NORMAN, Okla. (June 19, 2013) -- After the first round of match play at the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links, one co-medalist stands and one is headed home.
Annie Park, the standout first-semester freshman at USC who recently won the NCAA individual title, lost to Ciera Min Tuesday at the Jimmie Austin OU Golf Club in Norman, Okla. Min beat Park, 6 and 4.
“I knew she was a great player,” Min said. “It’s humbling. Two years ago I played against [two-time Curtis Cup Team member] Tiffany Lua [at the WAPL] and now I draw Annie. I was like, ‘Wow, I get the best draws in these tournaments.’ ”
Park was among three current USC players to make match play. Teammate Doris Chen, the other co-medalist, advanced to the Round of 32 by defeating Abbey Carlson, 4 and 3. Chen already is a USGA champion, having won the 2010 U.S. Girls’ Junior.
The third Trojan, defending WAPL winner Kyung Kim, also advanced with a 6-and-4 victory over Monica Poomcharoen.
Recent UC Davis graduate Demi Frances Runas also fell on Tuesday to Rachelle Santos. So did 10-year-old Lucy Li, who lost, 3 and 2, to Ember Schuldt.
Among the three Oklahoma players competing on their home course this week, only Chirapat Jao-Javanil and Anne-Catherine Tanguay will move on. Taylor Schmidt lost to Pepperdine standout Grace Na on the 19th hole.
Casey Danielson, No. 3 the final stroke-play leaderboard, beat Kuriko Tsukiyama, 1 up, to advance. South Atlantic Amateur champion Kelly Shon, a Princeton senior, earned a lopsided 6-and-5 victory over Alison Hovatter.
U.S. Women's Pub-Links: Park upset, Chen remains
After the first round of match play at the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links, one co-medalist stands and one is headed home