Nansemond-Suffolk alum Lauren Doughtie is playing in her second U.S. Women’s Open, three years after making the national championship as an amateur at N.C. State, this week at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, Co.

Doughtie reached the major going through local and sectional qualifying events. In May, Doughtie was one of two golfers to shoot 145 in two rounds and advance through a sectional at Carolina Trace Country Club in Sanford, N.C.

Doughtie struggled to a nine-over par round of 80 in the first round at The Broadmoor (par 71, 7,047 yards) on Thursday. Doughtie shot rounds of 78 and 87 in two rounds at the 2008 U.S. Open in Edina, Minn.

At the time of her first U.S. Open, Doughtie was a rising senior for the Wolfpack. In her collegiate career, she was an All-ACC golfer multiple seasons and made the NCAA Tournament.

Doughtie won the 2008 Virginia State Amateur Championship at Bayville Golf Club in Virginia Beach. Along with that title and the U.S. Open in ’08, Doughtie made the U.S. Women’s Amateur and the quarterfinals of the U.S. Women’s Public Links Championship.

Going back to Nansemond-Suffolk, Doughtie was All-Tidewater Conference in 2004 and ’05 as well as the 2004 Virginia Junior Girls Golfer of the Year.

Doughtie’s in her third year playing on the LPGA Futures Tour. She’s played in seven tournaments this year, making the cut in five. The top 10 players on the Futures Tour at the end of the season earn LPGA Tour cards for the upcoming year.

Playing in a major on a 7,000-plus yard course is a different beast though, at least through 18 holes. On the Futures Tour, Doughtie ranks high in driving accuracy (64.3 percent) and driving distance (255 yards).

Doughtie hit only five of 14 fairways in Thursday’s first round. She played in the first group off the first tee, teeing off at 7 a.m.

Doughtie is one of two former Saint golfers playing in major championships this summer. Sean Dougherty, NSA class of 1997 who’s now the head professional at a club in Overland Park, Kan., qualified for August’s PGA Championship through his finish in the PGA Professional National Championship two weeks ago.