Curtis Cupper Bastel Volunteering Services This Week

By Andrew Robinton, USGA

Toledo, Ohio -- Emily Bastel can relate to the pressures that amateur and professional competitors have had to deal with this week playing in the 2003 U.S. Senior Open at Inverness Club. She’s been around the block, so to speak.

At 22 years old, Bastel barely has enough fingers to count the number of national championships in which she has competed. She reached the quarterfinals of the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship in 2000; was a semifinalist in the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship in 2001, and a semifinalist in 2002; a member of the 2002 American Curtis Cup and World Amateur teams; a competitor in the Junior Girls Amateur; and a three-time participant in the NCAA Championships.

Attach to her resume this year’s Senor Open. Bastel traveled from her home in Upper Sandusky, Ohio, to this year’s Senior Open in Toledo, to assist the U.S. Golf Association’s Media Relations department. Still inside the ropes, Bastel is seeing a different but still familiar perspective at this championship.

"It’s neat to be here," she said. "I can kind of relate, from being on the players’ side. It’s interesting and entertaining."

Bastel’s responsibilities have included inviting players to the championship’s flash area, the site of interviews, based on media requests. She’s also in the media center. She notes that she is prepared for the frequent interactions she has had with players at the championship, not only because of her experience as a golfer but also due to her background in marketing, which she majored in as an undergraduate at Michigan State.

Bastel, who worked as assistant golf coach at her alma mater this past year, is currently concentrating on her golf career. After this summer’s U.S. Women’s Amateur, to be played at Philadelphia Country Club, she plans on attending qualifying school for the LPGA.

"I like to do this to be more well-rounded," she said of her work at the Senior Open. "You never know what could happen with golf. I’ve always been interested in the media aspect, whether it be TV or print. I’m just keeping my options open."

Andrew Robinton is a summer intern with the USGA. E-mail him at arobinton@usga.org with questions or comments.