WILMETTE, Ill. — Last year, Carly Werwie missed making a playoff for the final two spots into the U.S. Women’s Open by four shots.

At Monday’s 36-hole sectional qualifier at Indian Hill Club in Winnetka, Ill., and Westmoreland Country Club in Wilmette, Ill., Werwie finished eight shots off the cutoff mark for a spot in what is generally regarded as the most prestigious tournament in women’s golf.

Yet progress, especially in such a mentally-demanding sport as golf, isn’t always actually reflected on the scorecard. Sometimes the numbers do lie.

At least they did Monday for the 20-year-old Werwie, a Bradford graduate and junior-to-be on the University of Wisconsin women’s golf team.

Werwie fired a 3-over 74 (38-36) in the morning at Indian Hill, putting her one shot above the cut line at the halfway point.

But she three-putted for bogey to open her second consecutive round in the afternoon at Westmoreland, then made back-to-back double bogeys on Nos. 12 and 13 (her third and fourth holes) — “I knew after I doubled (No. 13) I was done,” Werwie said — and faded to a 9-over 82 (39-43) for a total of 12-over 156.

Twenty-four players in the 112-player field finished at 148 or better to secure the available spots into the Women’s Open, to be held July 9-12 at Saucon Valley Country Club in Bethlehem, Pa.

Mina Harigae, the current leading money-winner on the Duramed Futures Tour, took medalist honors at 5-under 139 (69-70), and reigning U.S. Women’s Amateur champion Amanda Blumenherst was runner-up at 4-under 140 (73-67).

Werwie’s cumulative score was actually two shots better than the 158 she posted in last year’s sectional qualifier at Skokie Country Club.

And unlike ’08, when she shot an 82 in the morning, this time she had a very realistic chance going into the final 18, which is why Werwie said she considered the day as progress even though her amount of strokes off the qualifying pace doubled.

“I know I can play with all of the (other top amateurs and lower-tier professionals),” Werwie said. “It’s just a matter of being more consistent. I mean they’re so much more consistent, and I think that’s just what I’m lacking right now.

“I have the confidence to go out there and play with the best of them. I just have to be more consistent. They get up and down all the time, and that’s the difference between shooting 75s out here instead of 82s.”

Werwie has gained considerable distance with all of her clubs in the past 12 months. She used to sometimes struggle hitting par-4s longer than 400 yards in two, but that wasn’t an issue Monday.

“It’s a lot better. It doesn’t look like it score-wise, but mentally it’s a lot better,” Werwie said of her game. “I know it’s right there. It’s just a matter of making a putt or a better chip. I chipped the ball awful today (at Westmoreland). They were terrible, but we learn.”

Werwie tallied 32 putts in each round, but made only two birdies — both after her fate had been essentially determined.

Nerves, however, weren’t an issue, she said. That had more to do with Westmoreland’s slick greens and the fact she didn’t give herself many birdie putts inside 15-20 feet.

At least Werwie will get another shot at Women’s Open local and (possibly) sectional qualifying next year.

“Oh, I will make sure I qualify if I’m here,” she said, admitting she has no doubts that she’ll someday make it into the 156-player Women’s Open field.

“... I think I’m a lot closer. I’ve just got to be patient. I guess that’s what golf is — patience. You just want it to all go so well, and it can go bad in a matter of a minute, a shot.”