Round 1 Recap
Amidst college recruiters and hundreds of spectators, the nation’s top Girls Junior golfers teed off at Banbury Golf Course at 7:30 Tuesday morning kicking off day one of the 43rd Annual Girls Junior Americas Cup.
Currently in 1st place, team Mexico set a high standard for the day shooting a team score of 209 (-4). With low numbers on the front and back, Lauren Diana Olivares Leon gave her team a major advantage by making 5 birdies on holes 4, 11, 13, 16, and 17 to go 2-under (69) for the day. Alexa Saldana had a very well rounded day by making par on every hole besides a birdie on the 1st shooting a score of 70 (-1). The third team member to grant towards their final score is Vania Simont who went three deep on the front nine and 2 over on the back firing a 70 (-1). Although her round didn’t count up for Team Mexico’s final score, Clarisa Temelo had a phenomenal day putting up a score of 72 (+1).
Trailing by 2 strokes behind Team Mexico, the Southern California team is sitting in second after round 1 firing a total team score of 211 (-2). Southern California put up 6 birdies, 14 pars, and 4 bogeys for the day giving them a one stroke lead over team Idaho who is currently placed in third. In individual stroke play, Southern California team member, Kylie Chong put up the best score of the day by making 4 birdies to go 4-under (67). Tied for fourth in individual stroke play, Jasmine Koo had a fantastic 1st round with 3 birdies on holes 4, 14, and 18 to go on and shoot a 69 (-2). Their third teammate to grant towards their final score, Emily lee, shot a 74 (+3) for the dayLooking towards round 2 tomorrow morning, went 1-under for team Southern California to grant them their second place position in the final standings for round 1.
In third place, Team Idaho fought hard to put themselves in a strong position as we look towards the next two days of the tournament. Tied for fourth in individual stroke play, both Emily Cadwell and Carly Carter went 1-under (70) for the day. Cadwell finished strong with 2 birdies on the back nine and one birdie on the front giving her a score of (70). Carter gave a stellar performance for the day with 4 birdies on holes 2, 7, 12, and 18. 2021 Women’s State Amateur Champion, Kelli Ann Strand had a well-rounded day with a birdie on hole 15 to go on and fire a 72 (+1). Although her team score didn’t count, Brooke Patterson started off strong with 2 birdies on the 1st and 2nd hole helping her team stick a second place standing after the front nine. Patterson shot a score of 78 (+7).
As we look towards round 2 tomorrow morning, the title is still anyones game for these competitive teams. The top five standings for the day are as follows: Mexico, 209 (-4), Southern California, 211 (-2), and Idaho, 212 (-1), Hawaii 214 (+1), Colorado 215 (+2)
