Sizzling Xin Sets Hot Pace in US Girls’ Junior Championship

Maryland, United States: On a day when the Heat Index soared to 107 degrees, China’s ‘Cindy’ Xin Kou was nearly as scorching with her putter at Columbia Country Club. The 17-year-old rolled in five birdies to post a four-under 66 in round one to set the pace at the 72nd US Girls’ Junior Championship.

Kou played in the third group off from the first hole on Monday, taking advantage of the cooler morning temperatures by birdieing her opening two holes.

She turned in 33 and immediately followed with a birdie on 10. After her lone bogey of the day on the par-three 13th, Kou finished with birdies on two of her final three holes, closing with a five-footer on the 18th.

“I think I just stayed really patient,” said Xin, assessing her first round. “I left myself uphill putts and some dropped.”

On the strength of 11 AJGA victories, Xin is the third-highest ranked player in the field at 106th in the Women’s World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR). That success has bred a noticeable confidence that she brought to the Girls’ Junior this week.

“It makes me feel really comfortable stepping into this field knowing that I’m one of the better players,” said Xin, who speaks both Mandarin and English. “I think confidence is a really big thing and not being nervous when there are big crowds and people watching, I think that’s important.”

In addition to Xin, only three other players posted rounds in red figures on Monday: Kiera Bartholomew (69), the reigning US Amateur Four-Ball champion Savannah Barber (69) and the number one golfer in the women’s WAGR, Rose Zhang (69).

Last August, Zhang won the 120th US Women’s Amateur at Woodmont Country Club, defeating Australian Gabriela Ruffels in 38 holes. Back in Maryland less than a year later, she is in the mix again, this time at Columbia.

“After my win at the Women's Am, there has definitely been a lot more attention,” said Californian Zhang, aged 18. “For me, it’s just being able to do what I need to do on the course and, at the same time, be mature and handle myself in different social situations.”

She birdied three of her first six holes, then played steady golf coming in, making just two bogeys on nine and 16 to preserve a solid start in her bid for a second USGA title. Zhang knows that getting to match play is the ultimate goal of the first two days and she is positioned to do exactly that.

“The course is definitely very tricky, especially on the greens,” said Zhang. “You really have to know where to miss it. Later on in the week, it’s going to be a very good test to see who has better course management.”

Singapore’s Yoko Tai is joint fifth after a 70, while Rianne Mikhaela Malixi of the Philippines fired a 72, one better than China’s Zhang Yunxuan.

Of the other Asia-Pacific participants, Lion Higo of Australia had a 74 followed by Hong Kong’s Charlene Chung (80) and Thai Thitaporn Saithip (81).