Particularly when it comes to the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur, U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur and the U.S. Senior Women’s Open.

In the last 11 years when the Colorado Golf Hall of Famer has attempted to qualify for those three USGA events, she’s never failed.

Taking it a step further, she’s been medalist about as often as not in qualifying tournaments for those championships over that time.

On Wednesday at a U.S. Women’s Mid-Am qualifier at Grand Elk Golf Club in Granby, Moore fell a little short of medalist honors, but she easily earned a spot in the national championship, set for Sept. 22-27 at Norwood Hills Country Club in St. Louis.

“I enjoy playing in the qualifiers,” said the 54-year-old, who won five CWGA Stroke Play titles in the 1990s. “The numbers are good (in terms of qualifiers vs. the size of the fields) — and today the numbers were really good — so I thought I just needed to go out there and play a solid round. I was pleased that that happened.”

A total of seven players out of the field of 22 contestants advanced, including three Coloradans: Moore, a resident of Centennial (4-over-par 75); Marilyn Hardy, who splits her time between Gunnison and the Houston area (77); and Staci Creech of Englewood (78). Hardy, wife of renowned golf instructor Jim Hardy, once made it as far as the semifinals in the U.S. Women’s Mid-Am, which is limited to players 25 and older.

Joining them in qualifying at Grand Elk were co-medalists Kay Daniel of Covington, La., and Sue Billek Nyhus of Orem, Utah, who carded 2-over-par 73s; and Annette Gaiotti of Park City, Utah, and Jennifer Delgadillo of Horizon City, Texas, who posted 77s.

(The qualifiers are pictured, from left: Hardy, Gaiotti, Delgadillo, Creech, Daniel, Nyhus and Moore.)

Nyhus, the current women’s golf head coach at Utah Valley University and former coach at Brigham Young University, shot her 73 despite bogeying her last three holes. Daniel, who went to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Women’s Mid-Am in 2015 and has made match play at the event for eight of the last nine years, made one birdie and three bogeys on Wednesday.

As for Moore, she earned a spot in the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur for the 11th consecutive year — though she didn’t end up competing in 2013 — and 16th time overall. It’ll be her 27th USGA championship as earlier this year she competed in the inaugural U.S. Senior Women’s Open.

“It’s always special to go to USGA events — always,” she said. “It’s an honor to go, but for me I have a little higher goals than just qualifying. Lately, I haven’t been doing as well (at the national championships). Hopefully I can do well once I’m there (for this event). For sure my goal is to make it to match play and maybe win one or two matches. I would feel that’s a real successful tournament for me.”

At Grand Elk, Moore was 4 over par through seven holes, but played her final 11 in even par. Her husband Kent, also a Colorado Golf Hall of Famer, caddied for her on Wednesday.

“He drove all the way up to caddie for me, which was nice,” she said. “It worked out real well. I always play better when he’s on the bag.”

Coincidentally, the last time Janet Moore had played Grand Elk before this week, she and Kent shared the title with two other couples in the now-defunct CGA/CWGA Mixed Team Championship more than a quarter-century ago.
 

U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Qualifying
At Par-71 Grand Elk GC in Granby
ADVANCE TO U.S. WOMEN’S MID-AM
Kay Daniel, Covington, La. 73
Sue Billek Nyhus, Orem, Utah 73
Janet Moore, Centennial 75
Marilyn Hardy, Gunnison 77
Annette Gaiotti, Park City, Utah 77
Jennifer Delgadillo, Horizon City, Texas 77
Staci Creech, Englewood 78
ALTERNATES (In Order)
Amy Ricci, Edwards 79
Alicia Bakken, Westminster 79

For all the scores from Wednesday, CLICK HERE.
 

Family matters and work have kept her from trying to qualify again after making match play in the 2004 championship in Knoxville, Tenn. She’s even signed up for qualifying in recent years, but something has always forced her to withdraw.

But on Thursday, she did return to qualifying — and she showed little rust. The former University of Oregon golfer earned medalist honors in the qualifier at Pinehurst Country Club, shooting a 4-over-par 76.

“I haven’t played in a lot of competitive qualifying rounds for a while so I was a little bit nervous,” Roh said. “So I was happy with how I ended up finishing. I thought I played well.”

Roh, a former professional who won one mini-tour event before regaining her amateur status in 2003, led a group of several Coloradans in qualifying for the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur on Thursday. In all, six players secured spots in the national championship, which will be contested Sept. 10-15 at The Kahkwa Club in Erie, Pa.

Roh set the pace with a two-birdie, six-bogey performance at Pinehurst. Joining her in advancing to nationals were Tiffany Maurycy of Denver (77), Jennifer Delgadillo of El Paso, Texas (80), Meghan Christensen of Houston and Vail (80), Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Janet Moore of Centennial (81) and Kareen Markle of Meridian, Idaho (81). (Pictured are, from left, Christensen, Roh, Maurycy and Delgadillo. Not pictured are Moore and Markle.)

It’s the 16th time Moore has qualified for the U.S. Women’s Mid-Am.

Moore and Markle prevailed in a playoff with Jamie Zook of Colorado Springs to land the final two national berths. Markle has likewise qualified for multiple U.S. Women’s Mid-Ams in recent years.

For Roh — a Coloradan since 2001 — it will be her third USGA championship. She previously competed in a U.S. Girls’ Junior and the 2004 U.S. Women’s Mid-Am. In that national Mid-Am, Roh earned the seventh seed with a strong performance in stroke play, but then promptly lost in the first round of match play, 3 and 1, to 58th-seeded Mina Hardin, who six years later would win the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur.

“I had really good qualifying rounds and then just played terrible in my first match (in 2004),” said Roh, a 42-year-old who plays out of Lakewood Country Club. “I definitely want to make it to match play again and hopefully not lose my first match.

“I’m really excited. I think it’s going to be fun. It’s going to be a great representation from Colorado.”

The Women’s Mid-Am is limited to players 25 and older.

U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Qualifying
At Par-72 Pinehurst CC in Denver
ADVANCED TO U.S. WOMEN’S MID-AM
Susie Roh, Denver, Colo. 38-38–76
Tiffany Maurycy, Denver, Colo. 37-40–77
Jennifer Delgadillo, El Paso, Texas 42-38–80
Meghan Christensen, Houston, Texas 40-40–80
Janet Moore, Centennial, Colo. 41-40–81
Kareen Markle, Meridian, Idaho 41-40–81
ALTERNATES (In Order)
Jamie Zook, Colorado Springs, Colo. 41-40–81
Molly Dorans, Firestone, Colo. 41-41–82
FAILED TO QUALIFY
Sandra Young, Monument, Colo. 41-41–82
Giuliana Colavito, Italy 41-42–83
Sue O’Connor, Scottsdale, Ariz. 41-42–83
Christie Austin, Denver, Colo. 42-41–83
Amy Hodgkinson, Longmont, Colo. 42-42–84
Tanya Krempel, Breckenridge, Colo. 48-37–85
Joanna Ringsby, Cherry Hills Village, Colo. 42-43–85
Monica Meihack, Sandia Park, N.M. 42-46–88
Jennifer Hocking, Colorado Springs, Colo. 43-48–91