V S The Golfers
Of The Year
G A
Lauren Greenlief
VSGA WOMEN’S GOLFER OF THE YEAR
HOME CLUB: International Country Club, Fairfax
MATT SULLIVAN/USGA
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With her University of Virginia career
over and her career as a management consultant well under way, Greenlief tried to
put together a strategic practice plan that
would help her play at an optimal level
when she turned 25. Why 25? That’s the
age of eligibility to play in USGA MidAmateur Championships.
She teamed up with her coach, John
Glorioso at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club,
to construct a schedule that was heavy on
improving around the green.
“We tried to build a practice schedule
around games,” Greenlief said. “With one
of those … I kind of played until I could get
18 straight up-and-downs. That was the one
thing I did every day.”
That dedication played a huge role in her
ability to close out six straight opponents
and win the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur
Championship.
CHAMPIONSHIP MOMENT
In early December, the online magazine
Global Golf Post released its list of top amateurs in 2015, including a Women’s All
Mid-Amateur team. Greenlief was on the
first team, not surprisingly, considering her
USGA victory. But the list was dotted with
players Greenlief had to beat to win her
championship, including fellow first teamers Tara Joy-Connelly and Margaret Shirley.
“It’s a pretty big honor, one that I’m pretty
excited about,” Greenlief said. “There are
a lot of really strong Mid-Am players. I’ve
been pretty fortunate to play against some
of them, and a lot of them have become my
friends along the way.”
Joy-Connelly was the Florida Women’s
Amateur Stroke Play Champion in 2015,
and when Greenlief made a back-nine
surge to turn a tight match into a 4 and 3
victory in the round of 16 at the Women’s
Mid-Am, she started to believe she could
go all the way.
“After I got through my round of 16
match and made it to the quarterfinals, it
started feeling real to me,” Greenlief said.
“When I got to the final eight, I started
thinking, OK, three more matches, and we
can get there.”
vsga.org
OFF THE COURSE
Greenlief’s job at The Boston Consulting
Group takes her away from home quite a bit,
and she likes to explore the cities she visits.
She also gets to play some of the nation’s
finest courses, especially with a schedule
heavy in USGA events in the coming years.
For 2016, that means Greenlief will spend
a lot of time in another Commonwealth—
Pennsylvania. Rolling Green Golf Club
in Springfield will host the U.S. Women’s
Amateur, and The Kahkwa Club in Erie
will host the Mid-Amateur. She is exempt
from qualifying for both events.
2015 ACCOMPLISHMENTS
» Became the first woman from Virginia
to win a USGA Championship, claiming
the title at the U.S. Women’s MidAmateur with a 2 and 1 victory over
defending champion Margaret Shirley.
» Also competed in the U.S. Women’s
Four-Ball and U.S. Women’s
Amateur Championship. Teamed
with Alexandra Austin to qualify for
the 2016 U.S. Women’s Four-Ball
Championshp.
» One of four USGA champions to
represent the U.S. at the South
American Amateur in January.
» After winning the Mid-Am, Greenlief
flew back to Virginia and won The
Country Club of Virginia Invitational.
» Runner-up at the VSGA Wom