On Tuesday, Molly Smith accomplished something that's never been done in Massachusetts Amateur history: she became the first woman to qualify for the Massachusetts State Amateur.
The recent Westford Academy graduate, who will bring her talents to UCF next fall, shot a 1-over par 73 at Andover CC to earn her spot in next month's MassAm at Essex County Club. It's been quite a week for Smith, as she won the girls' high school state championship on Monday in a tough battle against defending champion Isabel Brozena. Smith rolled home a 10-foot par putt for the victory. Then on Wednesday, Smith narrowly missed qualifying for the U.S. Women's Open in a 36-hole qualifier at Duxbury Yacht Club.
A glance at Essex CC's history in the women's game makes this a perfect pairing for this historical moment. While Essex's current golf course opened in 1917 after years of work by noted architect Donald Ross, golf had been played on the property long before.