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Weblog
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Match Over
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The 2009 WAPL has concluded with Jennifer Song earning a 7-and-6 victory. Wow, was this University of Southern California sophomore-to-be impressive. She was the equivalent of nine under par for 30 holes, with the usual match-play concessions, she hit 25 of 30 greens and all 23 fairways. It was like watching a machine play golf. It was the type of golf one expects in a championship final.
The margin of victory was the largest in the 33-year history of the championship.
And Kimberly Kim played well. She just was outplayed.
It was great to see Kim back on form after a disappointing 2008 season. She was coming off a victory at the Rolex Girls Championship and earning medalist honors at her U.S. Women's Open sectional qualifier in Santa Cruz, Calif. And she still has next month's U.S. Women's Open, the U.S. Girls' Junior (also in July) and the U.S. Women's Amateur on her plate.
We'll also see Song at the Women's Open and the Women's Amateur.
We also could see both ladies on the 2010 USA Curtis Cup team. While Song grew up in Korea, she was born in Ann Arbor, Mich., and currently has dual citizenship. Kim played on the victorious team at St. Andrews in 2008.
This match concludes our week in Devens. Many thanks to the folks at Red Tail Golf Club, which is a beautiful course. I was very impressed with the layout and aesthetics. It was built on an old U.S. Army base and it features plenty of elevation changes. The players also universally praised the condition and quality of the venue.
Thanks to all who followed the blog.
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Final Match Update
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Through nine holes of the 36-hole final match, Jennifer Song owns a 1-up lead over Kimberly Kim.
Song has never trailed in the match, grabbing a 1-up lead at the first hole by converting a 5-foot birdie. Kim answered at the par-3 third by draining a 35-footer from the fringe for birdie.
The players halved the next three holes before Kim three-putted from 30 feet for her only bogey of the side. She missed a 5-foot par putt, while Song two-putted from 35 feet.
At the eighth, Song knocked her approach to 10 feet to set up a birdie. Kim had missed the fairway to the right and then her second shot glanced off a tree back into the fairway, just ahead of where Song's ball was lying off the tee. Her third stopped 6 feet from the flag.
Song gave back a hole at the ninth when her approach spun off the green and her 9-foot par attempt stopped inches short of the hole. Kim two-putted for par.
Song shot the equivalent of 1-under 35, with the usual match-play concessions, while Kim shot 36.
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WAPL Final Day
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We certainly dodged weather on Friday as we were the only major golf event in the Northeast that was not suspended due to thunderstorms. The PGA Tour stop in Hartford, the LPGA Tour's event in Rochester, N.Y., and the Champions Tour event in Endicott, N.Y., were all suspended due to weather on Friday.
For Saturday's championship match, we have sunny skies this morning, but we are not totally in the clear. There is a chance of a thunderstorm this afternoon, so hopefully we'll dodge lightning again.
It's absolutely perfect right now for the start of the 36-hole final between Jennifer Song and Kimberly Kim.
Well, I'm off to watch some good golf.
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Friday, June 26, 2009
Interesting Final
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Should be a great final on Saturday between Kimberly Kim and Jennifer Song. Each has been a runner-up in this championship and both have lost to the same player: Tiffany Joh.
Kim was lamenting the fact that Joh decided to turn pro prior to defending her title.
Perhaps someone could get the gregarious San Diego resident on a red-eye to be the honorary starter, or even to hand the trophy to the winner.
Kim already owns one USGA title, the 2006 U.S. Women's Amateur she claimed at Pumpkin Ridge when she became the youngest champion in that event's history (14 years old). Song has been a bridesmaid the last year, starting with the 2008 WAPL and recently at the NCAA Division I Women's Championship at Caves Valley, where she three-putted the 72nd hole to lose by a shot to Maria Hernandez of Purdue.
Song seems due for a title and no player who has reached back-to-back WAPL finals has lost both. So history seems on Song's side.
If anything, we should see some great shot-making at Red Tail Golf Club. If you are in the area, come out and watch some terrific golf from two ladies with very bright futures.
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Risk Reward At 18
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Great move by Teresa Belmont, the director of the WAPL, and the other USGA officials on staff to move the tee markes at the par-5 18th hole up some 40 yards today. It offered the perfect risk/reward scenario. And the two quarterfinal matches that went the distance saw that strategy play out.
Cydney Clanton, who was all square with 14-year-old Korean Jisoo Park, elected to go for the green in two and found the water that fronts the green to the right. She eventually lost the hole and the match.
In the final quarterfinal match, Joanna Coe also elected to go for the green from 188 yards out and hit a 5-iron into a greenside bunker. Her opponent, Sydney Michaels, was faced with a severe downhill lie for her second shot and she chose to layup. Even with the conservative decision, Michaels had a chance to birdie the hole, only to see her 9-iron approach from 142 yards out take a terrible bounce to the left into rough. Two poor pitches later, the match was over.
Coe now has twice gone for that green in her last two matches. She won the hole Thursday with a birdie to force extra holes in a 19-hole, third-round win over Leanne Bowditch. She won the hole on Friday morning to take the match.
Coe is on the course against 2006 U.S. Women's Amateur champion Kimberly Kim, while Park is facing 2008 WAPL runner-up Jennifer Song.
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WAPL Day 5
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After an overnight thunderstorm, the sun is back out for this morning's quarterfinal matches. Hopefully we can get through today without any weather interruptions as the forecast is calling for a possible thunderstorm late this afternoon.
We certainly have an eclectic mix of quarterfinalists, ranging in age from 13 to 21. Sydnee Michaels, 21, of Temecula, Calif., is the oldest remaining player in the field. She will be a senior at UCLA in the fall.
Meanwhile, Casie Cathrea, 13, of Livermore, Calif., could become the youngest champion in the history of the WAPL. Michelle Wie was 13 years, 8 months when she claimed the title in 2003. Cathrea would be 13 years, 7 months if she won this year. Cathrea has a tall task today against Jennifer Song, the 2009 NCAA Freshman of the Year for the University of Southern California.
Song is an interesting story. She was born in Ann Arbor, Mich., but moved back to Korea shortly thereafter. She remained in Korea until coming to USC last fall. Her father is a university professor.
The first quarterfinal features 14-year-old Korean Jisoo Park against Cydney Clanton, who plays at Auburn University and qualified for the 2008 U.S. Women's Open. All three of Park's matches have gone at least to the 18th hole and two have gone extra holes. She eliminated stroke-play medalist Stephanie Kono Thursday afternoon, 1 up.
Kimberly Kim, 17, of Hilo, Hawaii, is seeking her second USGA title. She became the youngest champion in U.S. Women's Amateur history three years ago at Pumpkin Ridge outside of Portland, Ore. She faces 17-year-old Sun Gyoung Park of Vail, Ariz., who was born in Korea but moved to the U.S. six years ago. She speaks English very well and is an outstanding student. Her list of potential colleges includes Yale, Penn, Georgetown and Northwestern.
Michaels faces Joanna Coe of Mays Landing, N.J., in the last quarterfinal. Coe was also an outstanding soccer player in high school before tearing her ACL and meniscus during her senior season. She dreamnt of playing soccer in college, but realized in high school that golf would be her ticket. She helped Rollins College to the NCAA Division II title in 2008 and was the individual national champion as well.
It should be a great morning of golf.
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Thursday, June 25, 2009
Young Guns
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Recently, the U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links has witnessed a plethora of young talent, some of whom have walked away with the title. Michelle Wie won at 13. Yani Tseng won at 15. Catherine Cartwright, Mina Harigae and Eung June Lee won at 17. Kimberly Kim was a finalist at 14, and Vicki Goetze reached the final when she was 13.
We could have a couple of more young phenoms making a bid to put their names on the trophy this week. Casie Cathrea, 13, and 14-year-old Jisoo Park have all reached the round of 16 here at Red Tail Golf Club. The 17-year-old Kim also has won a pair of matches and is bidding for a second USGA title to go along with the U.S. Women's Amateur she claimed at 14 three years ago.
Gyoung Sun Park, 17, of Vail, Ariz., also is making a push for the title. She has a big lead on Kristen Schelling of Mesa, Ariz.
But the biggest gallery today belongs to local favorite Brittany Altomare, an 18-year-old from nearby Shrewsbury, Mass. She is in a battle with last year's runner-up Jennifer Song. Song owned a 1-up lead through 15 holes.
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Moving On
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The second round of match play is nearly complete. Medalist Stephanie Kono has moved on after beating future UCLA teammate Tiffany Lua for the second time in three years at this event. Kono ousted Lua two years ago in Kentucky when Lua was the stroke-play medalist. Kono now faces Jisoo Park of Korea in the round of 16.
A good matchup this afternoon will feature last year's WAPL runner-up, Jennifer Song, facing local favorite Brittany Altomare from nearby Shrewsbury.
We also have a 13-year-old in the third round, Cassie Cathrea of Livermore, Calif. Watched a little of her match this morning against Sarah Brown and she's got a very bright future. Cathrea has an athletic golf swing and was outdriving the 17-year-old Brown on a few occasions. Both played outstanding golf on the first nine, with each shooting 4-under 32s, with the usual match-play concessions. Cathrea prevailed, 1 up, and now plays Alice Kim, another Californian who attends UC Davis.
Still waiting for results on lower half of the draw, but Sara-Maude Juneau of Canada has moved on, as has Sun Gyoung Park of Vail, Ariz.
Kimberly Kim, the 2006 U.S. Women's Amateur champion, also is in solid position to advance. She is 2 up with two to play against Caroline Kim, and Joanna Coe of Mays Landing, N.J., owns a 3-up lead over the youngest remaining player, 13-year-old Yueer Cindy Feng. The Chinese-born Feng lives in Orlando, Fla., and has already qualified for next month's U.S. Women's Open.
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Day 4 At WAPL
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Believe it or not, the sun has come out. Yes, it's made a cameo here in Devens, Mass., for day four of the U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links Championship. The weather report is good and we might not see a drop of precipipation for the first time since the championship commenced on Monday. That's a good thing since we have two rounds of match play today. By day's end, we'll be down to just eight golfers.
Would love to hear who you like to win the title. Send me an e-mail at dshefter@usga.org.
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Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Done For The Day
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First round of match play is in the books and not too many surprises. Annie Park, the No. 2 seed, was eliminated by Kristen Schelling, but most of the other top seeds advanced to the round of 32.
Stephanie Kono avoided the medalist jinx by defeating Emily Powers. The medalist the last two years at the WAPL had been eliminated in the first round, including Kono beating Tiffany Lua. Those two will meet in round two on Thursday.
Local favorite Brittany Altomare also moved on with a 1-up win over Pennapa Pulsawath of Thailand. Altomare was the No. 4 seed from qualifying. Three seed Whitney Neuhauser, fifth seed Alice Kim, sixth seed Joanna Coe, seven seed Caroline Kim and No. 8 seed Lizette Salas also won first-round matches. Salas was a first-round victim last year as a co-medalist.
Should have some excellent matches on Thursday, starting with Kono meeting Lua. Those two will be teammates this fall at UCLA. The Salas-Stefanie Kenoyer match also should be good. Kenoyer recently qualified for the U.S. Women's Open and Salas was the Pacific 10 Conference Player of the Year.
By this time tomorrow, we'll be down to our quarterfinalists. It sure goes fast.
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Triple Kim
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Thursday's second-round match between Kimberly Kim -- affecionately known as Kim Kim -- and Caroline Kim ought be a tongue twister for the USGA official in charge of that match.
Kimberly Kim, the 2006 U.S. Women's Amateur champion, defeated Mallory Fraiche, 3 and 1, while Caroline Kim ousted Courtney Gunter, 3 and 2.
And they aren't the only Kims to advance at the WAPL. Alice Kim also won her first-round match on Wednesday over Gennifer Mendez of North Port, Fla., in 19 holes.
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We Have An Ace
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Simon Hoey, 19, of Rancho Cucamonga holed out an 8-iron from 144 yards at the par-3 fifth hole during her first-round match against Candace Schepperle. Schepperle had stuck her tee shot to within 2 feet before Hoey, who went 1 up with the shot, recorded the second hole-in-one at this championship.
During stroke play, Mary Mattson of Ijamsville, Md., aced the par-3 15th hole with a 26-degree hybrid club.
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Match Play Tidbit
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It's definitely a young group of players who qualified for match play at the 2009 WAPL. The oldest remaining player is Ashley Medders, 23, of Alma, Ga. The youngest match-play contestant is recent U.S. Women's Open qualifier Yueer Cindy Feng, 13, of the People's Republic of China. She is an eighth-grader at Windermere Prep in the Orlando, Fla., area.
None of the nine mid-amateurs (25 and over) in the field survived the cut, which came at 8-over 152.
Would love to hear who you like to win the championship. Send e-mails to dshefter@usga.org.
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Playoff over
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Emily Powers survived a three-hole playoff to earn the final playoff spot. Powers recorded a 5 on the par-5 18th hole, while Ember Schuldt had a 6 and Stacey Kim an 8. Powers now faces medalist Stephanie Kono in the first round.
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Playoff Update
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A quick update on the 4-for-1 playoff going on for the last spot in the match-play draw this morning. Samantha Sommers made a 6 on the second playoff hole -- the first playoff hole was contested Tuesday night -- and was eliminated. Emily Powers, Stacey Kim and Ember Schuldt all made 5s.
They are currently playing the par-5 18th hole. The winner of the playoff gets to face medalist Stephanie Kono. But never count out the No. 64 player in the draw. The last two years, No. 64 has advanced out of the first round. Two years ago, in fact, Kono defeated medalist Tiffany Lua after surviving a four-hole playoff. Last year, both medalists -- Lizette Salas and Katie Kempter -- fell in the first round.
As for the weather, it continues to rain. I feel as if I've been transformed into some sort of biblical novel. There is good news from our weather folks. It is supposed to stop raining at some point today. I've certainly seen enough precipitation over the last two weeks. Time for some sunshine.
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Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Cut Information
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The match-play cut came at 8-over 152 with 11 golfers playing off for the final six spots. USGA officials are going to make every attempt to get in the playoff tonight. We have about another hour of daylight.
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Raining Again
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Guess we can't get through a championship day without some rain. We've received some light downpours this afternoon after the morning portion of round two featured overcast skies, but no precipitation. From what I hear from our weather folks, it could be like this for at least another day or so.
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No Squeegees
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Anyone who watched this past week's U.S. Open is probably by now familiar with water hogs and squeegees. So much rain fell at Bethpage Black that the maintenance crew -- both staff and volunteers -- had to put in yeoman's work just to keep the course playable. That meant using squeegees and water hogs (giant rollers that act like a sponge) to remove excess water.
But you won't see that equipment here this week at Red Tail.
"We don't have a squeegee on the property," Red Tail pro Jim Pavlik told the Worcester Telegram & Gazette. "If it rained here and we had the water that they had at Bethpage the other day, 10 minutes after it stopped raining, the water would be gone."
Red Tail sits on very sandy soil and water drains extremely quickly. Play never had to be suspended on Monday, even though it rained -- sometimes quite heavily -- most of the day.
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Success Stories
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Laura Erdman from our USGA Foundation in Colorado Springs, Colo., was kind enough to send us a list of 2009 WAPL competitors (21) who are current or past participants in LPGA-USGA Girls Golf, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. The program offers girls a chance to learn and participate in the game via a fun and entertaining atmosphere.
That list includes Kristen Hill, who opened with a 3-under-par 69 on Monday. Another notable name is Madison Pressel, the younger sister of 2005 U.S. Women's Amateur champion Morgan Pressel, who now is a successful LPGA Tour player. Madison is headed to the University of Texas in the fall. Here is the complete list:
Amber Ward; Angela Villela; Ashley Smith; Bethany Leclair; Brittany Weddell; Casie Cathrea; Courtney Gunter; Jade Bollinger; Jennifer Gartin; Joanna Coe; Kayla Mortellaro; Kelly Fuchik; Kimberly Johnson; Kristen Schelling; Kristen Hill; Laura Deleonardis; Madison Pressel; Meghan Martinek; Sarah Almond; Sarah Brown and Stacey Kim.
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Monday, June 22, 2009
Dialed In
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Kristen Hill seemed oblivious to the damp, rainy and chilly conditions Monday afternoon. All the Weston, Fla., native did was shoot a 4-under 32 on her second nine for a tidy 69 at Red Tail Golf Club.
When asked about the weather, Hill replied: "We play college tournaments in bad weather, so I'm kind of used to it. We had frost delays at a couple of tournaments this year."
Hill will be a sophomore at Akron this fall.
It's looking like Lizette Salas' 68 will hold up as the low score for round one of stroke-play qualifying.
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