Defending Champion Park Steals
Medalist Honors From Wie

 

Fairfield, Conn. – Defending champion In-Bee Park, 15, of Eustis, Fla., recorded her second straight 1-under-par 70 to beat out Michelle Wie for medalist honors at the 2003 U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship. Park sank a 12-foot putt for birdie

on her last hole to finish the stroke play portion of the championship at

2-under-par 140, one shot better than Wie, 13, of Honolulu, Hawaii, who

missed an 18-foot putt for birdie on the same hole that would have tied Park. Wie, who followed up a 2-under 69 in the first round with 1-over-par 72, is joined at 141 with Sukjin-Lee Wuesthoff, 16, of Toms River, N.J., who recorded rounds of 70-71 at the 6,303-yard, par-71 Brooklawn Country Club.

 

Park, who won the 2002 U.S. Girls Junior Championship at Echo Lake Country Club in Westfield, N.J., was also the medalist at that championship. She is the first competitor to finish as medalist in consecutive years since Brandie Burton won medalist honors from 1987 through 1989.

 

“Being medalist again is very special to me,” said the Korean-born Park. “It

gives me confidence going into match play.”

 

Park had an up-and-down round that included six birdies and five bogeys. She had completed three holes on Tuesday when play was suspended due to lightning strikes in the area.

 

“It was, like, crazy today,” said Park. “I missed some short putts and I made some long putts. My driver was going to the right today, it was fading a lot. I need to go fix that.”

 

Michelle Wie, the 2003 U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links champion, was not aware of the significance of her final putt of the day – a putt that, had she made it, would have earned her co-medalist honors with Park. Wie said she is looking ahead to her first match, in spite of the difficult conditions caused by a prolonged weather delay that forced the second round to an extra day.

 

“The conditions were very wet today, but the greens held very well,” said Wie. “I feel pretty good about my game right now. I’m putting really well and am getting my driver back in the fairway.”

 

She had two birdies and three bogeys on a day when her length gave her a decided advantage over the field. Wie, however, wasn’t so concerned with how far she hit the ball.

 

“If you’re long in the woods it doesn’t really matter,” she said. “You have to be in the fairway. That’s what counts.”

 

All seven players who competed in the 2003 U.S. Women’s Open advanced to match play. The group, led by Wie, included first round co-leader Paula

Creamer, 16, of Pleasanton, Calif., who recorded a 2-over 73 before the suspension of play on Tuesday to finish the stroke play portion of the championship at even par 142. Other U.S. Women’s Open qualifiers to advance were Sydney Burlison, 13, of Salinas, Calif., who shot 76-77—153; Whitney Wade, 17, of Glasgow, Ky., who shot 75-74—149; Morgan Pressel, 15, of Boca Raton, Fla., who shot 72-78—150; Naree Song, 17, of Bradenton, Fla., who

shot 75-74—149; and Jane Park, 16, of La Crescenta, Calif., who finished with 73-75—148.

 

As the first seed, In-Bee Park will play Lala Anai, 15, of Lexington, Mass.,

whose birdie on the second playoff hole earned her the 64 th and final spot in the match play field. Anai was part of a ten players-for-one spot playoff at the end of stroke play. She, along with six other players, made four on the first playoff hole, the par-4 17 th at Brooklawn. On the second playoff hole, the 18 th, Anai, who was born in Japan, was forced to hit a recovery shot from under

a tree after hitting her drive to the right. She used a 3-wood to knock the ball

to within three feet of the hole and holed the putt.

 

The U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship is one of 13 championships conducted annually by the United States Golf Association, 10 of which are strictly for amateurs. The U.S. Girls’ Junior is open to female amateur golfers who have not reached their 18 th birthday prior to the end of the championship and have a USGA Handicap Index of 18.4 or better.

 

   Fairfield, Conn. – Results of the stroke play portion of the U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship, played July 21-23 at the 6,303-yard, par-71 Brooklawn Country Club (* = a 10-way playoff determined the final spot in match play):

 

   In-Bee Park, Eustis, Fla., 70-70--140

   Sukjin-Lee Wuesthoff, Toms River, N.J., 70-71--141

   Michelle Wie, Honolulu, Hawaii, 69-72--141

   Paula Creamer, Pleasanton, Calif., 69-73--142

   Julieta Granada, Paraguay, 74-71--145

   Esther Choe, La Quinta, Calif., 72-74--146

   Catalina Marin, Colombia, 75-72--147

   Amanda Blumenherst, Scottsdale, Ariz., 73-74--147

   Brittany Lang, McKinney, Texas, 71-76--147

   Amie Cochran, Torrance, Calif., 73-75--148

   Jane Park, Oak Valley, Calif., 73-75--148

   Mallory Hetzel, Summerville, S.C., 76-72--148

   Mina Harigae, Monterey, Calif., 74-74--148

   Laura Luethke, Clovis, Calif., 72-76--148

   Whitney Wade, Glasgow, Ky., 75-74--149

   Stephanie Kono, Honolulu, Hawaii, 75-74--149

   Naree Song, Korea, 75-74--149

   Morgan Pressel, Boca Raton, Fla., 72-78--150

   Juli Wightman, Chicopee, Mass., 74-76--150

   Amanda Wilson, Hilo, Hawaii, 76-75--151

   Grace Woo, Burbank, Calif., 73-78--151

   Alexandra Bodemann, Palm City, Fla., 74-78--152

   Ki-Shui Liao, Alameda, Calif., 75-77--152

   Catherine Matranga, Fort Worth, Texas, 75-78--153

   Sydney Burlison, Salinas, Calif., 76-77--153

   Hsiao-Ching Lu, Chinese Tapei, 75-78--153

   Kelley Louth, Victoria, Texas, 74-80--154

   Jessica Potter, Canada, 77-77--154

   Valerie Tan, Malaysia, 74-80--154

   Rebecca Kuhn, Miami, Fla., 76-78--154

   Songyi Yi, San Diego, Calif., 74-80--154

   Kelly Jacques, Longmont, Colo., 79-76--155

   Marina Choi, Los Angeles, Calif., 77-78--155

   Blair Lamb, Flat Rock, N.C., 76-79--155

   Lauren Mielbrecht, Gulf Stream, Fla., 77-78--155

   Jenna Pearson, Wheaton, Ill., 80-76--156

   Nicole Hage, Coral Springs, Fla., 80-76--156

   Ashley Freeman, Belleville, Ill., 77-79--156

   Michaela Cavener, Ponca City, Okla., 79-77—156

   Laura Caniff, Russell, Ky., 76-80--156

   Angela Park, Brazil, 79-78--157

   Ashley Bickerton, Canada, 79-78--157

   Tiffany Chudy, Miramar, Fla., 75-82--157

   Kim Shin, Shoreline, Wash., 79-78--157

   Kimberly Donovan, Hopkinton, Mass., 78-79--157

   Tessa Teachman, Webster, N.Y., 79-79--158

   Theresa Paik, Silver Spring, Md., 81-77--158

   Sommer Scholl, Riverside, Calif., 77-81--158

   Megan Grehan, Mamaroneck, N.Y., 80-78--158

   Jennifer Hong, Windermere, Fla., 76-82--158

   Taryn Durham, Glasgow, Ky., 80-78--158

   Catherina Wang, Sarasota, Fla., 77-81--158

   Marika Lendl, Goshen, Conn., 76-82--158

   Laura Mengelkamp, Dover, Pa., 83-75--158

   Mandy Fricton, Merritt Island, Fla., 80-78--158

   Carling Coffing, Middletown, Ohio, 80-79--159

   Mercede Lupinacci, Sandy, Utah, 81-78--159

   Lorie Warren, Hendersonville, Tenn., 85-74--159

   Jenna Winokur, Wall Township, N.J., 82-77--159

   Blair Ressler, Bellingham, Wash., 81-78--159

   Sara Hurwitch, Potomac Falls, Va., 80-79--159

   Jacqui Concolino, Orlando, Fla., 82-77--159

   Kristine Cook, Fishers, Ind., 80-79--159

  *Lala Anai, Lexington, Mass., 81-79--160 (4,3)

 

  Failed to Qualify:

  * Da Sol Chung, Korea, 78-82--160 (4,4)

  * Whitney Frykman, Acworth, Ga., 75-85--160 (4,5)

  * Blythe Worley, Greenville, N.C., 79-81--160 (4,5)

  * Kandy Carland, Etowah, N.C., 79-81--160 (4,5)

  * Sara Brown, Tucson, Ariz., 80-80--160 (4,5)

  * Alexandra Caffrey, Rumford, R.I., 83-77--160 (4,6)

  * Allison Martin, Bakersfield, Calif., 78-82--160 (5)

  * Kimberly Meck, Austin, Texas, 78-82--160 (5)

  * Taylor Leon, Dallas, Texas, 77-83--160 (5)

   Brooke Todare, Paradise Valley, Ariz., 80-81--161

   Christi Athas, Eldora, Iowa, 81-80--161

   Ko-Chen Yeh, Chinese Tapei, 83-78--161

   Christine Yum, Bradenton, Fla., 84-77--161

   Angela King, Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., 80-81—161

   Carly Truitt, Marysville, Ohio, 80-81--161

   Selanee Henderson, Apple Valley, Calif., 76-85--161

   Jenelle Gomez, San Jose, Calif., 83-78--161

   Whitney Sylvan, Columbia, S.C., 85-77--162

   Inah Park, Canada, 77-85--162

   Kathryn Detlefsen, Eagan, Minn., 81-81--162

   Jennifer Osborn, Huntington Beach, Calif., 77-85--162

   Isabelle Gendreau, Canada, 85-77--162

   Julianna Uhrik, Modesto, Calif., 80-82--162

   Stefanie Page, The Woodlands, Texas, 84-78--162

   Lauren Johnson, The Woodlands, Texas, 82-80--162

   Elizabeth Dotson, White Bluff, Tenn., 79-83--162

   Caney Hines, San Antonio, Texas, 82-80--162

   Joanne Lee, San Carlos, Calif., 81-82--163

   Kali Quick, Nampa, Idaho, 81-82--163

   Sara Lester, Walnut Creek, Calif., 80-83--163

   Alexis Edwards, Oakley, Calif., 85-78--163

   Ellie Brophy, Spokane, Wash., 81-82--163

   Britney Choy, Wahiawa, Hawaii, 80-83--163

   Haley Brown, Austin, Texas, 81-83--164

   Andrea Ratigan, Tucson, Ariz., 81-83--164

   Amber Jean Kuss, Koontz Lake, Ind., 81-83--164

   So-Hyun Park, Bradenton, Fla., 83-81--164

   Abigale Schepperle, Birmingham, Ala., 84-80--164

   Susannah Aboff, Huntington, N.Y., 81-83--164

   Lauren Huhnerkoch, Burnsville, Minn., 78-86--164

   Elizabeth Alger, Palm Beach, Fla., 80-84--164

   Lindsay Hong, Honolulu, Hawaii, 81-83--164

   Becca Huffer, Denver, Colo., 80-85--165

   Courtney Sullivan, Gresham, Ore., 80-85--165

   Stephanie Connelly, Pasadena, Md., 82-83--165

   Pamela Ontiveros, Mexico, 81-84--165

   Ashley Tait, Littleton, Colo., 83-82--165

   Taylor Bunnell, Germantown, Tenn., 77-88--165

   Katie Myos, Faribault, Minn., 82-83--165

   Hannah Summerhays, Carmichael, Calif., 87-79--166

   Kate Ackerson, Allen, Texas, 80-86--166

   Jordyn Wells, Bethel Park, Pa., 83-84--167

   Kendra Little, Eugene, Ore., 77-90--167

   Lauren Hunt, Little River, S.C., 83-84--167

   Sara Hunt, Columbia, Tenn., 84-83--167

   Lisa Kajihara, Makawao, Hawaii, 83-84--167

   Kellie Marshall, North Vernon, Ind., 82-87--169

   Emma Lee, Lake Oswego, Ore., 85-84--169

   Lucy Nunn, Lawton, Okla., 81-88--169

   Kristin Vincent, Burlington, N.C., 87-82--169

   Brittany Fisher, Easton, Pa., 83-86--169

   Bonnie Howard, Carrollton, Texas, 86-84--170

   Courtney Tincher, Greenwich, Conn., 89-81--170

   Jordan Hardy, Sylacauga, Ala., 86-85--171

   Leigh Sutton, Lincoln, Neb., 84-87--171

   Laura Goodwin, Birmingham, Ala., 83-88--171

   Amy Eneroth, Colbert, Wash., 85-86--171

   Jill Stupiansky, Lakewood, Ohio, 77-94--171

   Julia Huh, Pasadena, Md., 80-91--171

   Martha Burkard, Alameda, Calif., 85-86--171

   Annika Welander, Winnetka, Ill., 88-84--172

   Casey Burden, Lake Bluff, Ill., 88-84--172

   Lindsay Salsburg, Navarre, Ohio, 87-85--172

   Taylor Siebert, Selma, Calif., 86-87--173

   Jessica Gibson, Tulsa, Okla., 86-87--173

   Dawn Shockley, Estes Park, Colo., 83-91--174

   Justina Yu, Las Vegas, Nev., 86-88--174

   Kathleen Ekey, Brunswick, Ohio, 87-87--174

   Casey North, Mishawaka, Ind., 80-95--175

   Jennifer Adyorough, Atlanta, Ga., 90-85--175

   Amber Littman, Stoney Creek, N.C., 89-86--175

   Kristen Schelling, Mesa, Ariz., 92-83--175

   Patricia Kim, Midland, Ga., 87-89--176

   Darah Newell, Helena, Mont., 89-87--176

   Emily Pavesich, Baltimore, Md., 91-87--178

   Christine Herzog, Detroit Lakes, Minn., 88-94--182

   Chelsea Schriewer, St. Charles, Mo., 90-95--185

   Leigh Wilkins, Murfreesboro, Tenn., 97-89--186

   Ashley Kaufman, Clark, S.D., 99-103--202

   Laura Ormson, South Bend, Ind., 81-DQ--DQ

   Nicole McGirr, Henderson, Nev., 94-WD--WD

   Kayla Mortellaro, Phoenix, Ariz., 78-DQ--DQ

 

Fairfield, Conn. – Pairings for Wednesday’s first round of match play at the 2003 U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship, played at the 6,303-yard, par-71 Brooklawn Country Club (all times are Eastern):

 

12:40 pm In-Bee Park, Eustis, Fla. (140) vs. Lala Anai, Lexington, Mass. (160)

12:48 pm Kelly Jacques, Longmont, Colo. (155) vs. Marina Choi, Los Angeles, Calif. (155)

12:56 pm Naree Song, Korea (149) vs. Megan Grehan, Mamaroneck, N.Y. (158)

1:04 pm Whitney Wade, Glasgow, Ky. (149) vs. Marika Lendl, Goshen, Conn. (158)

1:12 pm Amanda Blumenherst, Scottsdale, Ariz. (147) vs. Kristine Cook, Fishers, Ind. (159)

1:20 pm Catherine Matranga, Fort Worth, Texas (153) vs. Laura Caniff, Russell, Ky. (156)

1:28 pm Catalina Marin, Colombia (147) vs. Lorie Warren, Hendersonville, Tenn. (159)

1:36 pm Hsiao-Ching Lu, Chinese Tapei (153) vs. Angela Park, Brazil (157)

1:44 pm Paula Creamer, Pleasanton, Calif. (142) vs. Jenna Winokur, Wall Township, N.J. (159)

1:52 pm Valerie Tan, Malaysia (154) vs. Jenna Pearson, Wheaton, Ill. (156)

2:00 pm Amie Cochran, Torrance, Calif. (148) vs. Jennifer Hong, Windermere,

Fla. (158)

2:08 pm Amanda Wilson, Hilo, Hawaii (151) vs. Kimberly Donovan, Hopkinton, Mass. (157)

2:16 pm Julieta Granada, Paraguay (145) vs. Mercede Lupinacci, Sandy, Utah (159)

2:24 pm Jessica Potter, Canada (154) vs. Nicole Hage, Coral Springs, Fla. (156)

2:32 pm Mallory Hetzel, Summerville, S.C. (148) vs. Catherina Wang, Sarasota, Fla. (158)

2:40 pm Grace Woo, Burbank, Calif. (151) vs. Kim Shin, Shoreline, Wash. (157)

2:48 pm Michelle Wie, Honolulu, Hawaii (141) vs. Blair Ressler, Bellingham, Wash. (159)

2:56 pm Rebecca Kuhn, Miami, Fla. (154) vs. Blair Lamb, Flat Rock, N.C. (155)

3:04 pm Stephanie Kono, Honolulu, Hawaii (149) vs. Sommer Scholl, Riverside, Calif. (158)

3:12 pm Morgan Pressel, Boca Raton, Fla. (150) vs. Theresa Paik, Silver Spring, Md. (158)

3:20 pm Brittany Lang, McKinney, Texas (147) vs. Jacqui Concolino, Orlando,

Fla. (159)

3:28 pm Sydney Burlison, Salinas, Calif. (153) vs. Ashley Freeman, Belleville, Ill. (156)

3:36 pm Mina Harigae, Monterey, Calif. (148) vs. Taryn Durham, Glasgow, Ky. (158)

3:44 pm Ki-Shui Liao, Alameda, Calif. (152) vs. Ashley Bickerton, Canada (157)

3:52 pm Sukjin-Lee Wuesthoff, Toms River, N.J. (141) vs. Sara Hurwitch, Potomac Falls, Va. (159)

4:00 pm Songyi Yi, San Diego, Calif. (154) vs. Lauren Mielbrecht, Gulf Stream, Fla. (155)

4:08 pm Jane Park, Oak Valley, Calif. (148) vs. Tessa Teachman, Webster, N.Y. (158)

4:16 pm Juli Wightman, Chicopee, Mass. (150) vs. Laura Mengelkamp, Dover,

Pa. (158)

4:24 pm Esther Choe, La Quinta, Calif. (146) vs. Carling Coffing, Middletown, Ohio (159)

4:32 pm Kelley Louth, Victoria, Texas (154) vs. Michaela Cavener, Ponca City, Okla. (156)

4:40 pm Laura Luethke, Clovis, Calif. (148) vs. Mandy Fricton, Merritt Island,

Fla. (158)

4:48 pm Alexandra Bodemann, Palm City, Fla. (152) vs. Tiffany Chudy, Miramar, Fla. (157)