Texan Zweig and Mexico's Lopez Shoot 68 to Earn Qualifying Spot to U.S. Women's Four-Ball

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By Nick Hunter
nick@mngolf.org
 
 
  CHASKA, Minn. – Helped by three birdies over their final nine holes Friday, the twosome of Avery Zweig and Cory Lopez carded a round of 4-under par 68 to earn medalist honors as well as a spot in the 2019 U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Championship.
 
Zweig, from McKinney, Texas, and Lopez, of San Pedro, Mexico, grabbed the lone qualifying spot from a field of five teams to next spring’s national championship, which will be played April 27-May 1 at Timuquana Country Club in Jacksonville, Fla.
 
“It was an equal contribution for both of us, she had two birdies and I had two birdies,” an the 11-year-old Zweig said after qualifying Friday. “It really felt like we were clicking as a group and tried to turn it on the back nine and I’m glad we did.”
 
“I felt like we played solid. We didn’t make that many putts, but we came together and that helped,” Lopez said.
 
Zweig qualified for her second straight U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Championship Friday, earning a trip to the national championship earlier this spring at El Caballero Country Club in Tarzana, Calif., after advancing from Windsong Farm last fall with partner Malena Barrientos.  Zweig also qualified for the U.S. Girls’ Junior Amateur at Poppy Hills Golf Course in Pebble Beach, Calif., in July as well as the U.S. Women’s Amateur at The Golf Club of Tennessee in Kingston Springs, Tenn., in August.
 
Starting the scoring by chipping in for birdie at the par-3 fourth, Zweig carded the only birdie on the front side for her and Lopez before a quick birdie to start the back nine at the tenth by Lopez, sinking a 25-footer to move the two to 2-under.
 
Lopez wedged her approach to eight feet at the par-5 15^th and converted her birdie chance, while Zweig helped the cause by sticking her approach at the 16^th inside of two feet at the 16^th for a tap-in birdie and the two would finish the 18-hole qualifier at 4-under par 68, two shots clear of the twosome of Olivia Herrick and Samantha Sommers.
 
At 16-years-old, from San Pedro, Mexico, Lopez will make her second USGA appearance next May after qualifying for the U.S. Girls’ Junior Amateur at Poppy Hills as well.
 
After posting a 2-under par 70 Friday, Herrick (Roseville, Minn.) and Sommers (Donnelly, Minn.) finished as first alternates Friday, which typically bodes well for the twosome as they’ve advanced to the national tournament as alternates in each of the past two seasons.
 
Isabella McCauley, of Inver Grove Heights, Minn., and Emma Welch, from Lakeville, Minn., posted a round of 1-under par 71 Friday and would finish as second alternates.
 
 
 
2019 U.S. WOMEN’S AMATEUR FOUR-BALL SECTIONAL QUALIFYING
CHASKA TOWN COURSE
CHASKA, MINN.
6,195 YARDS, PAR 72
 
 
FRIDAY’S FINAL QUALIFYING RESULTS
1. Cory Lopez/Avery Zweig, 35-33—68 (medalist)
2. Olivia Herrick/Samantha Sommers, 35-35—70 (first alternate)
T3. Isabella McCauley/Emma Welch, 35-36—71 (second alternate)
T3. Leah Herzog/Sophia Yoemans, 35-36—71
5.Madison Hicks/Courtney Wedin, 37-41—78