Lakareber Abe,16, born April 16, 1996
in Houston, Texas. Her parents, Fiona
and Daudi, emigrated from Uganda.
Started playing golf at the age of 9 after he started to play. She and her
sister, Terzira, go to school at the Jim
McLean Golf
Academy in Fort Worth. Graduates in 2014. Runner-up at
the 2012 Under Armour®/ Vicky
Hurst Championship, 2010 Sean O’Hair Junior All-Star Championship and
2009 Junior All-Star at Callaway
Gardens. In four years
with the AJGA, has had 7 top-10 finishes. Played in the 2010 WAPL. Enjoys
listening to music and spends time with her family and friends.
Chirapat Jao-Javanil,19, born February 14, 1993,
in Thailand.
Lives in Norman, Okla. Nickname is “Ja.” Her parents are Chiravid and Chanasthorn Jao-Javanil.
She’s a sophomore at the University
of Oklahoma. Won the 2012
individual NCAA Division 1 Championship in Franklin, Tenn.,
the first female golfer to do so as a Sooner. Won two other titles in sophomore
season (Central District Invitational, Golfweek
Conference Challenge), the only women golfer in Oklahoma history to do so. Named to the All
Big-12 team for the second straight year. Has 13 top-10 finishes and 18 top-20
finishes in two years at Oklahoma.
Alice Jeong, 17, born April 16, 1995,
in Anaheim, Calif.
Lives in Gardena, Calif. A rising senior at North Torrance
High School. Her parents
are David and Julia Jeong.
Sisters are Anna and Linda. Won the 2011 56th Len Kenneth
Junior
Championship. Runner-up at the 2011 Emerson Junior
Golf Classic. Won the 2010 60th Annual Gail Stockton memorial. Tiger
Woods and Annika
Sorenstam inspired her to play
golf at the age of 12. She’s a second degree black belt in Taekwondo. Gave it
up to play golf. Likes to play the ukulele and taught herself to play.
Kim
“Kimmy” Kaufman,20, born August 16, 1991, in Huron,
S.D. Lives in Clark, S.D. Will be a senior at Texas Tech University. Has had 7 top-10 finishes
for Texas Tech in the two years she has played. Runner-up twice in her college
career (2011 Susie Berning Maxwell Classic and 2012 Westbrook spring
invitational). In 13 tournaments for the Red Raiders, has a stroke average of
73.0. This past season, became the first All-American women’s golfer, along
with teammate Gabby
Dominguez, for Texas Tech. Named
to the Capital One Academic All-American team. Likes going to movies, shopping,
traveling, reading, and watching sporting events, especially the Red Raiders.
Kyung Kim,18, born April 2, 1994, in
Kahulul, Hawaii.
Lives on the mainland in Chandler,
Ariz. At age 8, her father
persuaded her to pick up golf clubs. Will attend the University of Southern
California in the fall. Played in the 2011 U.S.
Women’s Open. Selected to the 2011 PING Junior
Solheim Cup
Team. Won the 2010 PING Phoenix
Junior and the 2008 ReBath Heather Farr Classic.
Runner-up at the 2010, 2008 PING
Invitational, and 2009 Heather Farr
Classic presented by Longbow Golf Club. Has 16 top-10 finishes from 2008-2012
AJGA seasons. Three-time Rolex Junior All-American.
Grace Na,19, born March 18,1993, in Temple, Texas.
Lives in Oakland, Calif.
Rising junior at Pepperdine
University. Two-time
All-American. Two-time WCC Player
of the Year. On the All WCC-team
twice. Set an NCAA record when she shot a 9-under 63 during the first round of the
Las Vegas Collegiate Showdown; One of nine players to shoot 9-under-par. Named
in Sports Illustrated's "Faces in the Crowd" for her feat. During
freshman year, was named WCC
Freshman of the Year while only playing the spring season. WCC Championship medalist in 2011. Enjoys listening
to music.
Annie Park,17, born April 9, 1995, in
Levittown, N.Y.
Rising senior at MacArthur
High School. Will attend the
University of Southern California in 2013. Playing in her
first U.S. Women’s Open at Blackwolf Run in two weeks. Semifinalist at the 2011
WAPL at Bandon Dunes. In 2012, became the first girl to win the Nassau High
School boys golf tournament. Won the 2011 Golfweek East Coast Junior Invitational
and the AJGA Lessing’s Classic. Had two AJGA wins in 2008, the AJGA Cliffs
Championship and CNL Lifestyle
Company Championship. Three-time Rolex Junior All-American. Her mother knits
all of the head covers for Annie’s
clubs.
Ashlan Ramsey,16, born December 3, 1995
in Milledgeville, Ga. Nickname is the “Silent Assassin” because
of her quiet demeanor on the golf course. Rising senior at John Milledge
Academy. Gave a verbal
commitment to Clemson
University, which will
start a women’s golf team next fall. The 2012 GISA AAA State
Championship. Medalist for the boys and girls division. 2011 Georgia State
Golf Association Junior Girls Co-Player of the Year. First-team Rolex Junior
All-American. Played on the 2011 Ping
Junior Solheim Team. Participates in Birdies-For-Charity through the AJGA and
Leadership Links program; her charity is The Hunter Renfroe Fund.
Cassandra Stein is a communications intern for the USGA. Email her at cstein@usga.org.