Sunday are practice rounds in the morning, which is when I can develop my plan of attack. Monday and Tuesday are stroke play, and there will be a cut to the top 64 for match play that begins on Wednesday. Matches run until Sunday, where the winner will be decided. Every day I will be updating my diary with pictures, so check back here for news and scores!
Sammi
