Johns Creek, Georgia, United States: China’s Liu Yujie will face-off with American Asterisk Talley in the Round of 32 at the 76th US Girls’ Junior Championship.
Tied for 18th in the 36-hole stroke play phase at Atlanta Athletic Club’s Riverside Course, Liu breezed through her opening match play contest, 4&3 against American Elin Kim.
Her reward is a daunting tie against Talley, runner-up to Rianne Malixi of the Philippines last year. Talley also finished runner-up to Malixi in the 2024 US Women’s Amateur.
Liu is one of 10 players from the Asia-Pacific to progress to the final 32 at the Girls’ Junior.
There, she is joined by fellow Chinese Grace Xu Zilin, the Thai quartet of Achiraya Sriwong, Pimpisa Rubrong, Music Ponmani and Anita Lumpongpoung, the Australian trio of Rachel Lee, Shyla Singh and Amelia Harris and Singaporean Chen Xingtong.
Like Liu, 17-year-old Australian Lee will need to be at her very best if she is to continue her good run as she takes on American Natalie Yen.
Lee defeated American Madeleine Conser 4&3 on Wednesday, adding to an already impressive showing by the Australians in Atlanta. Of the six players who began the championship, five advanced to match play. In addition to Lee, Singh and Harris also won their Round-of-64 matches.
“Definitely trying to go for more pins out there today, but still trying to focus on my game, beat the course as usual,” said Lee about the transition to match play. “It was really nice to play with Maddie, always something new to learn from your playing partners. It was just a great day out there.”
For her part, Yen has already etched her name into the USGA record books once this year – and she’s not done chasing history.
The 18-year-old from Oregon, who captured the 2025 US Women’s Amateur Four-Ball title in May, took the next step toward an even rarer feat by winning her Round-of-64 match.
With another deep run over the next three days, Yen could become just the fifth female to win two USGA championships in the same calendar year.
“Match play is definitely different from stroke play, but none of my strategies really changed,” said Yen, who is headed to Texas A&M this fall. “I would say one of the highlights of the day for me was that I just felt like I made a lot of good six-footers for par.”
After tying for sixth in stroke play on AAC’s Riverside Course, Yen continued her strong play with a 2&1 victory over Brynn Kort, runner-up in the 2024 US Women’s Amateur Four-Ball.
Round two of the championship concluded on Wednesday morning following a suspension of play due to darkness on Tuesday night, the result of a nearly two-hour weather delay.
Nine players completed the stroke play portion of the championship at six-over-par 148, with the ensuing nine-for-four play-off lasting five holes. Three of the four players went on to win their Round-of-64 matches: American Mia Carles, Thai Ponmani and China’s Xu.
The lone non-survivor was 64th seed Victoria Richani, of Lebanon, who was eliminated by medallist and top seed Grace Carter, 5&3.
Eleven countries, including the United States, were represented at the start of match play. The US led the way with 43 competitors, while Australia had five, Thailand four, Canada three and the People's Republic of China and Hong Kong, China had two apiece. Chinese Taipei, Japan, Lebanon, Mexico and Singapore each had one representative.
Hong Kong’s Arianna Lau and Sophie Han bowed out in the Round of 64 along with Australian Sarah Hammett, Chinese Taipei’s Hsieh Ping-hua and Singapore’s Guo Junxi.
