- USGA photo by Steve Gibbons

The 19-year-old Song, who won the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links in June, is trying to join Pearl Sinn as the only players to win the WAPL and Women’s Amateur in the same year.

After ousting USC teammate Lizette Salas, 20, of Azusa, Calif., 4 and 2, in Thursday morning’s second round, Song recorded a 2-and-1 win over Cydney Clanton, 20, of Concord, N.C., in the afternoon’s third round on Old Warson’s par-71, 6,468-yard layout.

“I’m feeling really good,” said Song, who also earned low-amateur honors at the U.S. Women’s Open last month. “Obviously I am very confident going into [the quarterfinals] tomorrow. My short game is coming back.”

Song’s quarterfinal opponent on Friday will be Stephanie Kono, 19, of Honolulu, Hawaii, who advanced with a 2-up third-round win over Allie White, 19, of Lancaster, Ohio.

“I am really excited,” said Song of her match-up against Kono. “I have played Stephanie quite a bit in college tournaments. We’re good friends and we’ll have a lot of fun tomorrow.”

Also advancing was 2008 U.S. Girls’ Junior champion Alexis Thompson, 14, of Coral Springs, Fla., who earned a 2-and-1 win over Cyna Marie Rodriguez, 17, of the Philippines. Thompson struggled on the greens in both of her matches Thursday but still managed to advance. Earlier in the day, Thompson eliminated 2008 Great Britain & Ireland Curtis Cup member Jodi Ewart, 21, of England, 2 and 1.

“My putting was bad both [rounds],” said Thompson, who is trying to become the seventh golfer in history to claim the Girls’ Junior and Women’s Amateur. “I just tried to be more confident over my putts in the second round. It just didn’t’ seem to work. I don’t know what I’m doing.”

Thompson, also a quarterfinalist at the 2007 Women’s Amateur as a 12 year old, said her previous appearance in the quarters won’t necessarily be an advantage. She’ll next face 16-year-old Han Jungeun of Korea, who advanced with a 5-and-4 victory over Lindy Duncan of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

“Every match is hard,” said Thompson, who has played in the last three U.S. Women’s Opens. “You can’t take it easy on anybody. You’ve got to make some birdies and you’ve got to go for it."

Making birdies hasn’t been a problem for 16-year-old Jessica Korda of Bradenton, Fla., who made four with the usual match-play concessions in her 2-and-1 victory over 2008 Women’s Amateur semifinalist Erynne Lee, 16, of Silverdale, Wash. Korda’s quarterfinal opponent Friday will be Tiffany Lua, 18, of Rowland Heights, Calif., who advanced with a 1-up victory over Michelle Shin of Cape Coral, Fla.

Jennifer Johnson, 17, of La Quinta, Calif., advanced to the quarterfinals with a 3-and-2 win over Sydnee Michaels of Temecula, Calif. Johnson will face Candace Schepperle, 21, of Birmingham, Ala., who ousted Maude-Aimee LeBlanc of Canada., 3 and 2.

The 2009 U.S. Women’s Amateur continues with the quarterfinal matches Friday. The semifinal matches are on Saturday and the 36-hole championship final will be played Sunday.

The U.S. Women’s Amateur is one of 13 championships conducted annually by the United States Golf Association each year, 10 of which are strictly for amateurs.

Story written by Beth Murrison, manager of communications for the USGA. E-mail her with questions or comments at bmurrison@usga.org.