Wednesday, Aug. 05, 2009

California teen earns top seed at Women's Amateur Championship

Earns medalist honors by shooting a 138

LADUE, Mo. -- K.S. Kang left no doubt in the mind of his daughter Danielle what her goal was this week heading into the 109th U.S. Women's Amateur Championship at Old Warson Country Club..

On a hot, humid Tuesday afternoon, 16-year-old Danielle Kang achieved that goal.

A native of Thousand Oaks, Calif., Kang fired a 3-under par 68 to take medalist honors during stroke- play qualifying as she posted a one-stroke win over Jessica Korda and Marina Alex.

Kang, who will be the first seed in match play that begins at 9:30 a.m. today, finished with a 36-hole total of 138. Korda, playing out of Bradenton, Fla., and Alex, finished at 139, while Sun Gyoung Park (140) and Lindy Duncan (141) rounded out the top five players.

Kang, whose round Tuesday included seven birdies, said she was awaked by her father on Monday in a very unusual way.

"He peeked his head in my room and said, 'Come on medalist, it's time to get up,'' Danielle Kang said. "That was my goal all along. I made a few more bogies today but I've had 12 birdies the last two days to offset that. I do need to keep the ball in the fairway a little better, though if I'm going to do well in match play.''

The cut to qualify for match play came at 9-over 151. A total of 64 players will compete in the first round of match play at venerable Old Warson Country Club.

Kang said her mind set doesn't change heading into the match play format.

"You just try to play steady golf, play your game and make as many pars as possible. If your opponent makes a lot of birdies and beats you, then it's good for them,'' Kang said. "I'm just going to go and try and have fun. That's another one of my dad's goals for me.''

Lizette Salas and Tiffany Lua finished with even par totals of 142, while six players, including Amy Anderson, were at 143. Anderson shot a 75 on Tuesday.

Hillsboro native Brooke Beeler shot a second straight 74 and also qualified for match play. Beeler tied with seven others for 36th at 148.

Korda tied Lua for the low round of the day with a 67, while Alex is still beaming with confidence after qualifying forthe U.S. Women's Open earlier this summer.

And the Vanderbilt University sophomore plans on staying that way. Using a red-hot putting stroke, Alex tamed the tricky greens and shot a two-under par 69.

Alex made birdie putts of 40 and 10 feet on the first two holes and never relented as she on cruised the difficult par-71 layout. Her two-round score was 139.

Alex missed the cut at the Women's Open by shooting rounds of 78 and 81. But it doesn't matter anymore to her.

"Playing at the U.S. Open was the toughest test I've ever had in golf. Of course I wanted to play better then what I did, but just being there and learning how to deal with the pressure of playing in that kind of environment has done the world of good for my confidence,'' Alex said. "Today, I got off to a good start and was able to maintain solid play the rest of the round."

Of those recording two-round totals of even par 142 or better, only Lua, an 18-year-old from Rowland Heights, Calif., played during the morning round.

Lua, whose round Tuesday included an eagle 3 on the par-5, 485-yard 16th hole, when she holed out a pitching wedge from 110 yards away, shot a 1-under par 70 and finished stroke play at 142.

The eagle erased any negative thoughts Lua might have had after she made double bogey seven on the par 12th hole.

"I was on in three and four putted,'' Lua said. "It (the eagle) was a good way to come back, The pins were a lot tougher today.''

Young talent

Casie Cathrea will be entering the eighth grade in Livermore, Calif., later this month, but she showed the poise of someone well beyond her 13 years on Tuesday at Old Warson.

Bouncing back from an opening round 81, Cathrea fired a 1-under par 70 to finish her 36 holes of qualifying at 151.

Cathrea made a bogey on her first hole then played the final 17 holes two-under par.

"I was a little nervous the first round and just didn't play my game,'' Cathrea said. "Today, I played like I know I can.''

Ace in the hole

Jenny Shin of Torrence, Calif., had the first hole in one of the 2009 U.S. Amateur. Shin accomplished the feat on the 187-yard 13th hole.

TV Time

The first round of match play today will be televised on the Golf Channel from 3 to 5 p.m.