Weiss and Noble Earn Spots at U.S. Women's Open Qualifying July 8 at TPC Twin Cities

July 8, 2021 | 3 min.

By Jack Mendesh


BLAINE, Minn. – Karen Weiss, from Afton, Minn., shared co-medalist honors with Jane Noble, of Fountain Hills, Ariz., during the U.S Senior Women's Open Qualifying, July 8 at TPC Twin Cities in Blaine, Minn., with both earning two births into the national championship, Aug 19-22, at Brookline Country Club in Fairfield, Conn.

Weiss is back into the U.S. Senior Open after qualifying in 2019 at Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club, while this will be the first time in the event for Noble. The two carded 7-over-par rounds of 79.
 
Weiss, who retired from a 13-year career on the LPGA Tour in 2007, which included playing in 235 events and earning nearly $970,000, has not played many competitive rounds since. Instead, she has spent the last 12 years raising her family on a farm in Afton.
 
“It feels awesome to be back into the event. I had my son caddying for me today and I plan to have my other son caddie for me during the event. That’s why I am trying to get my golf game to a place where I can compete so we can have that experience with the kids,” Weiss said.
 
Weiss started off strong with a 2-over par 38 on the front nine followed up by a hard fought 41 on the back nine, with clutch up-and-downs on the 14th and 15th holes.
 
Facing a challenging course, Weiss said, “My game plan coming into the day was to hit fairways and greens. It is a visually intimidating course, so you have to keep the ball in play. I don’t feel like I played my best in terms of ball striking but I putted well and was able to save strokes here and there. The save on 14 was key as I had grind out par from the penalty area and made a nice putt which kept my momentum going."
 
Noble, a teaching professional at Paradise Valley Country Club in Arizona, had played in four previous U.S. Women’s Opens but this will be her first U.S. Senior Women’s Open.
 
“I am so grateful to have played in front of my family and friends, to have my husband caddying for me, and not to mention having my 90-year-old mother here to witness this, it means the world to me. A lot of this is also for all of my students and staff at Paradise Valley, to be able to make them proud is huge.”
 
Noble was able to battle nerves at the beginning of the round to shoot a 38 on the front nine and 41 on the back nine.
 
“My putter was cold today, but I was able to make a handful of 4-to-5-foot par putts on the front nine today to keep the momentum going. My iron play today was as good as it has ever been today and that allowed me to be aggressive to some of these pins,” Noble said.
 
Betsy Aldrich, from Minnetonka, Minn., beat Claudia Pilot, from Rio Verde, Ariz., with a par on the first playoff hole to claim the first alternate spot.

Jack Mendesh is the MGA Caddie Development Manager and Communications Intern, jack@mngolf.org.
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