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01:00 AM EDT on Thursday, August 14, 2003

BY PAUL KENYON
Journal Sports Writer

Journal / Kris Craig
OSWGA veteran Carol Clary takes on recent Fairfield grad Beth Costello in a R.I. Women's State Amateur semifinal today.

MIDDLETOWN -- Carol Clarey has been left alone to challenge the college crowd in the R.I. Women's State Amateur, sponsored by the Ocean State Women's Golf Association.

Clarey, who has won just about every event in the OSWGA except the Amateur, was the lone veteran to survive yesterday's quarterfinals at Newport National. She surged back from an early 2-hole deficit and beat Green Valley's Elaine Crawford, 5 and 3.

Two recent college grads, and one college senior, won the other matches against more veteran opponents.

Beth Costello set up an all-Segregansett semifinal against Clarey when she fought past Bev Brown, 2 and 1. Amber Weller, sparked by the first eagle of her life, came on late to best Nancy Diemoz, 3 and 2. And Valerie Blinn had the toughest battle of all, finishing birdie-birdie-par to outlast Cissy Grady, 1 up.

It is not surprising in any golf tournament to see young players dominate. It's more of a surprise when someone like Clarey, who has been with the OSWGA since it was founded nine years ago, is able to compete against the kids. Clarey yesterday took some good-natured ribbing about exactly that.

"Yes, it is me and the kids," she smiled when the subject was brought up. "I didn't look at it like that, but that is it."

Clarey is a former OSWGA player of the year whose victories also include one in the Massachusetts Women's Golf Association earlier this season, with Kerry Bowen, who is playing in the first division of the Amateur, as her partner. Clarey appreciates the growth of women's golf and the role the OSWGA has played in it.

"I've been with it since the beginning," she said. "To have a field like this where you have to qualify, to have the depth we have now with a lot of good players. It's getting better and better.

"Of course it's a goal to win this tournament," Clarey continued. "It would be especially wonderful at a venue like this. It is such a good course and we are treated so well. Things like today, being able to play in twosomes. It shows a respect for women's golf. It means a lot to us."

Crawford made Clarey earn her semifinal spot. Crawford birdied the first hole and won the third to go 2 up. Clarey pulled even at the sixth, starting a run in which she won four straight holes.

"I played solidly," Clarey said. "I got my putting down. I was very aggressive on the greens. I was putting them three or four feet past and putting them in because I could see the line."

Costello made it a sweep of the top half of the bracket for Segregansett by squeezing past Brown.

"We went back and forth. Both of us struggled," said Costello, a recent Fairfield grad who works at the pro shop at Agawam Hunt. She and Brown were even through nine. Costello won 10 and 12, but Brown came right back to take 13 and 14. Costello regained the lead at 15 and went on the victory.

Weller and Blinn both finished strongly to earn their semifinal berths.

Weller, a senior at Savannah (Georgia) College of Art and Design, was 1 up through 13 against Diemoz, the wife of Montaup pro Steve Diemoz. On the 426-yard, uphill par-5 14th, Weller hit a good drive up the left side. With the pin on the back of the green, she figured she had about 215 to the hole.

"I didn't know if I could get it there," she said. "I hit it kind of low and it took the hill."

The shot had the perfect angle to avoid the bunker that guards the right side and go up the slot on the left. It landed short, went up the alley and within 15 feet. As Weller walked up the fairway, her caddy and boyfriend Andy Richardson leaned over and gave her a kiss. When the eagle dropped, she finally had control of the match and was on her way to the semis.

About the time that match finished, Grady and Blinn were in the middle of the back nine of a terrific contest. Grady, who was giving up 40 yards or so off the tee to the long-hitting Blinn, had fallen behind twice.

"She can be intimidating with the way she hits it," Grady said. "I was with her (Tuesday) when she drove the 18th green (a 246-yard par-4)." Grady made up for it with her short game.

"She hit a lot of great putts, she really did," Blinn said.

Helped by birds at 8 and 12, then a par that won 14, Grady was 1-up through 15. At the 159-yard 16th, Grady's tee shot almost hit the pin, but rolled through the green and one roll into the deep rough. Blinn's tee shot came within 12 feet. When Grady punched out of the rough and the ball broke far left, Blinn had the hole won and the match was even.

On the 362-yard 17th, Blinn hit a drive up the right side, then a gorgeous seven iron within 6 feet. When she made the birdie putt, she was 1 up.

On the final hole, where the women play in front of a hazard, shortening the hole to 246 yards, about 150 yards shorter than the men play, Grady bombed a drive dead down the middle, about 20 yards short of the green. Grady was about 25 yards behind her, then pitched past the hole about 35 feet. Blinn's chip also went above the hole, but only about 12 feet.

Grady hit another great putt, which slid only inches left for a conceded four. Blinn knew she could two putt and win.

"I just wanted to get it close," she said. But, going downhill, the putt slid about three feet past, not what Blinn wanted.

"I missed a few putts like that today," said Blinn, who graduated in May from St. Francis of Pennsylvania as a dean's list student with a triple major.

This time, though, she knocked it in the middle and had the spot in the semis in her first appearance in the tournament.