OSAGE BEACH - Osage National Golf Course is set to host the Missouri Woman’s Golf Association’s Amateur Championship this week.
The tournament will run from Tuesday to Thursday and will feature some of the best amateur golfers in the state. According to a MWGA press release, there will be 96 golfers teeing off; 48 will compete in the championship division while 48 will participate in the open division.
Three-time champion Courtney Mahon. Mahon won her third championship last year but will not be competing in this year’s contest.
Last year’s runner up in the championship division, Chelsea Schriewer from St. Charles Mo., is the top ranked golfer going into the tournament. Schriewer is a senior on the University of Missouri Women golf team.
There will be four golfers from the lake area who playing this week. Louwanna Bloom, of Four Seasons, will be teeing it up in the open division.
This will be Bloom’s third appearance in the event, and second in the open division. Her first year, she says, she attempted to play in the championship flight but found the competion too stiff.
Bloom is at an advantage since the tournament is hosted at her home course, but she says she is not as prepared as she would like to be. Bloom says that work has gotten in the way of hitting the driving ranges and practicing as much as she’d like, but her goal is to be competitive and have fun.
“My expectation is to at least hold my own. I don’t expect to win the tournament ... I just expect to go out there and enjoy the competition.”
Bloom is not unaccustomed to competition as she has won two championships in recent years, taking the Season’s Ridge Golf Course league championship in 2006, and the Osage National  league title in 2007. Despite these victories, Bloom says she still feels nervous.
“It’s pretty nerve-racking.  (In) golf you should be relaxed, but you’re stress level will be increased because of the competition,” Bloom said.
The second lake-area golfer will be Brooke Kelley of Camdenton. Kelley competes in the Lake Ozark Junior Golf Association tournaments and recently won the 16-18 girls division at The Golf Club at Deer Chase.
Jennifer Holt of Lake Ozark will be competing in the championship division along with Kelley. Holt lists Old Kinderhook as her home course.
Deidre Robertson of Iberia will have the home course advantage along with Bloom. Robertson will also be competing in the championship division. Along with calling Osage National her home course, Robertson regularly plays in the Women’s intercity league.
Bloom says that knowing the course will be a big advantage for her.
I’ll know course management probably more-so than some of the others,” Bloom said. “That’s what it’s all about course management.”
The tournament will open on Tuesday with a final round on Thursday and will be all-day events.

Contact this reporter at lakesports@lakesunleader.com