Impressive wins for Kim at U.S. Juniors
Associated Press
LAKEWOOD, Wash. » Stroke-play medalist Kimberly Kim rallied to consecutive wins yesterday, the first day of match play at the U.S Girls' Junior Championship.
The 15-year-old Kim, a former Hilo resident, trailed early during both matches on the 6,363-yard course at Tacoma Country and Golf Club.
At one point in her morning match, she trailed by three holes. But she resumed her impressive week by rallying to win 4 and 3 over Amy Ruengmateekhun, and then by 5 and 3 in the afternoon over Tessa Teachman.
On Monday, Kim shot 10-under-par 62 to win the stroke play portion of the tournament.
Kim was one of three golfers with Hawaii ties to advance to today's Round of 16.
Stephanie Kono and Ayaka Kaneko, both from Honolulu, also won their two matches yesterday. Kono edged Stephanie Kim, of Bayside, N.Y., 1 up in the morning and Alexis Thompson, of Coral Springs, Fla., 3 and 2 in the afternoon. Kaneko slipped past Felicia Espericueta, of Edinburg, Tex., 2 and 1, and Korea's Wonjoo Choi 4 and 3.
Golfers from Hawaii eliminated were Elyse Okada and Cyd Okino.
Defending champion Jenny Shin, 14, also failed to qualify for match play, missing by two strokes. She was the first girl eligible to defend her title since Leigh Anne Hardin in 1999. The event is open to any female golfer who has not reached her 18th birthday by the close of the competition and has a USGA handicap index that does not exceed 18.4.
Quarterfinals end this afternoon. The championship match is Saturday.
U.S. Girls' Jr. Championship
At Lakewood, Wash.
Par-72
Round of 64
Upper Bracket
Kimberly Kim, Hilo, Hawaii (134) def. Amy Ruengmateekhun, Garland, Texas (151), 4 and 3
Tessa Teachman, Baton Rouge, La. (146) def. Taylore Karle, Scottsdale, Ariz. (146), 2 and 1
Courtney Ellenbogen, Blacksburg, Va. (142) def. Maria Ronderos, Colombia (149), 5 and 4
Mary Michael Maggio, Conway, Ark. (148) def. Lindy Duncan, Daytona Beach, Fla. (143), 2 and 1
Alexis Thompson, Coral Springs, Fla. (140) def. Brittany Henderson, Canada (150), 5 and 4
Stephanie Kono, Honolulu (145) def. Stephanie Kim, Bayside, N.Y. (147), 1 up
Anne Ormson, Granger, Ind. (150) def. Tzu-Chi Lin, Chinese Taipei (141), 2 and 1
Maria Uribe, Colombia (144) def. Sorelle Sedej, Poway, Calif. (147), 4 and 2
Kristen Park, Buena Park, Calif. (138) def. Margarita Ramos, Mexico (151), 4 and 3
Brittany Altomare, Shrewsbury, Mass. (145) def. Diane Kwon, Fremont, Calif. (146), 20 holes
Stacey Kim, Columbus, Ga. (142) def. Becca Huffer, Denver (150), 2 up
Suzie Lee, East Northport, N.Y. (148) def. Jennifer Hirano, Pinole, Calif. (143), 4 and 2
Katie Sylvan, San Diego (151) def. Evan Jensen, Belleair, Fla. (140), 1 up
Haley Sanders, Rogers, Ark. (146) def. Cassandra Blaney, Davenport, Fla. (145), 2 and 1
Tessa The, Los Altos, Calif. (150) def. Jane Rah, Torrance, Calif. (142), 5 and 3
Elyse Okada, Kahului, Hawaii (148) def. Cheyenne Hickle, Gilbert, Ariz. (143), 4 and 2
Lower Bracket
Sarah Brown, Lopatcong, N.J. (151) def. Ha Na Jang, Korea (136), 5 and 4
Lila Barton, Dallas (146) def. Kiara Hayashida, Peru (146), 5 and 3
Abby Cotter, Noblesville, Ind. (149) def. Madison Pressel, Boca Raton, Fla. (142), 19 holes
Demi Frances Runas, Torrance, Calif. (143) def. Kristen Schelling, Mesa, Ariz. (148), 2 and 1
Danielle Kang, Oak Park, Calif. (151) def. Jennifer Johnson, La Quinta, Calif. (140), 1 up
Mitsuki Katahira, Japan (147) def. Alexandra Groetsema, Palo Alto, Calif. (145), 2 and 1
Michelle Shin, Cape Coral, Fla. (141) def. Hunter Ross, Manakin Sabot, Va. (150), 3 and 2
Cyna Marie Rodriguez, Philippines (143) def. Alison Lee, Valencia, Calif. (147), 1 up
Mina Harigae, Monterey, Calif. (137) def. Jaclyn Jansen, Effingham, Ill. (151), 6 and 4
Jennifer Song, Korea (145) def. Shanshan Feng, China (146), 7 and 6
Ayaka Kaneko, Honolulu (150) def. Felicia Espericueta, Edinburg, Texas (142), 3 and 2
Wonjoo Choi, Korea (148) def. Kristina Wong, Bradenton, Fla. (143), 4 and 3
Sally Watson, Scotland (140) def. Karisa Akin, Elizabethtown, Ky. (151), 2 and 1
Tiffany Lua, Rowland Heights, Calif. (145) def. Cyd Okino, Honolulu (147), 3 and 2
Sue Kim, Canada (141) def. Ashley Edwards, Antioch, Calif. (150), 5 and 4
Danielle Frasier, Encinitas, Calif. (143) def. Jessica Wallace, Canada (148), 3 and 2
Round of 32
Upper Bracket
Kimberly Kim def. Teachman, 5 and 3
Maggio def. Ellenbogen, 1 up
Kono def. Thompson, 3 and 2
Uribe def. Ormson, 7 and 5
Park def. Altomare, 21 holes
Stacey Kim def. Lee, 4 and 3
Sanders def. Sylvan, 2 and 1
The def. Okada, 19 holes
Lower Bracket
Brown def. Barton, 1 up
Runas def. Cotter, 6 and 4
Katahira def. Kang, 1 up
Shin def. Rodriguez, 1 up
Harigae def. Song, 4 and 3
Kaneko def. Choi, 4 and 3
Lua def. Watson, 5 and 3
Sue Kim def. Frasier, 2 and 1