Permanent link All PostsUnder overcast skies, the first round of stroke play is underway here at Bandon Dunes. The ladies are back on Old Macdonald today, though the weather conditions are certainly much more favorable today than they were the last time we visited Old Mac. No sideways rain in the forecast today...
A quick look at the match-play bracket shows that it certainly is a young one. The three youngest championship players - Angel Yin (12), Allisen Corpuz (13) and Mariel Galdiano (13) - all advanced into match play. The five oldest competitors are all 22, making the average age of the WAPL match-play competitors just under 18.5 years of age. However, this is by no means an inexperienced field. Of the 64 players, only 12 are playing in their first USGA championship.
Both our defending champion, Emily Tubert, and runner-up, Lisa McCloskey, have advanced, as have 2010 semifinalist Ellen Mueller and 2010 quarterfinalist Brianna Do. Curtis Cup Team members Stephanie Kono and Tiffany Lua advanced, as did two-time GB&I representative Sally Watson.
Of the five U.S. Women's Open qualifiers who made the trip to Bandon Dunes, only three have moved on to match play. Christine Wolf, Kelly Shon and Galdiano all advanced to the match-play bracket. Rachel Rohanna, a tri-medalist at the 2010 U.S. Women's Amateur Championship, fell out of the last night's playoff after the first hole. Fourteen-year-old Xiyu Lin also failed to advance.