Lang, Diaz Look to Rekindle Past Success Near Alma Maters
Brittany Lang, a Duke University alumna, won the 2003 North & South Amateur Championship on Pinehurst No. 2 and hopes to draw on that experience during this week's U.S. Women's Open. (USGA/John Mummert)
By Stuart Hall
VILLAGE OF PINEHURST, N.C. – As Laura Diaz and Brittany Lang prepare for this week’s U.S. Women’s Open, they are reminded of times past at Pinehurst Resort & Country Club.
Each won a North & South Women’s Amateur Championship – Diaz under her maiden name, Laura Philo, in 1995; Lang in 2003 – but when asked to recount their memories of those titles, family rushes to the forefront of their respective stories.
“Oh boy … great memories,” said Diaz, 39, who defeated Kellee Booth, 7 and 6, to win her title just after her sophomore year at Wake Forest University, located 90 minutes northwest of here. “My first time here was an amazing experience. My brother [Ron Philo, now a PGA professional] caddied for me, so having him on my bag and making a lot of birdies, that’s what I remember the most.”
Lang’s stellar amateur career included back-to-back Atlantic Coast Conference individual titles in two years at Duke University, as well as the North & South title in 2003, following her freshman year. She defeated Kristen White, also by a 7-and-6 margin, in the final.
“I have some great memories,” said Lang, pausing and pointing to the steps that lead from the 18th green to the Pinehurst clubhouse, near the Payne Stewart statue. “I was walking by those steps and thinking it was the last tournament my grandfather ever saw me play. He was sitting in one of those scooters and he watched me win. So it was really special.”
Diaz and Lang are among the seven players who represent the state’s Big Four ACC schools – Duke, Wake Forest, the University of North Carolina and N.C. State – in this week’s field. In addition to Diaz and Lang, Cheyenne Woods and amateur Sierra Sims are from Wake Forest; amateur Celine Boutier is from Duke; and Catherine O’Donnell is from UNC. Mina Harigae played one semester at Duke before turning professional.
Despite their collegiate ties and close proximity to No. 2 – Duke and UNC are a strong hour drive north of here – few of the players have extensive playing time on the Donald Ross design that had the spirit of its original look revived in 2011 by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw.
O’Donnell, 24, of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., a former All-America at UNC, likely has the most.
“I’ve played Pinehurst No. 2 probably 30 times,” she said after winning a sectional qualifier at Rumson Country Club in Rumson, N.J., on May 21. “I know it well and can't wait to play it again.”
Lang took advantage of the USGA’s gesture of inviting U.S. Women’s Open competitors inside the ropes during Sunday’s final round of the U.S. Open, won by Martin Kaymer. That experience, along with playing 13 holes on Monday and nine on Tuesday, is putting Lang in a good frame of mind.
“I love the U.S. Open,” said Lang, 28, of McKinney, Texas, who boasts three top-10 finishes in nine Women’s Open starts, including a runner-up finish as an amateur in2005. “I was watching the guys and couldn’t wait to get out here. This is a special place with all of the history and … I just like everything about it. I like the native areas, the greens are definitely tough, but it’s got so much character. It was fun getting to know the course yesterday.”
Sims, 18, of Washington, D.C., is making her U.S. Women’s Open debut and said that while she is very familiar with courses in the Sandhills region, playing No. 2 is a first.
“It was a little tough,” said Sims, a rising sophomore, of her practice rounds on Monday and Tuesday. “Once you get comfortable with the targets it is fine. You just have to focus on the targets and play your game. Once you get accustomed to it, it’s not as tough to play it again.
“Pinehurst has a lot of history and I think you can get overwhelmed by that fact, but since I have played around here, I am little more comfortable.”
Diaz, who still resides in Winston-Salem, estimates that she made about eight trips to Pinehurst during her days at Wake Forest. Like Sims, though, most of her rounds were on other area courses, and recent visits have been sparse.
Diaz returns to Pinehurst for her 14th U.S. Women’s Open thanks to a bit of good fortune. She earned the first-alternate spot at the sectional qualifier in Butler, Pa., on May 12, then made the field after Inbee Park, who was already exempt, won the Manulife Financial LPGA Classic. Diaz has one top-10 finish in her 13 starts, a tie for seventh in 2002.
Diaz is looking forward to this week – again for family reasons. Her son, Robert Cooper, was born in 2006, and is now beginning to understand the game and his mother’s role.
“It’s always fun to have them with me,” said Diaz, who also has a younger daughter. “Being so close to Winston, I’m excited to have my friends and family come watch. A lot of our neighbors are coming down, and it’s been really cool because members at Forsyth [Country Club in Winston-Salem] have been wishing me well all week. So it’s been nice and I’m excited. Should be fun to have all of those people out here watching.”
Especially if Diaz can rekindle the magic of 19 years ago.
Stuart Hall is a North Carolina-based freelance writer whose work has appeared on usga.org and usopen.com.
