Anderson Holds One-Stroke Lead After First Round Of 2009 U.S. Women’s Amateur

St. Louis, Mo. – Amy Anderson has already claimed stroke-play medalist honors at one USGA championship this summer. In Monday’s first round of stroke play at the U.S. Women’s Amateur at Old Warson Country Club, she shot a 3-under 68 to take the first step toward repeating that feat.

Anderson, 17, of Oxbow, N.D., earned medalist honors at the U.S. Girls’ Junior last month at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, N.J. She went on to win the championship, which gave her a full exemption into this week’s field at the 6,422-yard, par-71 Old Warson.

But actually coming to St. Louis for the Women’s Amateur wasn’t a guarantee.

Kimberly Kim opened the 2009 U.S. Women's Amateur with a solid 69 at Old Warson C.C. (USGA Museum)

“I didn’t originally try to qualify because it was going to be so busy,” said Anderson, who played in the PGA Junior Championship in Ohio between the Girls’ Junior and the Women’s Amateur and has another event in Minnesota next week. “Since I got the exemption, I wanted to come. My parents just finally gave in.”

Anderson is trying to accomplish a rare double feat – earn medalist honors at the Girls’ Junior and Women’s Amateur in the same year – that has been done just twice in history, by Michiko Hattori in 1986 and Vicki Goetz in 1990. No one has won both championships in the same year.

“I feel like I have a good shot at doing pretty good here,” said Anderson. “I have more expectations than I did before. You definitely want to do it again.”

Finishing one stroke off Anderson’s pace were 17-year-olds Kimberly Kim of Hilo, Hawaii, and Ha Na Jang of Korea.

“Today was fun,” said Kim, who carried her own bag Monday. “I played good on a hard course. My ball striking was very good and my putting was good.”

Kim, who in 2006 became the youngest U.S. Women’s Amateur winner in history with her victory at age 14 at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club in North Plains, Ore., has already played in two USGA amateur championship finals this summer – the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links and the U.S. Girls’ Junior. She was the runner-up at both. Despite her credentials, she doesn’t put any extra pressure on herself, particularly during stroke play.

“No pressure at all,” said Kim, a participant in the past four U.S. Women’s Opens. “You don’t want to stress out about stroke play. Just play as well as you can, shoot low and make the cut.”

Jang, a semifinalist at the 2007 U.S. Women’s Amateur, has played a limited schedule in the U.S. in 2009 because she’s been competing for the Korean national team. Despite a shaky driver, she was pleased with her start in her first USGA championship of the year.

“Even though I couldn’t hit the fairway, I was confident I could hit my iron shots well,” said Jang through an interpreter. “My putter was good and my iron shots were really good.”

After a second day of stroke play Tuesday, the U.S. Women’s Amateur field will be reduced to 64 players for match play. The first round of match play is scheduled for Wednesday, the second and third rounds will be played Thursday, the quarterfinal matches are Friday, the semifinal matches are on Saturday, and the 36-hole championship final will be played Sunday.

The U.S. Women’s Amateur is one of 13 championships conducted annually by the United States Golf Association each year, 10 of which are strictly for amateurs.

Story written by Beth Murrison of the USGA. For questions or comments, contact her at bmurrison@usga.org.

Results

St. Louis, Mo. – Results following Monday’s first round of stroke play at the 2009 U.S. Women’s Amateur at the 6,422-yard, par-71 Old Warson Country Club:

Amy Anderson, Oxbow, N.D., 34-34--68

Ha Na Jang, Korea, 37-32--69

Kimberly Kim, Hilo, Hawaii, 36-33--69

Danielle Kang, Thousand Oaks, Calif., 33-37--70

Lizette Salas, Azusa, Calif., 34-36--70

Marina Alex, Wayne, N.J., 35-35--70

Alice Kim, Walnut, Calif., 35-36--71

Caroline Masson, Germany, 33-38--71

Erynne Lee, Silverdale, Wash., 36-35--71

Grace Na, Oakland, Calif., 36-35--71

Julia Boland, Australia, 40-31--71

Sara-Maude Juneau, Canada, 36-35--71

Calle Nielson, Nashville, Tenn., 34-38--72

Esther Lee, Los Alamitos, Calif., 36-36--72

Jessica Korda, Bradenton, Fla., 35-37--72

Jisoo Park, Beaumont, Calif., 38-34--72

Junthima Gulyanamitta, Thailand, 38-34--72

Kristen Park, Buena Park, Calif., 37-35--72

Mariko Tumangan, San Jose, Calif., 37-35--72

Megan McChrystal, Stuart, Fla., 35-37--72

Tiffany Lua, Rowland Heights, Calif., 35-37--72

Ashleigh Albrecht, Murrieta, Calif., 33-40--73

Candace Schepperle, Birmingham, Ala., 37-36--73

Cassy Isagawa, Wailuku, Hawaii, 36-37--73

Emilie Burger, Hoschton, Ga., 35-38--73

Jennifer Johnson, La Quinta, Calif., 37-36--73

Jodi Ewart, England, 37-36--73

Lindy Duncan, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., 37-36--73

Michelle Shin, Cape Coral, Fla., 32-41--73

Sun Gyoung Park, Vail, Ariz., 41-32--73

Taylore Karle, Scottsdale, Ariz., 35-38--73

Victoria Tanco, Argentina, 37-36--73

Aimee Neff, Carmel, Ind., 36-38--74

Brooke Beeler, Butler, Ill., 34-40--74

Cheyenne Woods, Phoenix, Ariz., 38-36--74

Dori Carter, Valdosta, Ga., 37-37--74

Evan Jensen, Belleair, Fla., 37-37--74

Han Jungeun, Korea, 34-40--74

Kelli Shean, South Africa, 37-37--74

Kristen Simpson, Norfolk, Va., 36-38--74

Kristina Wong, Vestal, N.Y., 35-39--74

Meghan Stasi, Oakland Park, Fla., 38-36--74

Sally Watson, Scotland, 39-35--74

Stacey Keating, Australia, 37-37--74

Whitney Neuhauser, Charlottesville, Va., 35-39--74

Yueer Feng, China, 35-39--74

Abby Bools, Hickory, N.C., 35-40--75

Cydney Clanton, Concord, N.C., 36-39--75

Jaclyn Sweeney, Andover, Mass., 37-38--75

Jennifer Song, Ann Arbor, Mich., 34-41--75

Maude-Aimee Leblanc, Canada, 37-38--75

Molly Aronsson, Shelburne, Vt., 36-39--75

Nannette Hill, Pelham Manor, N.Y., 38-37--75

Sara Grantham, Wilsonville, Ala., 35-40--75

Stephanie Sherlock, Canada, 36-39--75

Sydnee Michaels, Temecula, Calif., 37-38--75

Alexandra Gibson, Peru, 36-40--76

Alexandra Stewart, Peoria, Ariz., 37-39--76

Alexis Thompson, Coral Springs, Fla., 38-38--76

Allie White, Lancaster, Ohio, 38-38--76

Amelia Lewis, Jacksonville, Fla., 37-39--76

Cyna Marie Rodriguez, Philippines, 38-38--76

Dottie Ardina, Philippines, 39-37--76

Jenny Shin, Torrance, Calif., 38-38--76

Kate Ackerson, Allen, Texas, 35-41--76

Kendra Little, Eugene, Ore., 38-38--76

Kristin Paulson, Ottumwa, Iowa, 39-37--76

Kristin Vincent, Burlington, N.C., 38-38--76

Mallory Fraiche, Metairie, La., 37-39--76

Stephanie Kono, Honolulu, Hawaii, 37-39--76

Vanessa Vela, Colombia, 38-38--76

Bambee Dela Paz, Philippines, 39-38--77

Catherine Elliott, Malvern, Pa., 37-40--77

Chelsea Stelzmiller, Placerville, Calif., 39-38--77

Daffodil Sanchez, Mesa, Ariz., 38-39--77

Jessica Gerry, Madison, Wis., 36-41--77

Laura Coble, Augusta, Ga., 37-40--77

Leanne Bowditch, Australia, 38-39--77

Martina Gavier, Argentina, 37-40--77

Natalie Sheary, West Hartford, Conn., 38-39--77

Rachel Larson, Longmont, Colo., 40-37--77

Rachel Rohanna, Waynesburg, Pa., 40-37--77

Stephanie Meadow, Northern Ireland, 37-40--77

Alison Lee, Valencia, Calif., 37-41--78

Allyson Ferguson, Houston, Texas, 35-43--78

Ashley Bauer, Grand Blanc, Mich., 40-38--78

Brianna Do, Long Beach, Calif., 36-42--78

Claire Sheldon, Milton, Mass., 38-40--78

Corrine Carr, Pinehurst, N.C., 38-40--78

Danielle Cvitanov, Sacramento, Calif., 38-40--78

Danielle Frasier, Encinitas, Calif., 39-39--78

Kaitlyn Rohrback, Crofton, Md., 40-38--78

Kira Meixner, Canada, 39-39--78

Kyle Roig, Puerto Rico, 39-39--78

Kylie Bollenbach, Edmond, Okla., 39-39--78

Lee Lopez, Whittier, Calif., 39-39--78

Madison Pressel, Boca Raton, Fla., 40-38--78

Virginia Grimes, Meridian, Miss., 38-40--78

Alexandria Buelow, Palm City, Fla., 40-39--79

Ani Gulugian, Irvine, Calif., 38-41--79

Breanne Smith, Canby, Ore., 38-41--79

Catherine Dolan, Ballwin, Mo., 38-41--79

Corinna Rees, Pebble Beach, Calif., 38-41--79

Ellen Mueller, Bartlesville, Okla., 37-42--79

Jennifer Hirano, Pinole, Calif., 42-37--79

Kayla Stewart, Cookeville, Tenn., 39-40--79

Kelsey Verbeten, New Franken, Wis., 37-42--79

Lauren Archer, Boise, Idaho, 36-43--79

Mandi Morrow, Kent, Ohio, 40-39--79

Nora Lucas, Glenview, Ill., 39-40--79

Pei-Ying Tsai, Chinese Taipei, 40-39--79

Ri Hyang Park, Hilton Head Island, S.C., 37-42--79

Sarah Brown, Lopatcong Twp, N.J., 39-40--79

Stacy Kim, Yorba Linda, Calif., 39-40--79

Alexa Rancourt, South Portland, Maine, 39-41--80

Erin Michel, Mason, Ohio, 42-38--80

Laura Anderson, Tompkinsville, Ky., 38-42--80

Lauren Dobashi, Gold River, Calif., 39-41--80

Lauren Varnas, Chatham, N.J., 37-43--80

Olivia Lansing, Dellwood, Minn., 39-41--80

Paula Reto, South Africa, 40-40--80

Shannon Fish, Spring, Texas, 39-41--80

Stefanie Kenoyer, Lighthouse Point, Fla., 39-41--80

Stephanie Smith, The Woodlands, Texas, 38-42--80

Allyssa Ferrell, Edgerton, Wis., 40-41--81

Carly Truitt, Marysville, Ohio, 40-41--81

Casie Cathrea, Livermore, Calif., 41-40--81

Jennifer Hahn, Henderson, Nev., 39-42--81

Julia Thead, Poway, Calif., 44-37--81

Lauren Kim, Los Altos, Calif., 42-39--81

Samantha Troyanovich, Grosse Pointe Shores, Mich., 40-41--81

Brianna Espinoza, Phoenix, Ariz., 41-41--82

Casey Kennedy, Venice, Fla., 39-43--82

Chelsea Schriewer, St Charles, Mo., 40-42--82

Haley Stephens, Greer, S.C., 42-40--82

Jill Hardy, Canada, 41-41--82

Lyndsay McBride, Bristol, Ind., 40-42--82

Noreen Mohler, Bethlehem, Pa., 42-40--82

Alison Cavanaugh, Littleton, Colo., 40-43--83

Anna Leigh Keith, Moultrie, Ga., 44-39--83

Jackie Evans, Wayne, Pa., 40-43--83

Jennifer Park, Carrollton, Texas, 41-42--83

Jordan Craig, Connellsville, Pa., 40-43--83

Sarah Almond, Albemarle, N.C., 40-43--83

Thuhashini Selvaratnam, Sri Lanka, 42-41--83

Anna Schultz, Rockwall, Texas, 39-45--84

Chelsea Curtis, New Seabury, Mass., 43-42--85

Heather Lemaster, Sacramento, Calif., 44-41--85

Cara Freeman, Corvallis, Ore., 42-44--86

Kaitlin Drolson, Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., 41-45--86

Lynn Simmons, Phoenix, Ariz., 44-42--86

Diane Lang, Jamaica, 43-45--88

Trisha Witherby, Richmond, Ind., 46-43--89

Taylor Weaver, Spartanburg, S.C., 44-46--90

Catherine Herrera, Houston, Texas, 40-51--91

Meghan Martinek, Tempe, Ariz., 44-47--91