Tag: U.S. Women’s Amateur

U.S. Women’s Amateur: Saki Baba, Monet Chun advance to championship final at Chambers Bay

The winner will become the 15th first-time winner of the U.S. Women’s Amateur all-time.

The week started with 156 of the world’s best women’s amateur golfers vying for the Robert Cox Trophy at Chambers Bay in University Place, Washington. Now, that number is down to two.

Saki Baba of Japan and Monet Chun of Canada will face off Sunday in a 36-hole final to determine the 122nd U.S. Women’s Amateur champion.

Baba won in dominant fashion, knocking off Bailey Shoemaker from the United States 7 and 6. She recorded five birdies in 12 holes to only one bogey. Baba won five of the first seven holes, and a birdie after driving the short par-4 12th sealed the victory.

Baba’s win is the largest margin of victory in the semifinals of the U.S. Women’s Amateur since Annika Sorenstam won by that same number in 1992. Baba is the second player from Japan to reach the final all-time, joining Michiko Hattori in 1985.

In the other semifinal, Chun won the first hole and played solid golf all day to hold on to beat Ireland’s Annabel Wilson 2 and 1. Wilson won the second hole, but Chun took the lead for good with a birdie on the par-4 5th hole.

Wilson birdied the par-4 10th to get to 1 down, but Chun won the par-5 13th. The duo halved their next four holes, and Chun was victorious.

Chun would be the third Canadian to win the U.S. Women’s Amateur, joining Cathy Sherk, who won it at Sunnybrook Golf Club in 1978, and Marlene Stewart Streit, who won it in 1956 at Meridian Hills Country Club. Brooke Henderson, who won the Amundi Evian Championship last month, was the last Canadian to make the final in 2014.

U.S. Women’s Amateur: Scoring | Photo gallery

Sunday’s winner clinches a spot in the 2023 U.S. Women’s Open, which will be played at historic Pebble Beach Golf Links in Monterey, California.

Chambers Bay opened in 2007 and previously hosted three U.S. Golf Association championships, including the 2015 U.S. Open.

Semifinal results

  • 53 Monet Chun, Canada def. 33 Annabel Wilson, Ireland, 3 and 1
  • 34 Saki Baba, Japan, def. 54 Bailey Shoemaker, Dade City, Florida, 7 and 6

Championship match

Monet Chun vs. Saki Baba, 12:30 p.m. ET (9:30 a.m. local time)

How to watch

Sunday, Aug. 14, 7-10 p.m. ET, Golf Channel

Corrections & Clarifications: ​This article has been updated to reflect the correct spelling of Cathy Sherk’s name and the correct year (1978) that she won the U.S. Women’s Amateur.

[vertical-gallery id=778289004]

[mm-video type=playlist id=01es6rjnsp3c84zkm6 player_id=01evcfxp4q8949fs1e image=https://golfweek.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

Meet the team that made the 2022 U.S. Women’s Amateur at Chambers Bay possible

Here is a look at the team who has been working for multiple years to stage this year’s U.S. Women’s Am. 

When viewers tune into NBC/Golf Channel in August to watch the 122nd playing of the US Women’s Amateur at Chambers Bay, they will see a telecast that reminds them of other USGA events, like the U.S. Open. While the telecast for the two events may be similar, the operations for the events are very different. 

The U.S. Open will see 30,000+ fans per day. The merchandise tent is over an acre in size. There are dozens of tents and multiple food outlets. Spectators arrive via shuttle busses after parking off-site. The maintenance team is supplemented by dozens if not hundreds of outside superintendents who volunteer. 

All told there are hundreds of USGA and partner officials working on site. Working closely with them are the members of the staff at the host venue. During the week of the U.S. Open, the director of golf may be in charge of the driving range, or the food and beverage director may manage a local hospitality tent. 

At the U.S. Women’s Am this year, the team at Chambers Bay will be taking on an expanded role. There will be no tickets, just show up and enjoy the golf. There is no merchandise tent, just gear in the golf shop. The food options for fans will be the same as those for golfers, dine at the clubhouse or grab some drinks or easy food at two spots on the course.  

While the structures may not be as big, the effort from the team that stages the event is every bit as impressive. 

Here is a look at the team who has been working for multiple years to stage this year’s US Women’s Am. 

U.S. Women’s Amateur is down to the final four: Meet the 2022 semifinalists at Chambers Bay

The 2022 U.S. Women’s Amateur is at Chambers Bay in University Place, Washington.

The 2022 U.S. Women’s Amateur started with 1,497 entries. A total of 156 golfers made the field at Chambers Bay in University Place, Washington, outside Seattle.

After the fifth day of competition Friday in the 122nd rendition of the championship, there are four golfers left.

The semifinals are now set for Saturday. There will be a 36-hole final Sunday, with the winner clinching a spot in the 2023 U.S. Women’s Open, which will be played at historic Pebble Beach Golf Links in Monterey, California.

U.S. Women’s Amateur: Scoring | Photo gallery

Chambers Bay opened in 2007 and previously hosted three U.S. Golf Association championships, including the 2015 U.S. Open.

Quarterfinal results

The quarterfinals featured five girls from the United States and one each from Canada, Ireland and Japan. Of the eight, only one was a top-10 seed.

  • 33 Annabel Wilson, Ireland, def. 8 Catherine Rao, Camarillo, California, 3 and 1.
  • 53 Monet Chun, Canada, 19 holes over 45 Brianna Navarrosa, San Diego.
  • 34 Saki Baba, Japan, def. 39 Lauren Lehigh, Loveland, Colorado, 4 and 3.
  • 54 Bailey Shoemaker, Dade City, Florida, def. 30 Leigh Chien, Irvine, California, 5 and 3.

The 33, 34, 53 and 54 seeded players will make up the semifinals.

Semifinal matches

  • Annabel Wilson vs. Monet Chun, 2 p.m. ET (11 a.m. local time)
  • Saki Baba vs. Bailey Shoemaker, 2:15 p.m. ET (11:15 a.m. local time)

How to watch

Saturday, Aug. 13, 3-6 p.m. ET, Golf Channel

Sunday, Aug. 14, 7-10 p.m. ET, Golf Channel

Get to know the four semifinalists:

Top seed, defending champion both fall in first round of match play at U.S. Women’s Amateur at Chambers Bay

History repeated itself once again at the U.S. Women’s Amateur.

Wednesday’s first round of match play made for a bad day for the favorites at the 2022 U.S. Women’s Amateur.

The Round of 64 featured upset losses for the top seed Latanna Stone and defending champion Jensen Castle at Chambers Bay in University Place, Washington, as history continued to repeat itself at one of amateur golf’s most prestigious championships. This year marked the sixth time in the last nine years that the No. 64 seed has knocked off the No. 1 seed, and it’s also the second year in a row where the defending champion has lost in the first round.

Julia Misemer, who advanced to match play via a playoff, kept her momentum going with a 2-and-1 victory over Latanna Stone, the LSU senior who also came up just short at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur this spring.

“Honestly I wouldn’t say I was intimidated because we’re all at such a high level, I feel like it’s really anyone’s game,” said Misemer, a rising freshman at Arizona. “I kind of got that No. 64 coin on the first tee and I was like, ‘I want to always remember this as a good thing.’ I just tried to relax.”

Castle, a senior at Kentucky, was locked in a back-and-forth battle with Aneka Seumanutafa but made bogey on the last hole to lose, 1 up.

“This year has been a whirlwind. It’s been crazy. It’s been awesome. So many exemptions, so many great opportunities and a ton of great learned lessons. It’s been a year that I won’t forget for sure,” said Castle after the loss.

Five of the 32 matches on Wednesday went to extra holes and four were decided by six holes or more, the in a Round of 64 since 2012.

The Round of 32 is already underway Thursday morning, with the Round of 16 to follow in the afternoon. Friday will feature the quarterfinal matches, with the semifinals on Saturday and 36-hole final on Sunday.

[vertical-gallery id=778289004]

[mm-video type=playlist id=01es6rjnsp3c84zkm6 player_id=01evcfxp4q8949fs1e image=https://golfweek.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

U.S. Women’s Amateur: 13-year-old Alice Ziyi Zhao, the second-youngest player in the field, shares co-medalist honors at Chambers Bay

Match play begins Wednesday.

Alice Ziyi Zhao is unlike many 13 year olds.

Others are salvaging the final days of their summers, spending time at the pool or doing whatever to distract themselves of the impending return to school this fall. Zhao, however, is dominating one of the premier women’s amateur golf events in the world.

Zhao earned co-medalist honors at the 122nd U.S. Women’s Amateur at Chambers Bay in University Place, Washington. After 36 holes of stroke play, Zhao sat at 10-under 136, tied with Latanna Stone and Laney Frye. The trio will occupy the top three seeds when match play begins Wednesday with the round of 64.

Stone earned the first seed for match play after firing a 8-under 65, a new women’s competitive record at Chambers Bay.

“Just like yesterday, everything was working well,” Stone said. “I was hitting the ball great and putted really well. Putting kind of saved me a little bit today. But it’s just fairways and greens and keeping it simple. I’m really pumped for match play. I think I can play really aggressive – even more aggressive than I did in stroke play. Yeah, I’m excited.”

Zhao, who shot 6-under 67 in the opening round, was 4 under on Tuesday. Frye was consistent, shooting two rounds of 5-under 68.

Stone will be the top-seeded player in match play, with Zhao earning the second seed and Frye the third.

“I had a couple of mistakes, but otherwise I played pretty solid today,” Zhao, from China, said. “I think I missed two short birdie putts. I really like match play, so hopefully I can put together another couple good rounds.”

Defending champion Jensen Castle, who will be a senior at Kentucky, shot 4-under 69 in the second round to finish in a tie for 14th after stroke play. Rachel Heck, the top-ranked player in the field, finished tied for 46th at 2 over. Megha Ganne, an incoming freshman at Stanford, is in a tie for fourth at 7 under.

Stroke play isn’t quite over yet, however. There was an 8-for-4 playoff to determine the final match play spots that began on the par-4 10th hole. Jieni Li, Jennifer Rosenberg and Camryn Carreon all made par to qualify. Alice Hodge was eliminated with a double bogey, and Victoria Zheng, Julia Misemer, Emma Abramson and Anika Dy made bogey to move on to the second playoff hole.

Playing the par-3 17th, all but Abramson made par, and the playoff was suspended due to darkness. It will resume at 10:30 a.m. ET Wednesday with Zheng, Misemer and Dy playing the par-5 18th hole to determine who earns the final match play spot.

[vertical-gallery id=778289004]

[mm-video type=playlist id=01es6rjnsp3c84zkm6 player_id=01evcfxp4q8949fs1e image=https://golfweek.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

Photos: 122nd U.S. Women’s Amateur at Chambers Bay

The 122nd U.S. Women’s Amateur got underway Monday at Chambers Bay.

The 122nd U.S. Women’s Amateur got underway Monday at Chambers Bay in University Place, Washington.

156 golfers from around the world are vying for one of the biggest amateur prizes in women’s golf. The course, which hosted the 2015 U.S. Open, will be played as a par 73 measuring 6,541 yards. The first two days will be stroke play, and the top 64 will advance to match play, which begins Wednesday.

There will be television coverage beginning Wednesday through the end of the championship. Live scoring can be found here.

Here’s a look at some of the best photos from the 122nd U.S. Women’s Amateur at Chambers Bay:

[mm-video type=playlist id=01es6rjnsp3c84zkm6 player_id=01evcfxp4q8949fs1e image=https://golfweek.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

5 things to know about the 122nd U.S. Women’s Amateur at Chambers Bay

Chambers Bay is a different course than when it hosted the 2015 U.S. Open.

The 122nd U.S. Women’s Amateur is set to begin Monday at Chambers Bay in University Place, Washington. 156 of the best female amateur golfers in the world are in the Pacific Northwest to try and capture one of the biggest prizes in women’s amateur golf.

The course, which hosted the 2015 U.S. Open, will be played as a par 73 measuring 6,541 yards. There will be 36 holes of stroke play with the top 64 players advancing to match play. The champion will be decided in a 36-hole match on Sunday, August 14.

Defending champion Jensen Castle, a senior at Kentucky, is back to defend her title. She went on a historic run last year after surviving a 12-for-2 playoff just to make it to match play, winning it all as the 63rd seed.

The 122nd U.S. Women’s Amateur begins at 10 a.m. ET Monday with the first 18 holes of stroke play. Players will go off split tees in two waves with the second group beginning at 3 p.m. ET.

Here are five things to know about the U.S. Women’s Amateur: