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U.S. Girls' Junior Blog
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Another One In The Books
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Another USGA championship is officially in the books. On a beautiful, crisp Saturday in Lakewood, Wash., 14-year-old Kristen Park of Buena Park, Calif., became the fourth-youngest champion in U.S. Girls' Junior history. Only Aree Song Wongluekiet (1999), Jenny Shin (2006) and In-Bee Park (2002) were younger. But so far, In-Bee Park is the only one of that group to return to a final. She was the runner-up in 2003 and 2005.
Kristen Park demonstrated poise, moxie and precision against her 17-year-old Japanese-born opponent, Ayaka Kaneko of Honolulu, Hawaii. Her 4-and-3 win was impressive, especially in the afternoon round of the 36-hole final, where she rarely missed a fairway and converted virtually every clutch putt. Her only bogey, at the par-3 15th hole (No. 30 of the match) turned out to be OK as Kaneko also bogeyed the hole and ended the match. It was that hole that caused Park consternation in the semifinals, when she dumped a ball in the water against Stephanie Kono. She held on for a 2-up win. Then in the morning round of the final, she found the water again to lose the hole.
She learned from her mistake in the afternoon, playing safely away from the flag. "I pretended the water wasn't there," she said.
It will be interesting to see how Kristen Park's career path unfolds. She's had an incredible summer, with two topo-3 finishes in prestigious American Junior Golf Association invitationals and now the Girls' Junior. A week from Monday, she'll get a chance to test her skills against the best female amateurs at the U.S. Women's Amateur at Crooked Stick in Carmel, Ind. I wouldn't be surprised to see her make the cut and have a nice run. She doesn't yet have the power, but that will come in time as she grows and gets stronger physically. The course management skills are there and she's got a wonderful short game.
Well, it's time for me to sign off. It's been a fun week in the Pacific Northwest. We finally got the summertime weather folks around here expect in July. The course was in impeccable shape and I know those who came out to watch the golf were impressed by the performances of all the girls.
A lot of the competitors also came out for the final. Vicky Hurst, Jane Rah, Kimberly Kim, Stephanie Kono, Michelle Shin and local product Sadena Parks were all walking the fairways on Saturday. That is neat to see. You don't get that at a lot of amateur competitions. Generally once players are eliminated, they're headed to the airport and the next event. It kind of reminded me of what you see at a Walker or Curtis Cup, with teammates supporting one another.
My next stop is Carmel, Ind., and I'm looking forward to seeing all that assembled talent tackle Crooked Stick. It should be fun.
David Shefter
USGA Staff Writer
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Saturday, July 28, 2007
No Blood
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As you can tell from the live scoring, the final match is all square through 18 holes. The final started rather sloppily with Kristen Park making back-to-back bogeys on one and two and Ayaka Kaneka returning the favor on three and four.
Then things heated up with Park making birdie at six and Kaneko answering at seven.
Neither player has owned more than a 2-up lead and Park made a beautiful birdie at 18, knocking her third shot to the par 5 within 3 feet to square the match heading into lunch. Park shot the equivalent of 1-over 73 (with concessions) and Kaneko had a 72. The difference in score came at the par-3 15th, where Park sent her tee shot into the pond for the second consecutive day.
Well, off to get some lunch and then to make another tour of the course. Looks like this one could go the distance.
David Shefter
USGA Staff Writer
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Championship Match Sights And Sounds
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A nice crowd was out watching the morning 18 of the scheduled 36-hole championship match of the 2007 U.S. Girls' Junior Saturday morning at Tacoma Country and Golf Club. Included in that group were two USGA champions: Pat Lesser Harbottle and Ann Sander. Sander won a U.S. Women's Amateur title here at Tacoma Country and Golf Club in 1961, won of her seven USGA championships. Also walking the fairways was 1969 U.S. Amateur Public Links co-runner-up Fred Lufkin, who finished two strokes behind winner John M. Jackson Jr. at Downing Golf Course in Erie, Pa. Lufkin shared second place with Arthur Fujita and Steven Cook. Back then, the APL was a 72-hole stroke-play competition. Lufkin said he still has his runner-up silver medal. The 66-year-old said he was impressed with the skill level of the two finalists: Ayaka Kaneko and Kristen Park.
Also roaming the fairways was stroke-play medalist and 2006 U.S. Women's Amateur champion Kimberly Kim of Hilo, Hawaii. She was sharing ear phones for the iPod of fellow competitor Andrea Watts of Lone Tree, Colo. Watts served as Kim's caddie for the quarterfinals when she lost a 23-hole thriller to fellow Hawaiian Stephanie Kono.
David Shefter
USGA Staff Writer
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Thursday, July 26, 2007
Still On Course
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It’s always such a pleasure to spend time with six-time USGA champion Holly Stacy. Stacy, who won three consecutive Girls’ Junior and three Women’s Opens, is a member of the Girls’ Junior Championship Committee and served as the forward observer for the Kimberly Kim-Stephanie Kono match today. You’d be hard pressed to find a nicer person, and you can tell she’s someone who truly believes in passing her love for the game along to the players of today. That sort of long-standing involvement is a hallmark at the Girls’ Junior.
Another thing that really stands out at this championship is how many competitors seem to stick around after they’ve missed the cut or been eliminated from match play. Several 2007 Girls’ Junior players, including 2006 Girls’ Junior runner-up Vicky Hurst and 2006 U.S. Women’s Amateur semifinalist Lindy Duncan, watched as Kono beat Kim in 23 holes. Sarah Brown, one of today’s quarterfinalists, ran down the first fairway to catch the Kim-Kono match as it headed to the green on the first extra hole. Brown had just lost her match, but quickly joined other players to watch the excitement.
It’s great to see the camaraderie among the girls. They are building friendships that will last a lifetime. As four-time USGA champion Marlene Streit famously said: “Golf is the people you meet along the way.”
Beth Murrison
Manager, Media Relations
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Rest Time
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OK, I officially need a rest. That was a lot of walking today, especially with all those extra-hole matches. Just when you thought the day was going to end, another match was headed down the first fairway. The competitive spirit was unbelievable. Watching Haley Sanders drain a 25-foot par putt at 18 was what match play is all about. Sure her opponent, 14-year-old Kristen Park had a birdie putt to win it, but when she failed to convert, the two strolled to the first tee for extra holes.
And while I didn't see much of the Stephanie Kono/Kimberly Kim match, it, too must have been thrilling to see two young talents match each other shot for shot.
One can only imagine what we are in store for tomorrow. If the semifinals are as good as the quarterfinals, then we are in for a real treat.
But my feet need a message. Anyone know a good masseuse?
David Shefter
USGA Staff Writer
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Thursday Thoughts
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What do you do after losing a tough third-round match? If you are Tiffany Lua and Mina Harigae, you have a putting contest on the practice green with your caddies. That's what the two Californians were doing following lunch. While Harigae took her 1-up defeat to Ayaka Kaneko of Honolulu, Hawaii, quite hard, it's good to see that young kids can bounce right back after a setback, no matter how difficult it may be. After all, golf is a game and you are going to lose far more often than you're going to win.
Two fellow South Americans were supporting Colombia's Maria Uribe in her third-round match against Stephanie Kono. Fellow Colombian Maria Ronderos and Kiara Hayashida of Peru were both walking the fairways Thursday morning. Both were eliminated in the first round of match play on Wednesday. They got to see a great 20-hole match, with Kono pulling it out on the second extra hole.
Hayashida was later seen talking to the coach from Arizona State. So many college programs are looking outside of the U.S. for talent as the game continues to go global. Uribe is headed to UCLA in the fall.
It's interesting to see so many players still here. Out practicing was Cheyenne Woods, who did not make into match play on Wednesday. Ditto for Vicky Hurst. Lindy Duncan, eliminated in the first round, and 12-year-old Alexis Thompson (ousted in round two) were also out watching the action on Thursday.
Usually players try to leave town once they're eliminated, often heading to the next event. Many of these players are getting ready for the U.S. Women's Amateur, which begins in 11 days in Carmel, Ind.
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Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Enjoying My Job
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Take a sunny day with a light breeze at a golf course in terrific shape, add two players who root for each other to do well, and who play quickly and without the need for any rulings and you have the recipe for a good day from the perspective of a referee.
Extend the match to an extra, 19th hole, and you have a great day.
Thanks to the membership and staff at Tacoma Country & Golf Club for loaning us the golf course, and to “July” for finally showing up in the Pacific Northwest.
Most importantly, thanks to Tessa The and Elyse Okada for providing the outstanding golf consisting, in a nutshell, of Tessa’s long drives, Elyse’s laser-like iron play and great sportsmanship from both young ladies. The clearest example of that sportsmanship came from Tessa on the 18th green when she repeatedly urged Elyse’s birdie putt to go in – a birdie that would have won the match for Elyse. After that birdie putt stopped a mere 1” short, Tessa made her own birdie to extend the match (a 4-footer after her approach shot from 66 yards struck the flagstick).
They don’t pay me overtime when the match that I am refereeing goes extra holes. Nor do they need to.
David Hayes
Manager, Rules of Golf
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Wednesday Sightings
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Seen walking around the first tee this morning was seven-time USGA champion Anne Sander, a native of Seattle. In fact, Sander won the 1961 U.S. Women's Amateur at Tacoma Country and Golf Club, 14 and 13 over Phyllis Preuss. Sander also has played in the second-most USGA championships (97) behind Carol Semple Thompson (103). Thompson and Sander each own seven USGA titles.
Also seen on the practice putting green was 2006 U.S. Girls' Junior runner-up Vicky Hurst. Hurst, unfortunately, failed to make the match-play cut this week, as did defending champion Jenny Shin.
Shin was understandly upset over shooting an 80 on Tuesday to miss by two strokes. But at least she has three more opportunities to play in this championship. And she's exempt into the U.S. Women's Amateur, which begins in 12 days.
As for the weather, today might be the best of the week. There's not a cloud in the sky, temperatures are very comfortable and there's a very slight breeze. It's a perfect day for golf or even taking a boat out on the lake behind the clubhouse.
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Sleeping In
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Mina Harigae, the 2007 U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links champion, was asked if she was disappointed over not earning medalist honors at the U.S. Girls' Junior for a second consecutive year.
The quick reply was "No. I didn't want to go off at seven in the morning every day. I think that gets tiring." The top half of the draw always gets the earliest starting times and if the medalist should keep advancing, that player's match is the first of each round.
And Harigae has plenty of experience with it. She was medalist twice at USGA championships last year and failed to reach the final match. She was eliminated in the semifinals at the Girls' Junior last year. And she lost in the quarterfinals at the WAPL, 9 and 7 to Kimberly Kim, after sharing medalist honors with Hannah Jun of San Diego, Calif.
Kimberly Kim took medalist honors at the Girls' Junior with an impressive 10-under 134 total. She, too, loves to sleep, so it will be interesting to see how she deals with the 7 a.m. starting time on Wednesday. Right now, she is all square through eight holes of her first-round match against Amy Ruengmateekhun of Garland, Texas. Kim did lose the first two holes, so maybe it took a few holes for the alarm clock to go off.
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Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Hooray For The Sun
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We were beginning to wonder if the sun did exist in the Pacific Northwest. Alas, today we have bright sunshine and absolutely gorgeous weather, the type of conditions you normally see in this part of the country in the summer. The wind has also picked up a little, making scoring a bit more challenging.
Right now, it doesn't appear anyone is going to catch Kimberly Kim as it pertains to medalist honors. But once the field is cut, it's a whole new ball game in match play. The scores are wiped completely clean, which always makes for interesting fodder. Already this year, two stroke-play medalists have lost their first-round matches at the Women's Amateur Public Links and Amateur Public Links championships, respectively. So it can be done. That's what makes match play interesting. All reputations are left at the first tee and it's just mano y mano over 18 holes, or less.
And it looks like we're going to have beautiful weather the rest of the week. I think the good folks here in Seattle are tired of seeing rain drops.
David Shefter
USGA Staff Writer
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