Notebook: Will 13 Be A Lucky USGA Number For Kono?

By David Shefter, USGA

Erin, Wis. – Will this finally be Stephanie Kono’s time? If she believes in karma or symmetry, it just might be.

A year ago, Mina Harigae finally got into her first final and won the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links in her 13th USGA championship.

Guess how many USGA championship this is for the well-traveled Kono?

Thirteen.

Stephanie Kono of Honolulu, Hawaii, is playing in her 13th USGA championship and advanced to the quarterfinals at the 2008 WAPL. (USGA Photo Archives)

The 18-year-old from Honolulu, Hawaii, who is headed to UCLA in the fall, has had several near-misses in previous USGA competitions, including a semifinal effort at the 2007 U.S. Girls’ Junior and reaching the 2007 WAPL quarterfinals as the No. 64 match-play qualifier.

Through three match-play rounds at the 2008 WAPL at Erin Hills, Kono has found herself back in the quarterfinals, just three wins from that elusive first championship.

“It’s a little early,” said Kono, trying not to get too far ahead of herself. “I’m just going to keep playing the way I am and hopefully that will take me far.”

Kono got things rolling Thursday on the second nine of her second-round morning match against Ani Gulugian of Irvine, Calif. She made five birdies over her last seven holes to close out a 4-and-2 win. Against 16-year-old Alexandra Stewart of Peoria, Ariz., Kono was much steadier with pars, but earned an easier 5-and-4 win to set up a Friday match against longtime junior golf rival Michelle Shin.

“Michelle is awesome,” said Kono. “That would be really fun to play her tomorrow.”

Kono’s last match play event was in November at the American Junior Golf Association Polo Classic, where she took Vicky Hurst to the 28th hole in the semifinals before losing. At the 2007 U.S. Girls’ Junior, Kono defeated future UCLA teammate Maria Uribe at the 20 th hole in the third round and fellow Hawaiian and stroke-play medalist Kimberly Kim at the 23rd hole in the afternoon quarterfinals. Exhausted and mentally spent, Kono couldn’t muster up the same magic the next day in a 2-up lost to eventual winner Kristen Park.

“I just have to keep hitting the fairways, and keep hitting the greens and make a few putts,” said Kono. “That’s all it is really. I’m just waiting for putts to fall.”

Cup Of Joh

In a few weeks, you can bet you’ll find Tiffany Joh and Sydnee Michaels at a Westwood Starbucks. And it will be Michaels digging into her purse to pay for the hot beverage.

The two UCLA teammates had a friendly bet for Thursday’s second-round match, a contest won by Joh, 3 and 2.

“We actually raised the stakes a little bit at dinner last night,” said Joh, the 2006 WAPL champion and a member of the victorious 2008 USA Curtis Cup team. “The loser buys a hot chocolate when we get back to school.”

Joh’s hot putter proved to be the difference in a see-saw match. Joh took control at holes 10 and 11 and then got a winning par at No. 14 to grab a 3-up lead. She closed out the match two holes later.

When it was over, Joh had tears, not of joy, but of sorrow for her fallen teammate.

“It was cut,” said Michaels of her teammates’ affection. “I was comforting her! I was like, ‘Wait a minute you won and you are supposed to be comforting me!’

“She played great and made a lot of awesome long putts, long bombers, a lot of saves.”

Michaels does get a consolation prize as she heads to Edina, Minn., for next week’s U.S. Women’s Open. This will be her third consecutive trip to the Women’s Open, having missed the cut at Newport (R.I.) Country Club in 2006 and Pine Needles Lodge and Resort last year in Southern Pines, N.C.

“I think this week helped me prepare for next week,” said Michaels. “You know it’s really fast greens and it’s a really tough golf course. It was great [to play here]. I couldn’t have gotten better practice back home. It was perfect.”

Joh remains the last of the five 2008 USA Curtis Cup players who came to Erin Hills this week to still be playing. Jennnie Lee lost in the second round to Tiffany Lua, while Amanda Blumenherst and Kimberly Kim each fell in the first round. Defending WAPL champion Mina Harigae missed the match-play cut. As for carrying the banner for the Curtis Cup team, Joh was humble.

“No matter what it’s match play, you never know what’s going to happen,” said Joh. “It’s a testament to how strong the fields have gotten at these tournaments. Today’s match with Sydnee was a lot closer than it looked. It could have gone either way. We were both playing pretty well.”

Do You Know Who I Am?

Lauren Doughtie of Suffolk, Va., is quietly climbing her way through the draw and remains the highest seed left in the championship (No. 4). Doughtie, who recently was medalist at U.S. Women’s Open sectional qualifying in Pinehurst, N.C., has yet to play past the 17th hole in any of her three matches.

On Thursday, the 21-year-old beat Erica Creed, 6 and 5, and Emily Powers, 3 and 2. A power player, Doughtie said the key has been keeping her shots out of the fescue.

“Unfortunately, I’ve had my fare share of experiences with tall grass before this week,” said Doughtie, a senior-to-be at North Carolina State. “We play a few college tournaments in Kentucky [and] I always seem to hit it in there. Not too much today. I think today I was in there four times over the two matches. It’s getting easier [to stay out of there].”

Doughtie had a strong spring season at N.C. State, finishing runner-up at Lousiana State’s event at four under par and then qualifying for the NCAA Women’s Championship as an individual by finishing tied for fifth at the Central Regional. She had a T34 effort at NCAAs, but has been in a good frame of mind since qualifying for the Women’s Open.

“I’m actually glad this tournament is this week because I think I would be too much focusing on next week,” said Doughtie, who will tee it up at Interlachen C.C. “This is just a chance for me to have fun, play well and forget about next week. I have the confidence that I am playing well so I don’t have to worry about that.”

Green With Envy

Jaye Marie Green saw her run at this year’s championship ended by Joh in a tough 2-and-1 match. For a 14-year-old competing in her first USGA competition, it was an event that won’t soon be forgotten.

The daughter of a club professional, Green only took up the game three years ago and already is showing the ability to compete on the national stage. In January, she played the Doherty, a major women’s amateur event held in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and lost in the round of 32 to Daniela Lendl.

“Is she really 14?” asked Joh. “I thought maybe she was 15. I have milk in my refrigerator back home that is older than her.”

In the fall, Green will be attending the St. Andrews School, where alum Morgan Pressel enjoyed a fruitful career and now is a successful LPGA Tour player. Green is close friends with her younger sister, Madison, who competed here this week but was disqualified in stroke play for signing an incorrect scorecard.

“We usually play practice rounds together in tournaments,” said Green, who already is hitting her drives in the 250-yard range.

Despite having a professional golfer in the family, Green was never pressured to play. She and her brother approached dad one day about playing and she’s been at it ever since.  Donnie Green works at Broken Sound Golf Club and has played a few PGA Tour events.

“He was going to try to go out [and qualify] for the [Champions] Tour before that, but now he spends all of his time with us,” said Green.

Green will now focus on qualifying for two other USGA events: the U.S. Girls’ Junior and Women’s Amateur. Her Girls’ Junior qualifier is Monday in Florida.

“I’m just happy with what I did here this week,” said Green. “I learned a lot.”

David Shefter is a USGA New Media staff writer. E-mail him with questions or comments at dshefter@usga.org.