Tuesday, August 4, 2009

U.S. Women's Amateur Update

The storylines abound at the U.S. Women's Amateur this week. After the 1st round of stroke play ended, Dan O'Neill was all over the Cheyenne Woods angle, but he somehow failed to mention that Woods tied NYS Women's Amateur champion and #5-ranked female amateur in the US Kristina Wong (whom my dad saw play during her victory and came away super-impressed about), not to mention beat WAPL champion Jennifer Song by a shot. For more on the actual leaders, check out Beth Murrison's story. Me, I got to watch Ha Na Jang outplay Ai Miyazato in the Suntory Open on the JLPGA, so I'm rooting for her to improve on her semifinalist standing 2 years ago in the USWA. I'd also like to see Alexis Thompson (76), Stephanie Kono (76), Natalie Sheary (77), Madison Pressel (78), and Kira Meixner (79) advance to match play.

[Update 1 (6:12 pm): With half the field still closing out their rounds, the fate of some players is known and others, not so much. Cheyenne Woods is -1 through 9 and +2 overall (T14 right now), but Wake Forest teammate Natalie Sheary is +2 at the halfway point today and +8 overall (T61 right now). Kira Meixner (73) and Kristina Wong (77), both +9/T71, will need some help to get in a playoff for the last spots, while Alexis Thompson (74, +8) is hoping the cut line doesn't move to +7. Madison Pressel (+13), though, is done for the week. 71s by Jennifer Song (+4 overall) and Stephanie Kono (+5) guarantee they'll make it to match play, even if they didn't shoot the numbers they were probably hoping for. While medalist honors are nice and higher seedings help somewhat, it doesn't really matter how you make the cut, as long as you do, but for what it's worth there are 10 players with a great chance to top Tiffany Lua's 142 total.]

[Update 2 (8:54 pm): The rounds are complete and the players at +9 are T64. I checked David Shefter's most excellent blog and couldn't find any playoff results for that last spot in the match play brackets....]

[Update 3 (8/5/09, 6:30 am): Ray McCarthy notes the bad news (from my perspective): Kristina Wong was the last to lose the playoff to Amelia Lewis. Sad day for NYers!]

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Woods posted 74 in the first round - 5 shots off the lead. Dan O'Neill needs a hobby - following Cheyenne Woods isn't going to help his career.

She'll be lucky to get into match play. Leave her alone. Writing stories based on being related to someone else is pure tabloid garbage.

The Constructivist said...

T33 ain't bad and the top 64 make it to match play, so her round was almost newsworthy!

Anonymous said...

I'm just tired of tabloid "journalism" like that. She was tied for 33rd after one round - that doesn't qualify for a special story...as you mentioned. He picked Woods because of the name - no other reason.

The Constructivist said...

That's true, but I picked out other "name" players closer to missing the cut. Thing is, I'd be surprised by them doing it; I wouldn't be by Cheyenne doing it.