Burnham Starts Hot at U.S. Women's Amateur, Cools Off Late With a 73; Danielson and Ciskowski Shoot 76

  SPRINGFIELD, Pa. – Following a stellar front nine with four birdies Monday to open the 2016 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship at Rolling Green Golf Club, Minnesotan Sarah Burnham shot a 42 over the final nine holes to finish the first round tied for 52nd at 2-over par 73.

Burnham, Maple Grove, Minn., began her opening round on the 10th tee Monday and rolled her birdie chance at the par-4 13th before carded three consecutive birdies to close out her front nine at 4-under par.

Running into trouble on her back nine, Burnham double-bogeyed the first hole before taking bogey at the second to fall to 1-under for the championship. She would bounce back with a birdie at the par-3 third, but finished her round with four bogeys over the final five holes to shoot 73.

“I felt good about my play on the back nine, which was actually my first nine today,” Burnham said Monday. “However, the other side didn't go as planned and I wasn't feeling the best. I had three three-putts and missed some greens which added up in the end.

“I need to stay focused tomorrow to make the cut; I saw today things can sneak up unexpectedly if I'm not precise with every shot. I need to be aware of all the slopes in the greens and just play my game,” she said.

Named the 2015 Minnesota Golf Association Women’s Player of the Year, Burnham is making her third straight appearance at the national championship, qualifying for match play in 2014. 

Burnham will begin her junior season at Michigan State University this fall after claminging two collegiate victories during her sophomore year.

University of Minnesota golfer Heather Ciskowski carded a 5-over par 76 during the opening round Monday and will begin Tuesday’s second round tied for 104th along with Osceola, Wis., native, Casey Danielson.

Ciskowski, Barrington, Ill., carded two bogeys during her opening nine Monday to turn at 2-over par, but struggled early on the back nine Monday with a bogey and triple-bogey on the first two holes, quickly falling to 6-over for the tournament.

Following a bogey at the par-3 14th, Ciskowski rebounded well with two birdies late in the round to shoot 76, 10 shots off the lead.

Danielson, who will be a senior at Stanford University this fall, fell to 4-over par after four bogeys over her first seven holes before answering with a pair of birdies at the eighth and ninth holes to turn at 2-over.

Much like her front nine, Danielson recorded four bogeys over the first five holes on the back before rolling in her birdie chance at the 16th and would finish the day at 76, tied for 104th.

Danielson qualified for her seventh consecutive U.S. Women's Amateur last month, shooting even par 72 at Forest Hills Golf Club in Forest Lake, Minn.

The 2016 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship continues Tuesday as second-round tee times are scheduled to begin at 6:15 a.m. at Rolling Green Golf Club.



2016 U.S. WOMEN’S AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
ROLLING GREEN GOLF CLUB
SPRINGFIELD, PA.
6,259 YARDS, PAR 71


MONDAY’S RESULTS
1. Mika Liu, Beverly Hills, Calif., 33-33—66
T2. Yuka Saso, Philippines, 34-33—67
T2. Lucy Li, Redwood Shores, Calif., 34-33—67
T4. Katelyn Dambaugh, Goose Creek, S.C., 37-31—68
T4. Hye-Jin Choi, Korea, 33-35—68
T4. Mariel Galdiano, Pearl City, Hawaii, 35-33—68
T4. Annika Clark, Highlands, Texas, 34-34—68
T4. Tiffany Chan, Hong Kong, 33-35—68
T4. Hailee Cooper, Montgomery, Texas, 34-34—68

T52. SARAH BURNHAM, MAPLE GROVE, MINN., 42-31—73
T104. CASEY DANIELSON, OSCEOLA, WIS., 38-38—76
T104. HEATHER CISKOWSKI, BARRINGTON, ILL., 38-38—76


For complete tournament results go to: www.usga.org/championships/2016/u-s--women-s-amateur/scoring.html