Three Australians remain alive at US Women’s Amateur
Sydney’s Rachel Lee – won in extra time against highly regarded Aphrodite Deng
Five Australians safely negotiated their way into the match play phase of the US Women’s Amateur Championship in Tennessee, but three now remain after the opening day of knockout matches.
Unfortunately for the leading qualifier amongst the Australians, Jazy Roberts, she fell victim to Thailand’s Pimchompoo Chaisilprungruang in her opening encounter, made even more disappointing after being 3 up through five holes. The Thai golfer played her last 13 holes in 5 under par to win 2&1.
Victorian Raegan Denton was 5 under par when her match against Floridian Grace Carter finished with Denton producing one final birdie at the 14th to win 5&4.
Last year’s beaten semi-finalist, Ella Scaysbrook of Sydney, was never down in her match against Californian Jude Lee and eventually won with a rush late in her match to win 3&2. She keeps alive her chances of atoning for an agonising semi-final loss to the eventual winner Megha Ganne last year.
Sydney’s Rachel Lee survived an early onslaught from one of the female game’s leading young amateurs, Aphrodite Deng, coming from 3 down through 5 holes and 2 down through 9 to eventually take a 1-up lead playing the last. Deng birdied the 18th to take the match into extra time, but Lee birdied to win at the 19th.
Queensland’s Amy Hodgkins was never ahead in her match against Texan Farah O’Keefe but got the encounter back to all square through 11 holes before losing the next three and the match 3&2 at the 16th.
None of the three will clash in tomorrow morning’s Round of 32, so there is a good chance that Australia will have some representation through to the Round of 16 in the afternoon.
