Gulbis Has Record 66, Close To U.S. Women's Open Berth
LPGA Tour Player Natalie Gulbis fired a course record of 5-under-66 and was on the verge of locking up medalist honors at the 36-hole U.S. Women’s Open Sectional qualifier, administered by the NJSGA, on Monday, June 1, at the 6,343-yard Galloway National Golf Course.
Gulbis was one putt and two holes short of being the medalist when play was suspended due to darkness at 7:44 p.m. Gulbis stood at 3-under-par for her 33 holes. European Tour professional Nontoya Srisawang of Thailand was one-under-par after 34 holes and stood in second place. Amateur Samantha Wagner of Orlando, a freshman at Florida, was also at one-under par. In fourth place and the cluhouse leader was Min Seo Kwak of Korea at 70-73-143.
Play was to resume at 8 a.m. on Tuesday morning.The popular Gulbis was one of three golfers to shoot subpar after the first round of event.
Gulbis, 32, was hoping to obtain one of the two qualifying spots available through Galloway National. Two alternate spots were also up for grabs. Galloway Director of Golf Jason Lamp confirmed the 66 as a ladies record. The men’s record is 67.
After the first round, Gulbis’ 66 was two shots clear of professional Srisawang of Thailand , who was seeking her first U.S. Open berth, and three shots better than USC graduating senior Doris Chen of Bradenton, Fla., the NCAA champion in 2014 and U.S. Girls Champion in 2010. Players from 11 countries competed at Galloway National.
The 66 was the best round of the year for Gulbis, who said she wasn’t even mindful of her low number.
“I didn’t even know on this course. Whether its good weather or not, you just evaluate it and move on. I’m not stressful any more. Maybe I was my first couple of years,” said Gulbis, who qualified for her first U.S. Open in 2001.
Play was suspended at 4:07 due to inclement weather and resumed at 6:03 p.m.
Gulbis needed to qualify due to the fact that she was among the LPGA Tour Top 75 money winners in 2014 and not among the Top 10 this year. Going into the Galloway National qualifier, Gulbis had appeared in 13 Women’s Opens with a best finish of T4 in 2005. She missed four cuts and has a scoring average of 74.14 in the U.S. Open.
Gulbis has just one LPGA Tour victory, the 2007 Evan Masters in France.
Gulbis, who grew up in Sacramento, birdied the par-4 fourth hole and par-5 ninth hole while bogeying in the par-5 sixth for a one-under par 34 on the front nine.
On the incoming nine, she birdied the par 4 10th and par-5 11th before carding a bogey on the par-4 12th. She rallied with a birdie on par-4 13th hole and another on the par-3 14th to go four under par for the morning round. She added one final birdie on the par-5 16th hole.
“I’m in my 15th year on the tour. I still love playing. I almost retired in 2010. The fact that I’m still out there is a blessing.,” said Gulbis, who was in the area after playing in the ShopRite LPGA Classic at nearby Stockton Seaview Resort. She failed to make the cut.
“When you’re out on the Tour, you have to make putts and that didn’t happen. I’ve had two back surgeries and a hip injury last year. I didn’t play in another Tour event last year after the U.S. Open.,” said Gulbis, who played one year at the University of Arizona.
When asked where she stood in her career. She stated:
“I’m at the end of it. I said last week, we’re going to try and start a family at the end of thiss year. Then I’ll be watching golf for TV. It will be f
