Port Alberni golfer Christina Proteau returned from the United States Women’s Mid-Amateur championship in Choudrant, Louisiana last month with a bronze medal and her best-ever USGA achievement.
The first qualifying round didn’t start so well for Proteau, who shot a 15-over-par 87. “I hadn’t shot that poorly since I was playing junior golf when I was 16,” she said.
The second round she shot an even par round of 72 on what she classified as “a very difficult golf course”, and improved her ranking to 29th overall from 98th.
“I would rank it in my handful of top rounds ever, given the circumstances,” she said.
After making it through the first two rounds the tourney broke into match play. Proteau won her first round match and her second the next morning against the No. 1 seeded player. A win in the third round vaulted her to the quarterfinals on Oct. 7 and she won on the second extra hole.
Her run ended on the 17th hole in the semifinals against last year’s winner, Margaret Shirley.
“It was amazing to win against the No. 1,” Proteau said. “Unfortunately, she was one of the other Canadians in the field, Casey Ward from Ontario, so one Canadian had to go home.”
This has been Proteau’s quietest season professionally in years. “I had not played competitive golf since the BC Amateur the first week of July, taking a bigger summer break this year as I’m home with my first child,” she said.
“I can’t emphasize enough how thankful I am for my support system,” Proteau said.
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