(USGA Photo)
CHARLESTON, S.C. (Aug. 11, 2013) -- Emma
Talley, 19, of Princeton, Ky., survived a tough
match with Yueer Cindy Feng, 17, of Orlando,
Fla., and captured a 2-and-1 victory at the
2013
U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship at the
Country Club of Charleston.
Talley and Feng will both receive exemptions
into the 2014 U.S. Women’s Open at Pinehurst
Resort & Country Club, provided they both
remain amateurs. Talley also earned custody
of the
Robert Cox Trophy for the next year.
“To win the biggest tournament in the world,
this is a dream come true,” said an
overwhelmed
Talley, a rising sophomore at the University of
Alabama.
Talley led, 1 up, after the morning 18, and led
by as much as 3 up early in the afternoon
round.
Feng rallied to square the match on the 25th
hole, but a birdie by Talley on the 28th hole
gave
her a lead that she would not relinquish, as
she closed out Feng with a par on the 35th
hole of
the match.
Talley won the opening hole of the day with a
2-foot par putt after Feng two-putted for
bogey
from 4 feet. Talley had multiple opportunities
to extend her lead over the next stretch of
holes,
with lip-out putts at the third and sixth holes
that kept Feng close.
Feng was well aware of her early luck, saying,
“I could have been 5 or 6 down going into the
afternoon.”
Talley carried the 1-up advantage until the
par-4 seventh, where she was unable to
convert her
up-and-down for par. Feng escaped the trees
along the right of the fairway and converted a
6-
foot par putt to square the match.
“It wasn't even like I was missing 10-footers
or something,” said Talley of her putting
struggles.
“I was three putting like crazy.”
Feng took her first lead at the par-4 eighth
after Talley made her third three-putt bogey
in a
four-hole stretch. It was a seesaw battle for
the next eight holes, with Talley bringing the
match
to all square at 11 and 14 and Feng winning
the ensuing hole on both occasions.
“I don't know if it was nerves or adrenaline, or
I don't know if it was all kicking in gear at the
same time, but the match was up and down,”
said Talley, who was competing in her 10th
USGA
championship. “She hit great shots and I hit a
couple good shots.”
With the clubhouse in sight on the opening 18,
Talley’s putter picked up steam. She dropped
a 6-
footer for birdie at the par-3 17th to square
the match. And after Feng’s approach to the
par-5
18th rolled off the back of the green, Talley
placed hers within 6 feet and reclaimed a 1-up
lead
with a birdie going into the break between
rounds.
After the lunch break, it looked like Talley
would pull clear of Feng. A 15-foot birdie at
the 20th
hole extended her lead to 2 up, and it grew to
3 up when Feng three-putted for bogey at the
22nd.
But Feng came storming back, carding birdies
at two of the next three holes and bringing the
match to all square with 11 holes to play.
Talley’s confidence was not shaken, despite
the
sudden momentum shift.
“The good thing about that was that she was
making the shots,” said Talley, whose
previous
best Women’s Amateur finish was a second-
round loss in 2011. “I didn't really do much
wrong to
lose that lead.”
Talley reclaimed a 1-up lead with a clutch 15-
foot birdie putt at the 28th hole, which was
punctuated by her fist pump and an
enthusiastic round of applause. She extended
the lead to 2
up with Feng missed a 7-foot par putt at the
30th hole.
But Feng would not go down without a fight.
After sending her approach at the 31st down a
steep embankment behind the green, a deft
touch with a wedge left Feng with a 3-foot par
attempt. Talley’s birdie putt from the front
edge of the green blew past the hole, and
when she
missed her comebacker for par, Feng cut the
deficit to a tenuous one hole.
That one-hole lead was all Talley needed.
After halving the next three holes with pars,
Talley’s
tee shot at the par-3 35th found the front-right
portion of the green, and Feng’s nestled in the
left rough just off the green. Feng misread her
birdie try, sending the putt 6 feet right of the
hole. Talley lagged her birdie putt for a
conceded par, and Feng’s missed par attempt
gave Talley
the victory.
“This morning, when she wasn’t playing well, I
played worse,” said Feng, who will attempt to
qualify for the LPGA Tour as an amateur at
this month’s LPGA Qualifying School. “Then in
the
afternoon, when she did play well, I wasn’t
able to hold on as tight.”
Talley’s constant companion throughout the
week was her father/caddie, Dan Talley.
Daughter
looked to father for support and a calming
influence during those stressful closing holes.
“We always have a lot of fun together,” said
Talley of their strong bond. “He's a jokester,
and
when we kick it around, we share it with
everybody, and I really appreciated it. He was
great for
me this week.”
Both players struggled with scoring in
Charleston’s oppressive heat and humidity.
Talley carded a
score of three-over par, including seven
bogeys (four consecutive at holes 5-8) and
four birdies.
Feng returned the equivalent of six-over par
(with the usual match-play concession),
including
four birdies, eight bogeys and one double
bogey.
The gallery that braved the day’s steamy
temperatures included Alabama Head Coach
Mic Potter,
who came in from Tuscaloosa to support
Talley, as well as her teammate Stephanie
Meadow, of
Northern Ireland, who lost in the first round of
match play. Meadow, carrying a Roll Tide
banner,
was joined by her fellow GB&I Curtis Cup
competitors Leona and Lisa Maguire, of
Ireland.