Beth Bauer

Beth Bauer, who reached the second round in 1995 and the quarterfinals in 1996, claimed the most coveted prize of her outstanding junior career when she scored a 4-and-2 victory over 15-year-old Candie Kung in the 49th U.S. Girls' Junior championship at the Legends Club of Tennessee in Franklin, Tenn.

A very emotional Bauer, 17, whose teacher father died when she was 14, was elated after placing an exclamation point on her win with a 15-foot birdie putt on the 16th hole. Bauer never trailed in the match, taking the lead at the first with a four-foot birdie putt and going 2 up when Kung bogeyed the second.

Kung, despite playing tournament golf only two years, surprised many in 1996 when she reached the round of 16. A native of Taiwan, Kung was much shorter off the tee than Bauer.

Bauer's drives were often 50 or more yards ahead of Kung and was in command throughout the match. Bauer served notice of her form in the qualifying rounds, earning medalist honors with rounds of 68 and 66. Her total of 134 established a record; it was four shots better than Brandie Burton, now a professional, shot at Pine Needles in 1989.

Bauer, a resident of Valrico, Fla., had two close calls in match play, beating Selina Divietri of Myrtle Beach, S.C., 1 up, in the second round and then, in what she later described as another "championship match," ousted the 1996 winner, Dorothy Delasin of Daly City, Calif., on the 19th hole in the semi-finals. Delasin was 1 up going into 18, but pushed her tee shot into water and failed to match Bauer's par.

In the semis, Bauer routed Sarah Johnston of Benton, La., 6 and 5. Kung served notice of her prowess in the quarterfinals, a battle of "candies." She ousted one of the pre-championship favorites, Candy Hannemann of Brazil, 3 and 2, and breezed into the finals via a 5-and-3 win over Leila Bagby of Santa Monica, Calif.