Wuesthoff Wins 55th U.S. Girls’ Junior

 

Fairfield, Conn. – Sukjin-Lee Wuesthoff came back from a five-hole deficit to defeat defending champion In-Bee Park, 1 up, and capture the 55th U.S. Girls' Junior Championship. Wuesthoff, 16, of Toms River, N.J., rallied after bogeys on three of the first four holes to post 12 consecutive pars and draw even with Park, 15, of Eustis, Fla., with two holes to play. She then took the lead for good with a decisive birdie at the 17th hole, before closing out Park with a par at 18 at the 6,303 yard, par-71 Brooklawn Country Club. Her victory ranks as the greatest comeback in the history of the championship.

 

By winning the U.S. Girls' Junior, the Korean-born Wuesthoff earned a gold medal and custody of the Glenna Collett Vare Trophy until next year’s championship, as well as exemptions into other United States Golf Association championships. She is exempt from qualifying for next year's U.S. Girls' Junior, for the next two U.S. Women's Amateurs and is exempt from local qualifying for the next five U.S. Women's Opens, provided she remains an amateur. In her five tries at the U.S. Girls’ Junior, Wuesthoff’s previous best finish was a quarterfinal appearance in 2001, where she lost to eventual champion Nicole Perrot .

 

At one point in the match, following a birdie at the par-5 8th hole, Park, who was also born in Korea, was five holes up on Wuesthoff. But the defending champion and two-time medalist made bogeys on five of the last 10 holes, including a three-putt bogey to lose the 16th hole, opening the door for a new champion.

 

Wuesthoff took advantage of Park’s miscue on the next hole, knocking a 6-iron from 157 yards to within eight feet at the 396-yard 17th hole, and then made the putt to take the lead for the first time in the match. When Park's birdie putt to win the hole on 18 missed by an inch, the match was over.

 

Of her early troubles, Wuesthoff said, “There were more people watching and more cameras than before. I was very nervous. My hands shake when I get nervous and the front nine I was all nervous. But I said, ‘keep staying the course.’ ”

 

Wuesthoff was assisted all week by Gregor Steger, a 29-year veteran of Brooklawn’s caddie ranks. His contributions were no more apparent than on the putt that put Wuesthoff ahead for good, the 8-footer on 17.

 

“I don’t think I would have made it without him (reading the putt),” she said.

 

While Wuesthoff’s steady play forced Park to make mistakes over the deciding holes, the defending champion’s play was not indicative of her performance throughout the championship.

 

Park’s coach and interpreter Charlie Yoo said, “I think In-Bee lost it. I’ve never seen her play that way. She was never down all week except on the 17 th hole (against Wuesthoff). She played great; I don’t know what happened.” Park was down early in her first round match against Lala Anai .

 

Park said of her play, “I kept thinking, ‘I could do it. I could do it.’”

 

Park was attempting to become the third girl (and fourth) junior to defend her title, following in the footsteps of Hollis Stacy, who won from 1969 to 1971 and Judy Eller, who won in 1957-58 (Tiger Woods won three consecutive U.S. Junior Amateur Championships from 1991 to 1993).

 

Wuesthoff said of knocking off the defending champion, “My dad said last night there’s no pressure on me. The pressure is on her to win. He said it doesn’t matter if I win or lose, as long as I play my best, that’s what’s important. I kept thinking about that all day.”

 

Previous winners of the U.S. Girls' Junior include Mickey Wright, JoAnne Gunderson Carner, Nancy Lopez, Amy Alcott and Beth Bauer . U.S. Girls' Junior champions have gone on to win the U.S. Women's Amateur 11 times and the U.S. Women's Open 10 times.

 

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 today’s championship final from the 2003 U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship at the 6,303-yard, par-71 Brooklawn Country Club:

  

Sukjin-Lee Wuesthoff, Toms River, N.J. (141) def. In-Bee Park, Eustis, Fla. (140), 1 up

 

 

Fairfield, Conn. – Final results of the match play portion of the 2003 U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship, played July 21-26 at the 6,303-yard, par-71 Brooklawn Country Club:

 

First round:

Upper Bracket:

In-Bee Park, Eustis, Fla. (140) def. Lala Anai, Lexington, Mass. (160), 6 and 5

Marina Choi, Los Angeles, Calif. (155) def. Kelly Jacques, Longmont, Colo. (155), 5 and 4

Naree Song, Korea (149) def. Megan Grehan, Mamaroneck, N.Y. (158), 3 and 2

Whitney Wade, Glasgow, Ky. (149) def. Marika Lendl, Goshen, Conn. (158), 5 and 4

Amanda Blumenherst, Scottsdale, Ariz. (147) def. Kristine Cook, Fishers, Ind. (159), 6 and 5

Laura Caniff, Russell, Ky. (156) def. Catherine Matranga, Fort Worth, Texas (153), 3 and 2

Catalina Marin, Colombia (147) def. Lorie Warren, Hendersonville, Tenn. (159), 8 and 6

Hsiao-Ching Lu, Chinese Taipei (153) def. Angela Park, Brazil (157), 3 and 1

Paula Creamer, Pleasanton, Calif. (142) def. Jenna Winokur, Wall Township, N.J. (159), 3 and 1

Valerie Tan, Malaysia (154) def. Jenna Pearson, Wheaton, Ill. (156), 4 and 2

Amie Cochran, Torrance, Calif. (148) def. Jennifer Hong, Windermere, Fla. (158), 6 and 4

Amanda Wilson, Hilo, Hawaii (151) def. Kimberly Donovan, Hopkinton, Mass. (157), 1 up

Julieta Granada, Paraguay (145) def. Mercede Lupinacci, Sandy, Utah (159), 5 and 4

Nicole Hage, Coral Springs, Fla. (156) def. Jessica Potter, Canada (154), 5 and 4

Catherina Wang, Sarasota, Fla. (158) def. Mallory Hetzel, Summerville, S.C. (148), 2 and 1

Grace Woo, Burbank, Calif. (151) def. Kim Shin, Shoreline, Wash. (157), 2 and 1

  

Lower Bracket:

Michelle Wie, Honolulu, Hawaii (141) def. Blair Ressler, Bellingham, Wash. (159), 3 and 2

Blair Lamb, Flat Rock, N.C. (155) def. Rebecca Kuhn, Miami, Fla. (154), 19 Holes   

Stephanie Kono, Honolulu, Hawaii (149) def. Sommer Scholl, Riverside, Calif. (158), 6 and 5

Morgan Pressel, Boca Raton, Fla. (150) def. Theresa Paik, Silver Spring, Md. (158), 5 and 4

Brittany Lang, McKinney, Texas (147) def. Jacqui Concolino, Orlando, Fla. (159), 2 and 1

Ashley Freeman, Belleville, Ill. (156) def. Sydney Burlison, Salinas, Calif. (153), 1 up

Mina Harigae, Monterey, Calif. (148) def. Taryn Durham, Glasgow, Ky. (158), 4 and 3

Ki-Shui Liao, Alameda, Calif. (152) def. Ashley Bickerton, Canada (157), 1 up

Sukjin-Lee Wuesthoff, Toms River, N.J. (141) def. Sara Hurwitch, Potomac Falls, Va. (159), 5 and 4

Songyi Yi, San Diego, Calif. (154) def. Lauren Mielbrecht, Gulf Stream, Fla. (155), 1 up

Jane Park, Oak Valley, Calif. (148) def. Tessa Teachman, Webster, N.Y. (158), 6 and 5

Juli Wightman, Chicopee, Mass. (150) def. Laura Mengelkamp, Dover, Pa. (158), 3 and 2

Esther Choe, La Quinta, Calif. (146) def. Carling Coffing, Middletown, Ohio (159), 5 and 4

Kelley Louth, Victoria, Texas (154) def. Michaela Cavener, Ponca City, Okla. (156), 2 up

Laura Luethke, Clovis, Calif. (148), vs. Mandy Fricton, Merritt Island, Fla., (158), 19 holes

Tiffany Chudy, Miramar, Fla. (157) vs.Alexandra Bodemann, Palm City, Fla. (152), 20 holes

 

Second Round:

Upper Bracket:

In-Bee Park, Eustis, Fla. (140) def. Marina Choi, Los Angeles, Calif. (155), 1 up

Whitney Wade, Glasgow, Ky. (149) def. Naree Song, Korea (149), 2 up

Amanda Blumenherst, Scottsdale, Ariz. (147) def. Laura Caniff, Russell, Ky. (156), 3 and 2

Hsiao-Ching Lu, Chinese Taipei (153) def. Catalina Marin, Colombia (147), 2 up

Paula Creamer, Pleasanton, Calif. (142) def. Valerie Tan, Malaysia (154), 4 and 3

Amie Cochran, Torrance, Calif. (148) def. Amanda Wilson, Hilo, Hawaii (151), 4 and 3

Julieta Granada, Paraguay (145) def. Nicole Hage, Coral Springs, Fla. (156), 1 up

Catherina Wang, Sarasota, Fla. (158) def. Grace Woo, Burbank, Calif. (151), 1 up

 

Lower Bracket:

Michelle Wie, Honolulu, Hawaii (141) def. Blair Lamb, Flat Rock, N.C. (155), 5 and 4

Morgan Pressel, Boca Raton, Fla. (150) def. Stephanie Kono, Honolulu, Hawaii (149), 4 and 2

Brittany Lang, McKinney, Texas (147) def. Ashley Freeman, Belleville, Ill. (156), 4 and 3

Mina Harigae, Monterey, Calif. (148) def. Ki-Shui Liao, Alameda, Calif. (152), 5 and 3

Sukjin-Lee Wuesthoff, Toms River, N.J. (141) def. Songyi Yi, San Diego, Calif. (154), 1 up

Jane Park, Oak Valley, Calif. (148) def. Juli Wightman, Chicopee, Mass. (150), 1 up

Esther Choe, La Quinta, Calif. (146) def. Kelley Louth, Victoria, Texas (154), 2 up

Laura Luethke, Clovis, Calif. (148) def. Alexandra Bodemann, Palm City, Fla. (152), 6 and 4

 

Third Round:

Upper Bracket:

In-Bee Park, Eustis, Fla. (140) def. Whitney Wade, Glasgow, Ky. (149), 5 and 4

Hsiao-Ching Lu, Chinese Taipei (153) def. Amanda Blumenherst, Scottsdale, Ariz. (147), 4 and 3

Paula Creamer, Pleasanton, Calif. (142) def. Amie Cochran, Torrance, Calif. (148), 4 and 3

Julieta Granada, Paraguay (145) def. Catherina Wang, Sarasota, Fla. (158), 1 up

 

Lower Bracket:

Morgan Pressel, Boca Raton, Fla. (150) def. Michelle Wie, Honolulu, Hawaii (141), 3 and 2

Mina Harigae, Monterey, Calif. (148) def. Brittany Lang, McKinney, Texas (147), 19 Holes

Sukjin-Lee Wuesthoff, Toms River, N.J. (141) def. Jane Park, Oak Valley, Calif. (148), 4 and 2

Esther Choe, La Quinta, Calif. (146) def. Laura Luethke, Clovis, Calif. (148), 5 and 3

 

Quarterfinal Round:

In-Bee Park, Eustis, Fla. (140) def. Hsiao-Ching Lu, Chinese Taipei (153), 6 and 5

Paula Creamer, Pleasanton, Calif. (142) def. Julieta Granada, Paraguay (145), 1 up

Mina Harigae, Monterey, Calif. (148) def. Morgan Pressel, Boca Raton, Fla. (150), 19 Holes

Sukjin-Lee Wuesthoff, Toms River, N.J. (141) def. Esther Choe, La Quinta, Calif. (146), 3 and 2

 

Semifinal Round:

In-Bee Park, Eustis, Fla. (140) def. Paula Creamer, Pleasanton, Calif. (142), 3 and 2

Sukjin-Lee Wuesthoff, Toms River, N.J. (141) def. Mina Harigae, Monterey, Calif. (148), 2 up

 

Final Round:

Sukjin-Lee Wuesthoff, Toms River, N.J. (141) def. In-Bee Park, Eustis, Fla. (140), 1 up

 

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