ANN ARBOR, MI — Rachel Hetherington took her 15-year-old daughter Annie on a tour of Stanford after they landed in the U.S. from Australia. Once the pair arrived for the U.S. Senior Women’s Open, they toured the University of Michigan campus. Annie, who plays off an 8-handicap, wants to play collegiate golf in the U.S. This week she’s caddying for mom, an eight-time LPGA winner turned lawyer now working for a member of parliament back home in Australia.
“Just to open her eyes up and see opportunities,” said 54-year-old Hetherington of the tours, “learn a bit about the college system. I didn't go to college, so it's all new to me as well.”
Annie is one of several kids on the bag this week in Michigan, where Barton Hills Country Club has the feel
of a reunion. Catriona Matthew’s eldest daughter Katie wrapped up her first year at the University of St. Andrews and flew to America with mom to carry the bag. Katie used to swim rather than play golf and now enjoys running as a hobby. She'll likely work toward a degree in finance.
Mom says Katie’s main job as caddie this week is to be good company and stay positive.
The Matthew family lives in Scotland at North Berwick Golf Club, but Catriona plays most of her golf at Gullane with friends, though it’s usually no more than once a month.
Matthew famously won the 2009 Women’s British Open at Royal Lytham and St. Annes 11 weeks after giving birth to her youngest daughter Sophie. While it’s not unusual for a mom to win the Senior Women’s Open, Matthew is the last mom to win an LPGA major.
“I've never won a USGA event,” said Matthew, “so to win a USGA event, to win an Open, I mean, wouldn't be here if I didn't want to win it.”
Donna Andrews, winner of the 1994 Dinah Shore, has daughter 16-year-old Sarah on the bag. Jane Geddes, one of six U.S. Women’s Open champions in the field, has son Karson carrying her clubs. Suzy Whaley, former PGA of America president and current USGA executive committee member, plans to have both daughters – Kelly and Jenn – loop around the historic Donald Ross design this week.
Matha Leach, sister of World Golf Hall of Fame member Hollis Stacy, is playing in her 84th USGA championship. The former Mid-Am champ has daughter Madison Gerstle on the bag. In 2015, Leach and Gerstle were the only mother-daughter pair in the field at the inaugural U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball at Pacific Dunes.
With Stacy, a six-time USGA champion as an aunt and Leach as her mom, Gerstle wasn’t interested in following in their footsteps. She was more into team sports, playing basketball and soccer through high school. She quit golf at age 9 and didn’t take it up again until she was 25.
Gerstle picked a fine venue in Pacific Dunes to begin her USGA career. She even drained a 30-foot, downhill breaking putt for par on the 18th.
“My Mother’s Day gift,” quipped Leach at the time.
Now working in finance for a law firm in Cincinnati, Gerstle’s plays mostly country club golf these days.
Meanwhile mom’s competitive amateur career spans the decades. Leach is one of four players in the field who competed at the 1998 U.S. Women’s Amateur as well as the 2009 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur at Barton Hills.
“Every time I'm calling her on my way home from work, she's hitting balls for 20, 30 minutes, or putting downstairs on a little makeshift putting green,” said Gerstle.
The kids grow up, but some things never change.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: U.S. Senior Women's Open field features plenty of kids on the bag
