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As second woman to compete in Philadelphia Open, Ashley Grier describes experience as ‘awesome’

The assistant pro at Overbrook Golf Club in Bryn Mawr came in with an 82 during her round in the 115th Open but enjoyed the experience on a hot day at Huntingdon Valley Country Club.

Only the second woman to compete in the Philadelphia Open, Ashley Grier check  her scorecard after shooting 82.
Only the second woman to compete in the Philadelphia Open, Ashley Grier check her scorecard after shooting 82.Read moreJoe Juliano / Staff (custom credit)

Before beginning play Wednesday in her history-making appearance at the Philadelphia Open, Ashley Grier wondered how she would cope with some of the holes at the challenging Huntingdon Valley Country Club, especially some of the meatier par-4’s.

“Everybody said for GAP, they usually play it pretty far back, and I think it was 7,000 from the back tees,” Grier said, referring to the Golf Association of Philadelphia, which governs the event. “So I’m looking at some of these holes and thinking I don’t even know if I can reach them … 7,000 yards on the scorecard for me who only hits it about 230-240. But it wasn’t as hard as I made it out to be.”

The 35-year-old assistant pro at Overbrook Golf Club in Bryn Mawr became the second woman to tee it up in the Philadelphia Open, a 36-hole championship that is being staged for the 115th time. Playing on a course that measured 6,786 yards, she fired a 12-over-par 82 on a hot, muggy day.

“It’s easy to say, ‘It’s too long, I’m not going to play,’ ” she said. “But I figured, what the heck, it’s only good experience for me. It can’t hurt. This was awesome. I’m so glad I was able to play.”

Grier, who missed the 18-hole cut, did not make a birdie, but her tee shot at the par-3 fifth actually wrapped itself in the flag before landing on the green. She said some other highlights were “a couple of good saves for par.”

She began on the back nine, the harder of the two nines at the hilly layout. Her fifth hole was the 471-yard par-4 14th, where she made a double bogey.

“Getting those [back nine] holes early on were kind of tough,” she said. “But I just stayed calm today. I had nothing to lose. It was a cool experience. I was hoping I could have swung a little better. I was trying to overpower some of my shots, but it happens.”

It has been a busy season for Grier, who suffered neck and back injuries in a traffic accident last February but said she is feeling “a lot better.” She played in the PGA Professional Championship and the KPMG Women’s PGA, an LPGA major, as well as the Valley Forge Invitational, a Symetra Tour event at Raven’s Claw in Pottstown.

“I kind of feel like I’m on tour as a club pro,” she said, smiling. “But I do a great job of balancing work and golf. My coworkers are awesome. I try to come back and fill in as much as I can. I’m lucky they let me go away and let me play in these events. I get great support with my membership at Overbrook. They’re always cheering for me good or bad.”

Kim Verrecchio was the first woman to play in the Philadelphia Open, competing in 2004, when she was an assistant pro at Waynesborough. Grier said she hopes her participation will inspire more women “to want to play and challenge themselves.”