Reilly leads a young field in Women’s Amateur today

07:21 AM EDT on Wednesday, July 25, 2007

BY KEVIN McNAMARA
Journal Sports Writer

CRANSTON — As her 8-foot putt fell into the cup at the 18th hole yesterday afternoon at Cranston Country Club, Kibbe Reilly celebrated with a Tiger Woods-like fist pump and breathed a big sigh of relief.

The putt wasn’t for a birdie, or even a par. It marked a hard-earned bogey but also cemented Reilly’s career-low round of 71, an even-par score at Cranston. It also gave the Rhode Island Country Club product medalist honors in the Rhode Island State Women’s Amateur sponsored this week by the Ocean State Women’s Golf Association.

“I was so happy to get up and down for bogey at 18,” said a smiling Reilly. “I hit a wayward tee shot, a wayward second shot and a chip over the green. I’ll take a five there and be happy.”

Reilly’s even-par round led a group of eight qualifiers in the tourney’s championship flight. Defending champ Katherine Murphy of Wanumetonomy enjoyed a steady 1-over par round of 36-36 — 72 and could very well be the favorite in the field. Wannamoisett’s long-hitting Alley Caffrey and Warwick’s Robin English both finished with 75s. The other players qualifying for the championship division were Amanda Sabitoni (76), Samantha Morrell (78), Sarah Dickson (79) and Maureen Ford (82).

Match play begins this morning and if Reilly hopes to challenge for the title, she knows she’ll have to shoot more sizzling rounds this week. At 51 years old, she is the oldest player in the top flight. But she’s also the most experienced and at a course playing as short as Cranston (5,329 yards for women), length off the tee is not an issue for any of the golfers ready to square off in match play over the next three days.

“It’s hard when you’re the ‘old’ player in the group,” Reilly said. “I’m old enough to be a mom to some of these girls. The great thing is they are all young and talented and ladies, which is really nice.”

Reilly made three birdies and eight pars over the first 11 holes and was looking at blowing past her previous career-low of 72. Perhaps with the 60s in sight, she tightened a bit and bogeyed three of the final four holes to close with the 71.

“At 15, I left myself with a long downhill putt and three-putted,” she said. “At 16, I hit a terrible chip and couldn’t get up-and-down. Then 18 was a scramble. But I’m really happy with my round. If I can win this week, it would be a great goal achieved.”

Murphy was in the first group out and the Penn State sophomore had little trouble on a course she played twice in the R.I. Interscholastic League finals while at Portsmouth High. Now she’ll get to see the course four days in a row and aim for a title. Murphy swept the titles in the OSWGA and Rhode Island Women’s Golf Association Amateur last year and is looking to add another title this week. Murphy made two birds and three bogeys on her way to a 72.

“I’m hitting the ball pretty straight and here I can hit a hybrid or a 5-wood off most of the tees and still have an 8- or 9-iron into the greens,” she said. “The greens were pretty slow but I putted well. It’s a fun course. I’m looking forward to the week.”