Martha Leach finished stroke play 1-under 143 at Cedar Rapids Country Club on Sunday to earn medalist honors at the 58th U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur.
The 57-year-old Leach, who shot a second-round 73 Sunday in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, won the stroke-play portion of the event and the No. 1 spot in match play which began Monday by two strokes. She finished ahead of Ellen Port and Mary Ann Hayward who tied for second after each shooting 1-over 145.
“It was a good 73 today,” Leach said. “I didn’t put any stress on myself, so that was a positive. I didn’t hit it as well as yesterday, but coming down the last four holes I found the form I had yesterday, so that was encouraging.”
The medalist honor marks the first time in Leach’s 71st USGA championship appearances that she has won the stroke-play portion of the event, but not her first medal earned in competition. In 2018, Leach tied for 10th in the inaugural U.S. Senior Women’s Open at Chicago Golf Club and won the silver medal as the low amateur.
After Sunday’s round, Leach joked that receiving stroke-play honors was taboo.
“I’m not low, am I?” Leach said. “Nobody really wants it. My compadres today were hoping that I got it and they didn’t get it.”
Leach began match play Monday morning against No. 64 Jane Curtin.
