Second Alternate Schartz Makes Most of Second Chance

What a run it was for 15-year-old Emerie Schartz, of Wichita, Kan. Two weeks ago, she wasn’t even in the field for the 74th U.S. Girls’ Junior at the U.S. Air Force Academy Eisenhower Golf Club. And as a second alternate from the Ardmore, Okla., qualifier, her chances didn’t look good. But then her father received an email from the USGA. A spot came open and her qualifying site was next on the allotment list. Natalie Blonien, the girl who defeated Schartz in a playoff at Dornick Hills Golf & Country Club for the first-alternate position (both shot 75), was first contacted by the USGA. But when she never responded, the USGA turned to Schartz. What a mulligan it turned out to be. During the first day of stroke play on Monday, Schartz was one of three players to register a hole-in-one (a fourth would accomplish the feat on Tuesday to establish a championship record). It was her second ace in the last month. Then she wound up as the No. 7 seed, posting a 36-hole total of 1-under 143. Schartz defeated Veronika Exposito – another one of the four girls to record an ace – in the Round of 64 before bowing out to 2023 U.S. Women’s Open qualifier Chizuru Komiya, of Japan, 5 and 4. “It was really a lot of fun,” said Schartz, still fighting through emotions of her run ending in the final 32. “I learned a lot by playing with all of these girls. It was a great experience.”