Zhao Goes Marching On at Chambers Bay

Puget Sound, Washington, United States: Teenage sensation Alice Zhao Ziyi is one of six Asia-Pacific representatives through to the Round of 32 at the 122nd US Women’s Amateur Championship.

Having written her name into the record books on Tuesday as the youngest medallist/co-medallist in US Women’s Amateur history, the 13-year-old comfortably defeated American left-hander Camryn Carreon, 4&3, in the opening round of match play at Chambers Bay.

A tougher time looks likely to be in store for Zhao in the Round of 32 on Thursday morning when she will take on Japan’s Saki Baba, who battled hard to squeeze past American Jennifer Cleary, one-up, on Wednesday.

Another all Asia-Pacific clash on Thursday will see Australian Kelsey Bennett, runner-up in last year’s Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific, face Japan’s Nika Ito.

Maddison Hinson-Tolchard, also of Australia, is up against American Annabelle Pancake, while Chinese Taipei’s Yu Han-hsuan also has an American opponent in the shape of Katie Li.

A narrow but strong line of storms passed through the Chambers Bay area with significant thunder and lightning, delaying the start of match play for 90 minutes. The storms, which are a rarity in this part of the northwest in summer, dropped nearly two-tenths of an inch of rain on the course in just 20 minutes. 

“It was a bit weird to start off with. Definitely didn’t expect it to downpour like it did, and then this weird misty fog came in in the afternoon. It didn’t bother me too much. You have to take it as it comes with the weather, so it’s fine,” said Hinson-Tolchard, following her 2&1 success over China’s Guo Yixian.

In the Round of 64, Bennett defeated China’s Li Jieni, 3&1, Ito overcame American Gianna Clemente, 3&2, and Yu brushed aside the challenge of Korean Park Bo-hyun, 6&5.

Making their exits in the Round of 64 were New Zealand’s Fiona Xu (lost 5&4 to Republic of Ireland’s Annabel Wilson); Japan’s Sera Hasegawa (lost 6&5 to American Sara Im); and Thai Taglao Jeeravivitaporn (lost 3&2 to 13-year-old American Anna Fang).

Also bowing out was Japan’s Tsubasa Kajitani, last year’s Augusta National Women’s Amateur champion and number six in the World Amateur Golf Ranking. She went down 3&2 to American  Kynadie Adams.