Kang Leads By 3 After First Round

Village of Pinehurst, N.C. – On a hot day in the Sandhills of North Carolina, Danielle Kang shot a sizzling 5-under 67 in the first round of stroke play Monday at the 2010 U.S. Girls’ Junior at The Country Club of North Carolina.

Kang, a 17-year-old from Thousand Oaks, Calif., who is playing in her fourth Girls’ Junior, recorded seven birdies and two bogeys on the par-72, 6,331-yard Dogwood Course at CCNC. She credited consistent play for the low score.

My whole game was pretty solid, said Kang. My driver was working good. My irons were sticking inside 15 to 20 feet

Danielle Kang reacts to her chip on four during the second --- b_daniellekanginside.jpg07192010

Danielle Kang posted a 5-under 67 on Monday and leads qualifying for match play by three strokes. (John Mummert/USGA)

constantly so I was giving myself good chances at making birdies, and my putting just rolled in.

Kang, who earned stroke-play medalist honors at the 2009 U.S. Women’s Amateur, made the cut at the U.S. Women’s Open at Oakmont (Pa.) Country Club two weeks ago. She said her experience at Oakmont helped her remain calm during her round Monday at CCNC, particularly when she three-putted the 10th and 14th holes.

Usually I would get a little upset but I learned, what’s the point, she said. Oakmont taught me that.

A trio of players were three strokes off the lead, led by 12-year-old Megan Khang of Rockland, Mass.

Khang, who had a previous career-low round of 73, shot a 2-under 70 that was highlighted by an eagle on the par-5 18th hole, the ninth of her round, when she holed out from 45 yards.

The eagle was somewhat shocking because I was right in front of the bunker so I couldn’t really see the pin, said Khang, who missed the cut at the Girls’ Junior a year ago with rounds of 86-91. But I saw the top of it and I chipped it and apparently it was on line. I just heard everyone screaming and my mom yelling and I was like, ‘Oh, I guess that went in.’

Also finishing at 2-under 70 were 16-year-old Ginger Howard of Bradenton, Fla., who played a bogey-free first round, and 15-year-old Summar Roachell of Conway, Ark., who bogeyed her first two holes but came back with four birdies, including one at the sixth hole when she holed out from a greenside bunker.

I was driving the ball really well and that was putting me in position to hit good shots, said Roachell, who is playing in her first USGA championship. And my putting was really good. If I hit it 5 feet past the hole I knew I could make that so my putting kept me in it.

Kristen Park, 17, of Buena Park, Calif., opened with a 1-over 73. Park, the 2007 Girls’ Junior champion, is trying to become just the fourth in history to win multiple Girls’ Junior titles.

After a second day of stroke play Tuesday, the U.S. Girls’ Junior 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 and semifinal matches will be played Friday, and the 36-hole championship final will be played Saturday.

The U.S. Girls’ Junior 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, USGA Manager of Championship Communications. For questions or comments, contact her at bmurrison@usga.org .

Results

Village of Pinehurst, N.C. – Results following Monday’s first round of stroke play at the 2010 U.S. Girls’ Junior at the 6,331-yard, par-72 Country Club of North Carolina:

Danielle Kang , Thousand Oaks, Calif., 33-34--67
Summar Roachell , Conway, Ark., 34-36--70
Megan Khang , Rockland, Mass., 36-34--70
Ginger Howard , Bradenton, Fla., 35-35--70
Jisoo Keel , Canada , 36-35--71
Stephanie Liu , St Albans, Mo., 36-36--72
Maia Schechter , Takoma Park, Md., 37-35--72
Kyle Roig , Puerto Rico, 34-38--72
Ariya Jutanugarn , Thailand , 37-36--73
Yueer Feng , Ppls Rep. of China, 37-36--73
Kristen Park , Buena Park, Calif., 34-39--73
Erica Herr , New Hope, Pa., 38-36--74
Jaye Marie Green , Boca Raton, Fla., 36-38--74
Cindy Ha, Demarest, N.J., 38-36--74
Shawnee Martinez, Modesto, Calif., 35-39--74
Kelli Oride , Lihue, Hawaii, 37-37--74
Linda Luo , Canada, 37-37--74
Collins Bradshaw, Columbia, S.C., 38-36--74
Brenna Nelsen , Monte Sereno, Calif., 37-38--75
Christina Foster , Canada, 37-38--75
Mariko Tumangan , San Jose, Calif., 35-40--75
Emma Talley , Princeton, Ky., 38-37--75
Gyeol Park , Korea , 37-38--75
Cali Hipp, Caldwell, Idaho, 37-39--76
Alexandra Newell , Tampa, Fla., 39-37--76
Soobin Kim , Canada , 40-36--76
Nicole Quinn , Windermere, Fla., 35-42--77
Irene Jung , Canada, 38-39--77
Briana Mao , Folsom, Calif., 39-38--77
Shelby Phillips , Gilbrt, Ariz., 38-39--77
Alejandra Cangrejo , Colombia, 40-37--77
Daniela Ordonez , Colombia, 37-40--77
Ally McDonald, Fulton, Miss., 38-39--77
Janie Jackson , Huntsville, Ala., 35-42--77
Lindsey Weaver , Scottsdale, Ariz., 38-39--77
Nicole Morales, South Salem, N.Y., 38-39--77
Sierra Sims, Austin, Texas, 39-38--77
Elisabeth Bernabe , Anaheim Hills, Calif., 40-37--77
Beverly Vatananugulkit , Cerritos, Calif., 38-39--77
Veronica Valerio , Temecula, Calif., 40-37--77
Katelyn Dambaugh , Goose Creek, S.C., 35-42--77
Mikayla Harmon , Gilbert, Ariz., 39-38--77
Anna Kim , Canada, 40-38--78
Casey Danielson , Osceola, Wis., 37-41--78
Tiffany Lim , San Jose, Calif., 37-41--78
Erynne Lee , Silverdale, Wash., 38-40--78
Marissa Chow , Honolulu, Hawaii, 38-40--78
Lindsay McGetrick , Highlands Ranch, Colo., 41-37--78
Lili Cammisa , Argentina , 38-40--78
Marissa Dodd , Allen, Texas, 42-36--78
Maggie Neece , Colleyville, Texas, 38-40--78
Eimi Koga , Honolulu, Hawaii, 40-38--78
Haley Andreas , Pacific Grove, Calif., 41-37--78
Kendall Martindale , Jefferson City, Tenn., 38-40--78
Laura Murray , Tipp City, Ohio, 39-40--79
Taylor Moreno , Austin, Texas, 39-40--79
Cherokee Kim, Dupont, Wash., 41-38--79
Danielle Frasier , Encinitas, Calif., 41-38--79
Sloan Shanahan , Suwanee, Ga., 38-41--79
Grace Na , Oakland, Calif., 40-39--79
Dana Finkelstein , Chandler, Ariz., 39-40--79
Alison Lee , Valencia, Calif., 39-40--79
Maddie Szeryk , Allen, Texas, 40-39--79
Morgan Webber , Moore, S.C., 38-41--79
Giovana Maymon , Mexico , 41-38--79
Alessandra Kutz , Sanford, Fla., 43-36--79
Emily Wright , Mason, Ohio, 37-42--79
Ri Hyang Park, Japan, 37-42--79
Doris Chen , Bradenton, Fla., 39-40--79
Mabel Wong , Oakdale, Calif., 40-39--79
Kailey Walsh , Boca Raton, Fla., 40-39--79
Paveenuch Sritragul , Thailand , 40-39--79
Mariana Sims , Austin, Texas, 36-43--79
Jenna Peters , Kohler, Wis., 40-39--79
Karen Chung , Livingston, N.J., 39-40--79
Anna McMullen , Monroe, La., 40-40--80
Victoria Tanco , Argentina, 36-44--80
Courtney Ferguson , Houston, Texas, 41-39--80
Krystal Quihuis , Tucson, Ariz., 40-40--80
Hannah Sodersten , Fresno, Calif., 39-41--80
Dottie Ardina , Philippines , 41-39--80
Catherina Li , Kent, Wash., 39-41--80
Katie Lee , Silverdale, Wash., 39-41--80
Monica Petchakan , Encino, Calif., 38-42--80
Elyse Smidinger , Crofton, Md., 41-39--80
Samantha Stewart , Carson City, Nev., 41-39--80
Mariah Stackhouse , Riverdale, Ga., 40-40--80
Ashlee Pickerell , Salem, Ore., 40-40--80
Brooke Henderson , Canada, 41-39--80
Gabriella Then , Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., 40-40--80
Anneliese Newell , Tampa, Fla., 39-41--80
Erin McClure , Tucson, Ariz., 38-42--80
Christina Ocampo , Delray Beach, Fla., 38-42--80
Jordan Lippetz , Bradenton, Fla., 39-41--80
Lindsey Murray , Tipp City, Ohio, 41-40--81
Shinwoo Lee , Aurora, Colo., 43-38--81
Marguerite Swearingen, Livermore, Calif., 41-40--81
Allisen Corpuz , Honolulu, Hawaii, 40-41--81
Kaitlin Park, Tustin Ranch, Calif., 40-41--81
Jennifer Park , Carrollton, Texas, 39-42--81
Makayla Mier , Santa Maria, Calif., 40-41--81
Lauren Grogan , Columbus, Ohio, 42-39--81
Taelor Rubin , Raleigh, N.C., 40-41--81
Sirene Blair , South Jordan, Utah, 41-41--82
Alexandra Sborov , Pleasanton, Calif., 44-38--82
Nicollette Gino , Laguna Hills, Calif., 40-42--82
Alexandra Kaui , Henderson, Nev., 42-40--82
Daniela Lendl , Goshen, Conn., 38-44--82
Sara Stanley , Centreville, Va., 39-44--83
Michelle Mayer , Flossmoor, Ill., 43-40--83
Kendall Allen , Pittsburgh, Pa., 42-41--83
Katherine Gravel-Coursol , Canada, 40-43--83
Lisbeth Brooks, Waunakee, Wis., 39-44--83
Jordan Ferreira , University Place, Wash., 43-40--83
Cyd Okino , Honoulu, Hawaii, 42-41--83
Monifa Sealy, Trinidad and Tobago, 40-43--83
Bryana Nguyen , Columbia, Md., 43-40--83
Kacie Komoto , Honolulu, Hawaii, 42-41--83
Danielle Lemek , Doniphan, Neb., 38-46--84
Kelsey Badmaev , Blythewood, S.C., 42-42--84
Rinko Mitsunaga , Roswell, Ga., 42-42--84
Veronica Diaz , Colombia, 43-42--85
Lauren Salazar , Santa Clara, Calif., 39-46--85
Susan Kirschenman , Huxley, Iowa, 40-45--85
Gabi Oubre , Mobile, Ala., 41-44--85
Bethany Wurster , Minden, Nev., 39-46--85
Hannah Kim , Chula Vista, Calif., 41-44--85
Trisha Witherby , Richmond, Ind., 41-44--85
Vanessa Johnson , Corpus Christi, Texas, 40-45--85
Amber Smith , Williamstown, N.J., 40-45--85
Gabriella Dimarco , West Chester, Pa., 44-42--86
Lakareber Abe , Angleton, Texas, 42-44--86
Julia Beck , Austin, Texas, 43-43--86
Cecily Overbey, High Point, N.C., 40-46--86
Linda Brown , San Leandro, Calif., 42-44--86
Grace Chua , Canada, 45-41--86
Chelsey Couch, Ware Shoals, S.C., 44-43--87
Christie Lin , Canada, 42-45--87
McKenzie Neisen , New Prague, Minn., 45-42--87
Alexandra Harkins , Crystal Lake, Ill., 45-42--87
Isabella Skinner , Cumming, Ga., 45-42--87
Gabrielle Weiss , Macungie, Pa., 40-47--87
Alice Jeong , Gardena, Calif., 43-44--87
Bailey Tardy, Norcross, Ga., 43-45--88
Mackenzie Moir , Louisville, Ky., 46-42--88
Kaitlin Voll , Alpharetta, Ga., 46-42--88
Katie Kirk , Davidson, N.C., 46-42--88
Cammie Gray , Northport, Ala., 42-47--89
Maya Parsons, Canada, 43-47--90
Gina Della Camera , Town and Country, Mo., 44-46--90
Regan Simeone , Milton, Mass., 46-46--92
Abbie Horan, Antioch, Ill., 49-43--92
Alison Eleey , Quincy, Mass., 42-50--92
Michaela Kouri , Sioux Falls, S.D., 45-48--93
Michelle Rosenhouse , Dix Hills, N.Y., 47-49--96
Grier Bennett , Hot Springs Village, Ark., 44-53--97

2010 Women's Open Qualifier Shoots 5-Under 67