BRAMPTON, Ontario — University of Iowa women’s golfer Jessica Ip earned a spot in the 2016 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championships on Monday. The junior tied for second at the qualifier, carding a 71 (E) at the Brampton Golf Club in Ontario, Canada.
The Richmond Hill, Ontario, native posted birdies on holes three, four, nine, and 11 en route to an even-par 71. She was one of three golfers to finish at or below par and carded the second-highest birdie total of the day (4).
“I didn’t have a lot of expectations going into today, because I haven’t been hitting the ball well the past couple of weeks,” said Ip. “I think that mindset actually ended up helping me, because I wasn’t overly worried. I’ve been working on my short game, and that helped me save a couple of crucial strokes. Overall, it was a pretty stress-free round and everything came together.”
Ip made history with the Hawkeyes last season, claiming the first medalist honor of her career at the Diane Thomason Invitational on Sept. 13 with a four-under-par 212 (70, 69, 73). She became Iowa’s first medalist since Feb. 14, 2008 (Tyrette Metzendorf, Baja Invitational). Ip’s three-round total of 212 bested Iowa’s 54-hole program record of 213 previously set by Kristi Cardwell in 2012.
“The U.S. Amateur is a huge event with a lot of great competitors, and I’m excited to see how I compete against some of the best amateurs in the world,” said Ip. “No matter the outcome, it will definitely be an experience that I can grow from.”
The 2016 U.S. Women’s Amateur is set for Aug. 1-7 at the Rolling Green Golf Club in Springfield, Pennsylvania.