TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (seminoles.com) - Four of the top golfers in the history of the Florida State Women's golf program - Macarena Silva, Karen Stupples, Kristin Tamulis and Caroline Westrup - will all play in the 68th U.S. Women's Golf Open beginning with the first of three practice rounds on Monday at the Sebonack Golf Club in Southampton, N.Y. The first round of the four-round championship is set to begin at 7:00 a.m. on Thursday, June 27.
Following three practice rounds to begin the week, Silva will tee off from hole No. 1 at 7:07 a.m. on Thursday; Westrup at 7:18 a.m. from hole No. 1; Stupples at 8:24 a.m. from hole No. 1 and Tamulis at 2:20 p.m. from hole No. 10.
"This is a great week for each of the four players and for the Florida State women's golf program," said Head Coach Amy Bond. "To have four of our players in the U.S. Open in the same year is exciting and illustrates the rich tradition of our program. I am very happy for Karen, who I have known for so many years and for Kris, Maca and Caroline who I had the good fortune of coaching during their careers at Florida State. Playing in the U.S. Open is an awesome accomplishment for all of them and I couldn't be more happy for all of them."
Silva qualified for her first career U.S. Open appearance at a sectional qualifier at the Druid Hills Golf Club in Atlanta on May 13. She finished in a tie for first place in the event with a two round total of 143 with scores of 72-71.
"I'm really excited to play in the U.S. Open," said Silva. "It's the biggest tournament of my career; it's going to be an unbelievable experience. I'm really excited to be around the best players in the world and to have the opportunity to watch and learn from those great players. I want to play relaxed and I want to play well."
Silva was one of the most successful golfers in school history who played in four NCAA Championship tournaments, four ACC championship tournaments and who played on four teams who earned their way into the national rankings during her career. She earned All-ACC honors as one of the top golfers in the ACC as a junior and was Florida State's leading golfer during the 2009-10 season with a career-low 74.00 stroke average.
Stupples was added to the field on June 15 after first qualifying as an alternate and will play in the U.S. Open for the 10th time in her career. She finished in a tie for 10th place in the individual standings in the Open in 2005 and in a tie for 15th in 2011.
"I got a phone call after taking part in the Val Skinner Foundation Pro-Am that no longer was I the first alternate for the U.S. Open, I was now in the U.S. Open," she wrote to her website. "I can't wait for Sebonack to see what the USGA has in store for us."
Stupples, who will be inducted into the Florida State Athletics Hall of Fame on September 13, was an All-American Second Team selection in 1995 and earned two individual tournament championships during her career at Florida State. She was the first two-time All-ACC selection (1994 and 1995) in school history.
Stupples' husband, Bobby, will be her caddie during the event.
Tamulis will play in her fifth career U.S. Open after finishing in a career best tied for 35th in the individual standings in 2007. She has enjoyed a successful professional career including a tie for 13th place finish at the Corona Championship in 2008 and a tie for 10th place finish at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship in 2011.
"I am very excited to have the opportunity to play one of the fantastic and heralded courses in the Northeastern part of the United States," said Tamulis just before heading to Long Island from her current home of Tampa, Fla. "I have heard some really great things about that part of the country and I am looking forward to getting up there.
Tamulis, who turned professional in 2003, earned All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors from 2001-03 to become the first FSU golfer to be named All-ACC three or more times. Her 65 in the final round of the 2003 ACC Championship still stands as the school record.
"My scores have not been a reflection of how well I feel I have played this year, so I am looking forward to the U.S. Open," said Tamulis, who like Silva qualified to play in the U.S. Open in the Sectional Qualifier at Druid Hills in Atlanta. "I have worked hard and hope to have that hard work pay off this week at Sebonack."
Westrup qualified to play in the Open on May 28 at the Heathrow (Fla.) Golf Club as she carded a 36-hole total of 143 to finish second in the sectional qualifying tournament. She carded scores of 71-72 and finished second behind LPGA veteran Lorie Kane who carded a two round score of 140. Westrup was one of four players who qualified from the Heathrow Country Club qualifying site.
"I am really excited to play in the U.S. Open," said Westrup just before setting out on a 13-hour drive from Indiana to New York. "I have been playing solid golf from tee to green and have been putting well in the last two weeks. The course for the Open is narrow with a lot of rough so I am going to have to hit all of my fairways to keep playing through the weekend."
