North Plains, Ore.(August 11, 2006) – Katharine Schallenberg, 26, of
Germany, Stacy Lewis, 21, of The Woodlands, Texas, Lindy Duncan, 15, of Plantation,
Fla., and Kimberly Kim 14, of Hilo, Hawaii advanced Friday to the semifinals
of the U.S. Women’s
Amateur at the 6,380-yard, par 71 Witch Hollow Course of Pumpkin Ridge Golf
Club.
Schallenberg faces Lewis and Duncan will play Kim in Saturday’s semifinal
matches.
The semifinal between the 15-year-old Duncan and 14-year-old Kim guarantees
the youngest finalist in championship history. In 1963, Peggy Conley became
the youngest at the age of 16 years, two months.
 |
| Stacy Lewis tosses her club in frustration after missing a putt on
the third hole. (Steve Gibbons/USGA) |
In Friday’s quarterfinal round, Schallenberg defeated Jennie Lee, 19,
a USA Curtis Cup player from Huntington Beach, Calif., 1 up. Lewis trounced
Ayaka Kaneko, 16, of Honolulu, Hawaii, 6 and 4. Duncan went extra holes before
she beat Jennie Arseneault, 18, of Grinnell, Iowa, on the 19th, and Kim defeated
Eileen Vargas, 21, of Colombia, 3 and 1.
Kim is one of three 14 year olds in history to get this far in the championship.
Aree Song was 14 and six months in 2000 and Roberta Albers was 14 years and
eight months in 1961.
Schallenberg is alone in the United States with her coach, Marcus Neumann,
who is her caddie.
“My friends and family got up at 4 a.m. in Lengerich, Germany to see
the results on the Internet,” Schallenberg said wistfully.
The German Women’s Amateur champion never trailed in the match and was
2 up at the 15th hole. She lost the 16th to a par and came to the 18th with
a 1-up lead. From the right rough on the par-5 hole, she pitched her third
shot to within 15 feet of the hole. Schallenberg made her birdie putt for the
win.
Lewis made the turn 3 up on Kaneko. She also won the 10th, 11th and
14th holes to claim the match.
Lewis, the 2006 Women’s Western Amateur champion, battles scoliosis,
a back infirmity. In 2003 a rod and screws were surgically implanted in her
back. The ailment makes her unsure about how long she can compete at a high
level. While it causes some stiffness, she has no pain and is concentrating
on the championship.
“I’m a pretty calm person,” said Lewis. “It takes
a lot to get me excited. I’m very excited right now.”
Duncan battled some wayward shots as her match with Arsenault began. Allowing
for the usual match-play concessions, she was five over par on the front nine
and trailed by one hole.
“I was swinging too fast but I think I found my rhythm on the ninth
hole,” Duncan said. The match was square after 18 and on the first extra
hole, Duncan found the green with a 6-iron while Arsenault hit her approach
shot in a bunker. Duncan managed a par to win.
Duncan’s high school studies are conducted on an Internet site sponsored
by the University of Miami. Her only golf instructor has been her father, David. “He’s
a lousy golfer but he has done a lot of research on the golf swing and he knows
my swing,” she said.
She’ll face Kim to determine who will be the youngest finalist in the
championship’s history.
Of the four semifinalists, Kim had the lowest score on the card at even par.
She was 1 up going into the par-3 15th hole when she hit an 8-iron to within
15 feet of the hole. She made the birdie putt to take a 2-up lead and won the
17th for a 3-and-1 victory.
Kim said her biggest concern tonight was getting enough sleep. “I only
slept about 12 ½ hours last night,” she said. “Sleeping
is my hobby.”
The Women’s Amateur concludes with a scheduled 36-hole final on Sunday.
It is one of 13 national championships conducted by the United States Golf
Association. Ten are strictly for amateurs.
Rhonda Glenn is a Manager of USGA Communications. E-mail her with questions
or comments at rglenn@usga.org.
Results
North Plains, Ore. – Results from the quarterfinal round of match play
Friday in the United States Women’s Amateur Championship at the 6,380-yard,
par-71 Witch Hollow Course of Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club.
Round of 8
Upper Bracket
Katharina Schallenberg, Germany (143) def. Jennie Lee, Huntington Beach, Calif.
(147), 1 up
Stacy Lewis, The Woodlands, Texas (148) def. Ayaka Kaneko, Honolulu, Hawaii
(142), 6 and 4
Lower Bracket
Lindy Duncan, Plantation, Fla. (144) def. Jennie Arseneault, Grinnell, Iowa
(147), 19 holes
Kimberly Kim, Hilo, Hawaii (146) def. Eileen Vargas, Colombia (147), 3 and
1
Pairings
North Plains, Ore. – Pairings for the semifinal round of match play
Saturday in the United States Women’s Amateur Championship at the 6,380-yard,
par-71 Witch Hollow Course of Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club.
Round of 4
Upper Bracket
10 a.m. Katharina Schallenberg,
Germany (143) vs. Stacy Lewis, The Woodlands, Texas (148)
Lower Bracket
10:15 a.m. Lindy Duncan,
Plantation, Fla. (144) vs. Kimberly Kim, Hilo, Hawaii (146)