Girls' golf: August 2010 Archives

Danielle Kang had watched her last three opponents -- Juliana Murcia Ortiz, Sydnee Michaels and Jennifer Kirby -- birdie the par-3, 119-yard 17th hole against her to extend their matches at the 110th U.S. Women's Amateur Championship.

After making par to halve the 17th hole with Jessica Korda (Bradenton, Fla.) in the morning session of the 36-hole, match-play final, the Pepperdine sophomore finally made birdie in the afternoon when it mattered most.

Kang made a 4-foot birdie putt on the 17th -- and 35th hole overall -- and Korda's 7-foot birdie attempt burned the right edge of the hole and lipped out, lifting the Westlake graduate to a 2 and 1 victory Sunday at Charlotte Country Club in North Carolina.

"The 17th hole has been my jinx," Kang said. "But I said 'today is my time to birdie it.'"

After going 1 down with six holes to play, Kang birdied the 14th hole and made par to Korda's bogey on the 16th hole, before closing the match out on No. 17.

"Even when I went 1 down with six holes to play, I thought I could still win (4 and 3)," Kang said. "I was not even thinking about (losing), I was only worrying about my score. I told myself 'It's fine, I'm here to play and I'm having a lot of fun.'"

Kang hit 13 of 14 fairways, 13 of 17 greens and recorded 28 putts. She finished 5-under for the match, including 1-under over the final 17 holes. After shooting even par for the 36 holes of stroke play, Kang was a combined 4-under over 122 holes in match play.

"My mom couldn't be here because she gets too nervous. But she said 'No matter what happens, it's fine, just do your best, but it would be nice to get to see (the Robert Cox championship trophy),'" Kang said. "It's awesome and it's mine and now I get to put my name on the trophy and show it to my mom."

Korda hit all 14 fairways and 16 of 17 greens, but had 30 putts. She was the equivalent of 6-under for 35 holes, shooting 3-under in the afternoon, including two conceded birdies and finished a combined 20-under over 117 holes in match play.

Pepperdine sophomore Danielle Kang sank a 4-foot birdie putt on the par-3, 119-yard 17th hole (35th hole overall) and Jessica Korda of Bradenton, Fla., had a 7-footer lip out to extend the match, securing a 2 and 1 victory for the Westlake graduate in the 36-hole, match-play final Sunday at the 110th U.S. Women's Amateur Championship at Charlotte Country Club in North Carolina.

It was the ninth birdie of the championship round, but the first birdie in eight times playing the 17th hole this week for Kang, who follows former USC All-American Jennifer Song -- now playing professionally -- as Women's Amateur champion.

Kang, the 12th seed, held the advantage from the fourth to the 26th hole, but never led No. 11 Korda by more than two holes. The 17-year-olds were all square for three consecutive holes, before Korda took her first lead of the match by making birdie on the par-5, 574-yard 12th hole, which Kang bogeyed.

Both players made par 4 on the 439-yard 13th hole, allowing Korda to remain in front after 31 holes, before Kang pulled even again with a birdie on the par-4, 331-yard 14th hole. Both competitors then recorded par 4 on the 358-yard 15th hole, then Korda bogeyed the 16th, just her fourth of the round.

Kang was 2 up after the first 18 holes in the morning. Both players made par on the first four holes in the afternoon session, before Kang bogeyed the par-4, 351-yard fifth hole to allow Korda to close to within 1 down for the first time since the 15th hole.

Kang rebounded to regain a 2-up lead after Korda bogeyed the par-4, 383-yard sixth hole, but the daughter of former Czech Republic tennis star Petr Korda recorded birdies on the par-5, 497-yard seventh hole and par-4, 368-yard ninth hole to pull even with nine holes remaining, the first time she was all square since the third hole.

Pepperdine sophomore Danielle Kang, a Westlake graduate, recorded a par 4 on the 418-yard 16th hole to go 1 up on Jessica Korda of Bradenton, Fla., after 34 holes in the 36-hole, match-play final Sunday at the 110th U.S. Women's Amateur Championship at Charlotte Country Club in North Carolina.

Kang, the 12th seed, held the advantage from the fourth to the 26th hole, but never led No. 11 Korda by more than two holes. The 17-year-olds were all square for three consecutive holes, before Korda took her first lead of the match by making birdie on the par-5, 574-yard 12th hole, which Kang bogeyed.

Both players made par 4 on the 439-yard 13th hole, allowing Korda to remain in front after 31 holes, before Kang pulled even again with a birdie on the par-4, 331-yard 14th hole. Both competitors then recorded par 4 on the 358-yard 15th hole, then Korda bogeyed the 16th, just her fourth of the round.

Kang was 2 up after the first 18 holes in the morning. Both players made par on the first four holes in the afternoon session, before Kang bogeyed the par-4, 351-yard fifth hole to allow Korda to close to within 1 down for the first time since the 15th hole.

Kang rebounded to regain a 2-up lead after Korda bogeyed the par-4, 383-yard sixth hole, but the daughter of former Czech Republic tennis star Petr Korda recorded birdies on the par-5, 497-yard seventh hole and par-4, 368-yard ninth hole to pull even with nine holes remaining, the first time she was all square since the third hole.

Pepperdine sophomore Danielle Kang, a Westlake graduate, birdied the par-4, 331-yard 14th hole to pull all square Jessica Korda of Bradenton, Fla., after 32 holes in the 36-hole, match-play final Sunday at the 110th U.S. Women's Amateur Championship at Charlotte Country Club in North Carolina.

Kang, the 12th seed, held the advantage from the fourth to the 26th hole, but never led No. 11 Korda by more than two holes. The 17-year-olds were all square for three consecutive holes, before Korda took her first lead of the match by making birdie on the par-5, 574-yard 12th hole, which Kang bogeyed.

Both players made par 4 on the 331-yard 13th hole, allowing Korda to remain in front after 31 holes, before Kang pulled even again, marking the sixth time in the match the competitors have been all square.

Kang was 2 up after the first 18 holes in the morning. Both players made par on the first four holes in the afternoon session, before Kang bogeyed the par-4, 351-yard fifth hole to allow Korda to close to within 1 down for the first time since the 15th hole.

Kang rebounded to regain a 2-up lead after Korda bogeyed the par-4, 383-yard sixth hole, but the daughter of former Czech Republic tennis star Petr Korda recorded birdies on the par-5, 497-yard seventh hole and par-4, 368-yard ninth hole to pull even with nine holes remaining, the first time she was all square since the third hole.

Pepperdine sophomore Danielle Kang, a Westlake graduate, trails Jessica Korda of Bradenton, Fla., 1 down after 30 holes in the 36-hole, match-play final Sunday at the 110th U.S. Women's Amateur Championship at Charlotte Country Club in North Carolina.

Kang, the 12th seed, held the advantage from the fourth to the 26th hole, but never led No. 11 Korda by more than two holes. The 17-year-olds were all square for three consecutive holes, before Korda took her first lead of the match by making birdie on the par-5, 574-yard 12th hole, which Kang bogeyed.

Kang was 2 up after the first 18 holes in the morning. Both players made par on the first four holes in the afternoon session, before Kang bogeyed the par-4, 351-yard fifth hole to allow Korda to close to within 1 down for the first time since the 15th hole.

Kang rebounded to regain a 2-up lead after Korda bogeyed the par-4, 383-yard sixth hole, but the daughter of former Czech Republic tennis star Petr Korda recorded birdies on the par-5, 497-yard seventh hole and par-4, 368-yard ninth hole to pull even with nine holes remaining, the first time she was all square since the third hole.

Pepperdine sophomore Danielle Kang, a Westlake graduate, is all square through 27 holes with Jessica Korda of Bradenton, Fla., in the 36-hole, match-play final Sunday at the 110th U.S. Women's Amateur Championship at Charlotte Country Club in North Carolina.

Kang, the 12th seed, held the advantage from the fourth to the 26th hole, but never led No. 11 Korda by more than two holes.

Kang was 2 up after the first 18 holes in the morning. Both 17-year-olds made par on the first four holes in the afternoon session, before Kang bogeyed the par-4, 351-yard fifth hole to allow Korda to close to within 1 down for the first time since the 15th hole.

Kang rebounded to regain a 2-up lead after Korda bogeyed the par-4, 383-yard sixth hole, but the daughter of former Czech Republic tennis star Petr Korda recorded birdies on the par-5, 497-yard seventh hole and par-4, 368-yard ninth hole to pull even with nine holes remaining.

It marks the third time in the match Korda has been all square, but she has never led Kang.

Pepperdine sophomore Danielle Kang, a Westlake graduate, remains 1 up through 23 holes on Jessica Korda of Bradenton, Fla., in the 36-hole, match-play final Sunday at the 110th U.S. Women's Amateur Championship at Charlotte Country Club in North Carolina.

Kang, the 12th seed, has held the advantage since the fourth hole, but never led No. 11 Korda by more than two holes.

Kang was 2 up after the first 18 holes in the morning. Both 17-year-olds made par on the first four holes in the afternoon session, before Kang bogeyed the par-4, 351-yard fifth hole to allow Korda to close to within 1 down for the first time since the 15th hole in the morning.