U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship
When: Saturday through Oct. 4
Where: Desert Forest Golf Club,
37207 N. Mule Train Road, Carefree
Par/yardage: 73; 6,209 yards
Format: 36 holes of stroke play with the low
64 players advancing to match play
Defending champion: Meghan Bolger
Field: 132 players 25 years and older
Admission: The tournament is open to the public and is free.

       Any way you slice it, Tui Selvaratnam has to be among the favorites -- if not THE favorite -- for the upcoming U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship. Just don’t try to tell that to the former Arizona State All-American who lives in Tempe.
       “I know it probably looks that way, but I just see myself as another player,’’ said Selvaratnam, who has been the Arizona Women’s Golf Association player of the year for the past six seasons.
       “I guess after last week, and being a member at Desert Forest and all, and the fact I’ve done well in the tournament in the past  . . .  I guess people just think I’m (the favorite).’’
       What happened last week was Selvaratnam led Arizona to the title in the U.S. Golf Association-sponsored Women’s State Team Championships at The Woodlands, Texas. Along the way, Selvaratnam snared individual honors by a comfortable four shots.
       As for Selvaratnam being a member at Desert Forest Golf Club in Carefree, the site of the Mid-Amateur that runs from Saturday until next Thursday, that can be misleading too, she said.
      “My best (score) there is a 68, but the tees will be longer than I usually play them, so we’ll have to wait and see,’’ she said. “It’s a hard golf course, too.’’
      But the native of Sri Lanka knows how to tackle those difficult types of courses. That’s why she was a semifinalist in the Mid-Amateur in 2004, a quarterfinalist in 2005, and a finalist last year. And why she has won 24 amateur titles in 11 different countries.
     “We won’t know that answer until next Thursday,’’ she said with a laugh after a reporter asked her if “champion’’ would not be the natural ascension after four years of trying. “It will be a long six days of tournament play if I get that far.’’
      Selvaratnam, who is the assistant director of development at Xavier College Prep as well as the assistant girls golf coach, also will have to beat the player she lost to in last year’s final, Meghan Bolger.
      “(Bolger) is a great player,’’ Selvaratnam observed. “When I lost to her last year she was the women’s golf coach at Mississippi. But last week I saw where she was competing in the (LPGA) Q-school.’’
       Bolger made the cut in the sectional qualifier at Rancho Mirage, Calif., but she failed to advance to the finals of the LPGA Q-School. Translated: She still is an amateur with a chance to repeat.
      There are others in the field with strong credentials, including several from Arizona. Among the locals are Desert Forest members Lynn Simmons and Kerry Postillion, the runner-up in the 2005 Mid-Amatuer, as well as ASU assistant women’s golf coach Missy Farr-Kaye.
       “It’s a very strong field, and at the moment I’m just playing ‘OK,’ ’’ said the 31-year-old Selvaratnam, who will be competing in her 18th USGA championship. “So I’m really glad I’ve got a few more days to get my game in shape.’’