Julieta Granada

Medalist Julieta Granada, 17, of Paraguay, defeated 17-year-old Jane Park of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., on the 20th hole to win the 56th U.S. Girls' Junior, held at the 6,256-yard, par-71 Mira Vista Golf Club in Fort Worth, Texas.

"I don't think I got it, that I just won," said Granada. "I mean, it's such an honor. I see all the names on this trophy feel so special winning this."

In the final, Granada hit 12 of 16 fairways and 18 of 20 greens. In fact, her only bogey came on the opening hole. But Park, who missed just four fairways and registered 15 of 20 greens, couldn't take advantage. After Granada guided a 15-foot downhill putt close, all eyes turned to Park.

Eighteen feet off the right corner of the green looking at a sidehill lie, Park flubbed a chip that left her eight feet above the hole. She pulled the ball left and hole was halved.

From then on the match was so close that Granada's largest margin was no more than 1 up. Park, who went on to win the 2004 U.S. Women's Amateur and was a member of the 2004 USA Curtis Cup team, never led.

Granada held a 1-up lead from the fifth through 11th holes before Park squared the match on No. 12, draining a tough 8-footer that was above the hole on the undulating green.

But Granada gained it back on the next hole with a four-foot par putt. It was short-lived because Park squared it again by winning No. 14. The match remained all square until the 20th hole, but not without drama.

The penultimate special moment for Granada, prior to the 20th hole, occurred on the par-5 17th. Park seemingly had it won when she reached the green in two, positioned for an eagle from 15 feet right of the hole. In contrast, Granada found herself in a near-impossible situation. She first drove her ball 237 yards into the left rough. Then with her feet in the fairway bunker grasping an 8-iron while focusing on a bad sidehill lie, she could only punch out 160 yards that still left her 102 yards short of the hole.

"But laying up, that was the best shot of the week," said Granada, who stuck her approach shot, with a wedge, to 12 feet left of the hole.

Park two-putted, opening the door for Granada to, at least, have a chance to halve, which she did. Both parred and off they went to No. 1, a tight 391 yard dogleg left, halving it.

On hole 20, Park hit a fade that mirrored her drive off the tee earlier in the match. It had the same result, too, finding the thick rough to the right. With 185 yards the hole, Park opened the face of her club too much, flaring the approach shot into the right rough, 12 feet off the green. In the meantime, Granada was 12 feet from the hole on two shots.

Park opted for a flop shot next, and the ball took off, running 15 feet by the hole. When Park couldn't convert on the putt, she conceded and Granada had won the match and the championship.