Left to right, Susan Stewart, Ashli Bunch, Jessica Cornelius and Nancy Scranton. (Colby Vaught Photo)
When Jessica Cornelius was asked to play in the 2024 Woodford Legends Invitational featuring many of the legendary players who made the LPGA Tour what it is today, she could not because she had injured her back.
“I wasn’t playing at all and so I said, ‘Well, I promise you next year I will play and should be fine by then,’” said Cornelius, a former Kentucky Women’s Amateur (1984) champion and three-time Kentucky Senior Amateur (2011-2012-2013) champion. “Well my back is still bad. I’ve had three spinal injections and am still in physical therapy.”
However, Saturday at The Woodford Club outside Versailles was a “good day” as she combined with partner Susan Stewart, who has won the last four Kentucky Senior Amateur Championships, to shoot a 5-under par 66 without a bogey on the card in the two-player scramble format.
“Today was a great day and I had a blast,” Cornelius, who grew up in Stanford and now lives in Danville, said. “I was really pleased with how I hit it. There were some bad shots but I expected that. This was my third time to play 18 holes since October. So just getting through 18 holes was special.”
Cornelius, 70, loves golf. She’s played golf her entire life and has been a scorekeeper for major PGA Tour events. However, she was awestruck being around LPGA legends like Jane Blalock, Pat Bradley, Julie Inkster, Hollis Stacy, Jan Stephenson and others.
“As I started reading all the bios in the program, I thought, ‘This is who created the LPGA. This is who inspired all of us women to get out and play,’” she said. “These women paved the pathways when golf was not nearly as profitable and it was so humbling to talk to them — and they were all as nice as they could be. I was asking for selfies and autographs.”
Cornelius became a fan girl. She printed pictures and brought them back to the course with her Saturday to have players autograph them for her.
“I mean I talked to Pat Bradley and she had 31 LPGA wins and six majors. We ate with her and she was as nice as she could be,” Cornelius said. “They all appreciate you appreciating them. They want to be appreciated, and they deserve to be appreciated for all they did for women and I certainly do appreciate them.
She got to play Saturday with former LPGA players Nancy Scranton, an all-SEC golfer at UK who won three LPGA titles, and Ashli Bunch, who played on the LPGA Tour from 1999-2012. Scranton and Bunch combined to shoot an 8-under par 63.
“We had so much fun. I think someone said we had the most fun group out there,” Cornelius said. “It was just laid back, and we ribbed each other. They relaxed us because I thought I’d be a nervous wreck playing with them but I wasn’t.”
Cornelius has been one of the state’s best amateur golfers for 40 years but had never played with professionals before. She said she learned Saturday why they are pros.
“They have that extra shot and they’re more consistent. They see shots that I don’t see,” Cornelius said. “It was just a great experience.”
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Today’s final round will be best ball with players teeing off starting at 10 a.m.
Michelle McGann and Laura Diaz have the lead after a 14-under par 57 while Suzy Whaley/Leta Lindley and Trish Johnson/Laura Davies posted rounds of 58 while Rosie Jones/Michelle Redman and Becky Morgan/Catriona Matthew finished at 12-under 59.
The top amateurs were Kentucky sophomore C.A. Carter of Lexington and Stetson junior Elizabeth Eberle with a 10-under pat 61.
