Meet The 2006 WAPL Quarterfinalists

Sara Brown, 20, Tucson, Ariz. – Born Nov. 25, 1985…Will be a junior at Michigan State University…Qualified for championship at Brighton, Mich., sectional site with a 73 for medalist honors…Lowest competitive score is a 68…Owns one hole-in-one, recorded when she was 9 with a 7-wood from 151 yards out while playing with her parents…Tied for second at the 2006 Big Ten Conference Championship…Uses a ballmarker given to her by her father, Mike, that has an angel on it “to watch over my putts.”…Enjoys hanging out with teammates and her boyfriend, Matt Harmon, who competes on the Michigan State men’s team and qualified for the 2006 U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship in Bremerton, Wash…Reached quarterfinals by defeating Christi Athas, 2 and 1, co-medalist Hannah Jun, 19 holes, and Kyu Ri Ban, 2 and 1…This is her best showing in a USGA championship…Her father is caddieing for her this week.

Tiffany Chudy, 20, Miramar, Fla. – Born May 27, 1986…Will be a junior at the University of Florida…Runner-up at the 2005 WAPL in Kansas City, Mo…Competing in her third WAPL…Grew up in Temecula, Calif., but moved to Florida just prior to her junior year of high school…Is half Canadian and Polish, and blonde, so therefore she hears plenty of jokes…Registered her first hole-in-one during the NCAA championships in Columbus, Ohio during the first round on the 17th hole from 159 yards out. Shot a 69 and wound up T-12 for the week (69-75-76-75)…Lowest competitive round is a 67, shot twice (2005 WAPL stroke-play qualifying and Junior Orange Bowl in 2004, where she was the runner-up)…Team caption for University of Florida women’s golf team…SEC Academic Honor Roll…Enjoys working out, watching basketball and playing any outdoor sport…Father Andrej is her caddie…Staying with a host family that lives off the 17th hole at Walking Stick (Dave and Carol Lange)…Advanced by defeating Alexandra Phelps, 4 and 3, Allison Goodman, 1 up, and Ashley Sholer, 1 up.

Mina Harigae, 16, Monterey, Calif. – Born Nov. 1, 1989…Will be a junior at Stevenson School…Competing in her 10th USGA championship…Semifinalist at 2003 U.S. Girls’ Junior…Most memorable moment on golf course came when she shot a 62 at AJGA Polo Classic on Seaside Course at Sea Island Golf Club in St. Simons Island, Ga…Owns two career holes-in-one (Pasatiempo when she was 12 and two years ago at Blackhorse)…Won 2006 AJGA Heather Farr Classic (71-68-70)…Runner-up at 2005 AJGA Polo Classic…Won four consecutive California Women’s Amateur titles, the first coming when she was 11 (2001-04)…Selected Female Athlete of the Year at Stevenson School and MVP of girls’ golf team in 2005 and ’06…Played with Tom Watson (2004) and Tom Kite (2005) at First Tee Open at Pebble Beach on the Champions Tour…Lucky charm is her bear head cover…Caddie is sports psychologist Jeff Troesch…Missed a 4-foot birdie putt on her 36th hole that would have given her medalist honors outright…Advanced by defeating Chelsey Collins, 2 and 1, Mari Chun, 7 and 6, and Morgan Grantham, 6 and 4.

Tiffany Joh, 19, San Diego, Calif. – Born Dec. 8, 1986…Will be a sophomore at UCLA in the fall…Named National Golf Coaches Association first-team All-America in 2005-06…Competing in first WAPL…Advanced to second round of the 2005 U.S. Women’s Amateur, losing to 2006 USA Curtis Cupper Jenny Suh…Competed at 2004 U.S. Girls’ Junior and advanced to second round…Most memorable moment was beating UCLA teammate Hannah Jun in chipping contest…Lowest competitive round is a 63 shot at 2005 at ANZ Ladie Masters that included a double eagle on third hole…Tied for third at same event in 2005…Won four junior events in 2004…Began playing at age of 12 because her parents live on a golf course…Advanced by defeating Aimee Neff, 6 and 5, Amanda Costner, 5 and 4, and Juli Wightman, 5 and 4…Finished third in stroke-play qualifying at 138, one behind Mina Harigae and Hannah Jun…Has played the least amount of holes of anyone left in the match-play draw (41 holes).

Kimberly Kim, 14, Hilo, Hawaii – Born Aug. 23, 1991…Just moved to Phoenix area, where she will be a sophomore at Queen Creek High…Moved from Hawaii to make it easier to compete in national tournaments on the Mainland…Sister, Christine, also competed in 2006 WAPL, but failed to make match play. She will attend University of Colorado in the fall…Qualified for 2006 U.S. Women’s Open…Competing in second WAPL…Advanced to round of 16 at the 2005 U.S. Girls’ Junior…Won first AJGA event at age of 12…Tied for fifth at 2006 Rolex Girls Championship…Says sister is lucky charm…Spent three weeks living in California with 2006 WAPL participant Glory Joo Young Yang, whom she beat in third round, 4 and 3. Also defeated Anya Sarai Alvarrez, 7 and 6 and Kelly Schaub, 4 and 3…Only hole-in-one came three years ago at Waikaloa Village on sixth hole with a 6-iron from 160 yards out…Lowest competitive score is a 65 at Westfield Junior PGA qualifier held at Turtle Bay Resort on Oahu.

Angela Oh, 17, Maple Shade, N.J. – Born Sept. 26, 1988…Will be a freshman at University of Tennessee in fall…Competing in second WAPL…Reached second round in 2005 WAPL…Never advanced past second round in two U.S. Girls’ Juniors (2004 and ’05)…Qualified at Center Square Golf Course with a 71…Lowest competitive score is a 5-under 67 at Center Square G.C…Won New Jersey State Championship with a 76…T-16 at 2006 Rolex Girls’ Championship (73-76-74)…T-17 at Scott Robertson Memorial in Virginia (75-75-75)…Likes to listen to music. Plays guitar, piano and flute…Was No. 7 qualifier from stroke play…Advanced with wins over Hillary Ziegler, 4 and 3, Kelley Louth, 5 and 4, and Selanee Henderson, 20 holes, which is the longest match of the week…Caddie is father, Sunny Oh.

Ya-Ni Tseng, 17, Chinese Taipei – Born Jan. 23, 1989…Will graduate from Yung-Ping High School in 2007…Competing in third WAPL…Won 2004 WAPL by defeating Michelle Wie, 1 up, in 36-hole final…Second-youngest to win the title (15) behind only Wie…Second golfer from Chinese Taipei to win WAPL…Candie Kung won in 2001…Advanced to semifinals in 2005 WAPL and lost to Tiffany Chudy, her quarterfinal opponent…Qualified for 2004 and ’06 U.S. Women’s Open. Missed cut in ’04 event…Advanced to round of 16 at 2005 U.S. Girls’ Junior, losing to eventual winner In-Kyung Kim in 20 holes…Lost in first round of 2005 Women’s Amateur to Hawaiian teen Ayaka Kaneko…Reached second round of 2004 U.S. Girls’ Junior and U.S. Women’s Amateur…Tied for third at 2005 ANZ Ladies Masters in Australia…Won 2005 Asian Pacific Junior…Represented Chinese Taipei at 2004 Women’s World Amateur Team  Championship in Puerto Rico…Advanced by defeating Stacey Tate, 1 up, Lauren Hunt, 3 and 2, and No. 3 seed Jenna Pearson, 3 and 1.

Maria Jose Uribe, 16, Colombia – Born Feb. 27, 1990…Will be a senior at Heritage Academy in Hilton Head Island, S.C…Quarterfinalist at 2005 U.S. Women’s Amateur when she got into the field as an alternate. It earned her an exemption into 2006 WAPL…Competed in 2004 and ’05 U.S. Girls’ Junior…Advanced to round of 16 at ’05 Girls’ Junior…One of five players in the field to qualify for 2006 U.S. Women’s Open at Newport (R.I.) Country Club…Loves to dance the salsa…Lowest competitive score is a 64 at 2004 Colombian Junior Championship…Owns one hole-in-one during a tournament in Bogota, Colombia…T-10 at 2006 Scott Robertson Memorial at Roanoke (Va.) C.C. (75-75-74)…Won 2006 South America Junior Championship in Chile (77-71-68-69)…Won 2005 Colombian Junior Championship. Runner-up at same event in 2004…Named Best New Player by Colombian Golf Federation…Plans to attend college in the U.S…Top five schools are Arizona, Arizona State, Georgia, UCLA and University of Southern California…Most memorable moment was getting to quarters of ’05 U.S. Women’s Amateur…Advanced by defeating Annie Giangrosso, 3 and 1, Nara Shin, 2 and 1, and fellow Women’s Open qualifier Stephanie Kono, 3 and 1.

Compiled by David Shefter