U.S GIRLS' JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP
Kono and Kaneko advance at U.S. Junior
LAKEWOOD, Wash. » Stephanie Kono of Honolulu won two matches in sudden death yesterday to advance to the semifinals of the U.S Girls' Junior Championship at the Tacoma Country and Golf Club.
Kono, 17, began her tense day by beating Maria Jose Uribe, also 17, on the second extra hole.
In the afternoon quarterfinals, Kono beat 15-year-old stroke-play medalist Kimberly Kim, a former Hilo resident, with a birdie on the fifth hole of sudden death.
Kim, who began her week with an impressive 10-under 62 in stroke play, had rallied to defeat 16-year-old Mary Michael Maggio 2 and 1 in a morning match.
Also in the morning, Honolulu's Ayaka Kaneko ousted fellow 17-year-old Mina Harigae 1 up.
Harigae won the U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links title last month.
Kaneko then defeated Sue Kim in 24 holes to join Kono in the semifinals.
Kono will face Kristen Park, who at 14 is the youngest semifinalist, in one semifinal, while Kaneko takes on Michelle Shin, 16, in the other.
Park slipped past Stacey Kim, of Columbus, Ga., in the morning 2 and 1, and the took 19 holes to oust Haley Sanders, of Rogers, Ark.
Shin, of Cape Coral, Fla., easily defeated Japan's Mitsuki Katahira 5 and 3, then Sarah Brown, of Lopatcong, N.J., 4 and 3.