UPDATED 9 a.m. (Monday, July 23, 2012) - Jim Liu's tremendous run at the 2012 U.S. Junior came to an end on Saturday afternoon when he lost to Andy Hyeon Bo Shim 4 & 3 in the final match.

The 2010 champion took a massive 5-up lead after the first 18 of the 36-hole final, but Shim came roaring back, winning eight of the first 10 holes of the second 18. Shim never relinquished his 3-up lead and became the first Korean-born player to win the U.S. Junior.

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UPDATED 4:45 P.M. (Friday, July 20, 2012) - Jim Liu seems to have one goal in mind this, to win the U.S. Junior at the Golf Club of New England in Stratham, N.H. In fact, this championship could be Liu's second career U.S. Junior title in three years. Starting with three straight birdies, Liu got out to a commanding 2-up lead and never looked back, and his semifinal competitor Matthew Scabies of Canada just could not climb back into the match. Despite a late birdie by Scobie on the 11th hole, Liu secured his ticket to the final with a 3 & 1 victory. Liu faces Andy Hyeon Bo Shim, Duluth of Ga., in a 36-hole final for the honor of being U.S. Junior Champion, which is no small feat, and something Liu knows something about.

Coverage for the U.S. Junior can be found on the championship's official website.

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UPDATED 11:45 A.M. (Friday, July 20, 2012) - This week, Jim Liu of Smithotown, N.Y., seems relentless in pursuit of his second U.S. Junior. Liu won his quarterfinal match 3 & 2, never lost a hole, and put together a string of three birdies to take a commanding lead. To this point, Liu has played 72 holes and has only played four holes at a deficit. Liu will be back in action this afternoon at 1:30 P.M. in his semifinal match against Matthew Scobie of Canada. Scobie may be the 60th seed of the championship, but all of his victories have come against lower seeds than himself, including his first round match against 5th seed Carter Jenkins of Raleigh, N.C.

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UPDATED 11:30 P.M. (Thursday, July 19, 2012) - It was a busy day at the U.S. Junior in Stratham, N.H., and the U.S. Girl's Junior in Daly City, Calif., with two rounds of match play reducing the size of each field from 32 as the day started to just eight. The only remaining Met Area player in either championship is someone who has been there before, 16-year-old Jim Liu of Smithtown, N.Y. Liu, the 2010 U.S. Junior champion, defeated Eric Ricard, 17, of Shreveport, La., 3 & 1, in the afternoon’s third round at the Golf Club of New England. In the morning’s second round, he defeated James Riley, of Hattiesburg, Miss., 2 & 1, on the strength of seven birdies.

“It was a long day,” Liu said. “I played really well this morning and didn’t really expect to play well this afternoon, but that’s what happened.”

The result was not the same for Charles Cai of West Windsor N.J., who won in the morning to advance to the Round of 16 but lost to 2011 semifinalist Nicolas Echavarria, 17, of Colombia, 2 up. Still, it was a positive week for Cai, who advanced to match play for the first time in this championship.

Across the country at Lake Merced Golf Club outside San Francisco, Met Area hopes rested with 16-year-old Nicole Morales of South Salem, N.Y., as she played a Round of 16 match against the number-one ranked female amateur in the world, 15-year-old Lydia Ko of New Zealand. It was an extremely well-played match, with 10 birdies made between the two players, but Morales fell just short despite making birdie at the 17th hole. Ko, the low amateur at the 2012 U.S. Women's Open, halved it to end the match there.

“I was expecting her to be like any typical amazing golfer … and that’s what I got,” said Morales.

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UPDATED 2:45 P.M. (Thursday, July 19, 2012) - The Round of 32 is complete at both the U.S. Junior and U.S. Girl's Junior, and three out of the four Met Area contestants have moved on. Jim Liu of Smithtown, N.Y., won his match 2 & 1, Charles Cai of West Windsor N.J., won 1-up, and Nicole Morales of South Salem, N.Y., defeated her opponent 3 & 2. Karen Chung of Livingston, N.J. lost her match to Casie Cathrea of Livermore, Calif., 3 & 2.

Liu, Cai, and Morales are back in action this afternoon in their Round of 16 matches. Liu has jumped out to a 1-up lead against Eric Ricard of Shreveport, La., and Cai is all square through two holes in his match against 2-seed Nicolas Echavarria of Colombia. Morales is set to play at 1:25 P.M.(PDT) against 2-seed Lydia Ko of New Zealand. 

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UPDATED 9:15 A.M. (Thursday, July 19, 2012) - Four Met Area junior golfers (two boys, two girls) survived the first round of match play at the U.S. Junior, taking place in Stratham, N.H., and the U.S. Girls' Junior, being held in Daly City, Calif., to advance to each respective championship's Round of 32.

The 2010 U.S. Junior champion, 16-year-old Jim Liu of Smithtown, N.Y., is among them. Both he and Charles Cai of West Windsor, N.J., made easy work of their matches yesterday and are on the course in the Round of 32. Liu is taking on Nicholas Crozier of Canada and was 2-up through nine holes. Cai, meanwhile, won two of the first three holes in his match against Rigel Fernandes of India to also jump out to a lead.

In the Girls' draw, late yesterday afternoon Annie Park of Levittown, N.Y., was defeated by Julia Beck of Austin, Texas, 4 & 3. However, Karen Chung of Livingston, N.J. and Nicole Morales of South Salem, N.Y., breezed their way into the next round. In fact, Morales's 9 & 8 victory over Lauren Johnson of Chattanooga, Tenn., was nearly a U.S. Girls' Junior record (10 & 8). Today, Morales tees off against Kathleen Scavo of Benicia, Calif., at 8:21 A.M.(PDT) while Chung has a tough match against top-seeded Casie Cathrea of Livermore, Calif. at 7:18 A.M. (PDT).  

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UPDATED 4:45 P.M. (Wednesday, July 18, 2012) - Moving on to the round of 32 is Jim Liu of Smithtown, N.Y., who made quick work of his opponent, winning his match 5 & 4 and taking one step closer to winning his second U.S. Junior Championship. Also on the winning side of his match was Charles Cai of West Windsor, N.J., who won his match 2 & 1. Despite a strong showing at the championship, Cameron Young of Scarborough, N.Y. was defeated 1-up by Maverick McNealy of Portola Valley, Calif. Also, Anthony Alex of Wayne, N.J. lost his match 4 & 2 against Cameron Champ of Sacramento, Calif., but should be very proud of his finish at such a prestigous and competitive championship.

Like Liu, Nicole Morales of South Salem, N.Y. made very quick work of her opponent Lauren Johnson of Chattanooga, Tenn, beating her 9 & 8. Karen Chung of Livingston, N.J. won her round of 64 match in a thrilling 19-hole victory. Taylor Totland of Tinton Falls, N.J. was beaten 7 & 6 by Minjee Lee of Australia but Totland should come home very proud of her accomplishment this week.

Liu will face off against James Riley of Hattiesburg, Miss. tomorrow morning at 7:30 and will look to take just another step closer towards his second title. Charles Cai will tee off against James Riley of Hattiesburg, Miss. at 8:51 tommorow morning in pursuit of his first USGA title. Morales will tee of at 8:21 a.m. (PDT) and awaits the winner of the Lindsey McCurdy and Kathleen Scavo match. Chung will be matched up against Casie Cathrea of Livermore, Calif. at 7:27 a.m. (PDT). 

The U.S. Girls' Junior is still in progress and coverage can be found on the championship's official website. Updates will be posted here as our Met Area competitors finish.

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UPDATED 9:30 A.M (Wednesday, July 18, 2012)- Jim Liu of Smithtown, N.Y., is at it again in the U.S. Junior Championship. The 16-year-old took home co-medalist honors after the 36-hole qualifier and is in pursuit of his second U.S. Junior title at The Golf Club of New England in Stratham, N.H. Liu's rounds of 71-70 for a total of 141 was good enough to earn him the top seed in the round of 64, which commences Wednesday morning. Liu's tee time is set for 10:45 am. and he will be playing Canada's Nicholas Crozier. Featured below, Cameron Young of Scarborough, N.Y., tied for 18th at 148, will tee of at 10:00 a.m. against Maverick McNealy of Portola Valley, Calif. Anthony Alex from Wayne, N.J. also qualified with a total of 150 and tees off this morning at 10:18 against Cameron Champ of Sacramento, Calif. Charles Cai of West Windsor, N.J. was the last Met Area male to qualify for match play by shooting an aggregate of 150 and he hits the first tee against Adam Wood of Zionsville, Ind. at 11:21 a.m.

From the Girl's division, Annie Park from Levittown, N.Y. put together two nice rounds of 75-71 at Lake Merced Golf Club in Daly City, Calif., good enough for a T3 finish in qualifying. Park tees off at 11:36 (PDT) against Julia Beck from Austin, Texas. Keran Chung of Livingston, N.J. shot 152 in qualifying and tees off against Courtney Dow from Frisco, Texas at 8:36 a.m. (PDT). Nicole Morales of South Salem, N.Y. fired a combined score of 150 and will tee off at 10:42 (PDT) against Lauren Johnson of Chattanooga, Tenn. Finally, Taylor Totland of Tinton Falls, N.J. shot 158 and will play Minjee Lee of Australia at 9:52 a.m. (PDT). 

Coverage for both U.S. Junior and the U.S. Girls' Junior can be found on the championship's official website.

Jim Liu, 10:45 a.m.
Cameron Young, 10:00 a.m.
Anthony Alex, 10:18 a.m.
Charles Cai, 11:21 a.m.
Annie Park, 11:36 a.m. (PDT)
Nicole Morales, 10:42 a.m. (PDT)
Karen Chung, 8:36 a.m. (PDT)
Taylor Totland, 9:52 a.m. (PDT)
 

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ELMSFORD, N.Y. (July 13, 2012) - Having the best competitive year of his young career, Cameron Young of Scarborough, N.Y., vies for his first national title at the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship, being held at The Golf Club of New England in Stratham, N.H., from July 16-21. Young, 15, has already tallied up several prestigious victories in 2012, including the Hochster Invitational at Quaker Ridge, Brae Burn Invitational at Brae Burn, and Mittelmark Invitational at Fenway. He also finished runner-up to 2011 MGA Player of the Year Mike Miller at the WGA Amateur Championship at Rockrimmon and recently added a stellar 2nd place finish at the North & South Junior at Pinehurst. He qualified through the U.S. Junior Sectionals (finished T2) at Peddie School Golf Club on June 21.

Also competing is 2010 U.S. Junior champion Jim Liu of Smithtown, N.Y. Liu, who became the youngest winner of the championship's history at age 14 (breaking Tiger Woods's record), is also having a strong season. He's already finished runner-up in the Terra Cotta Invitational in Naples, Fla. The 16-year-old will start his senior year of high school this fall and has already committed to Stanford University for enrollment in the fall of 2013. Liu will look to become the first two-time champion since Jordan Speith (2009 and 2011).

Other Met Area hopefuls competing at the U.S. Junior include Charles Cai of West Windsor, N.J., Anthony Alex of Wayne, N.J., Danny Guise of Greenwich, Conn., Clancy Waugh of New York, N.Y., and Daniel Levin of New York, N.Y. Alex shot rounds of 69 and 66 to take medalist honors at Peddie School, while Levin finished T2 and Cai took fourth place. Waugh was a member of victorious Williamson Cup and Carey Cup teams in 2011.

 

Over on the U.S. Junior Girls' side, teenage phenoms Annie Park of Levittown, N.Y., and Nicole Morales of South Salem, N.Y. will look to add to their already glowing resumes with a USGA victory at Lake Merced Golf Club in Daly City, Calif. Park, 17, who blew away the boys in the Nassau County High School Championships at Bethpage State Park, recently returned from competing in the U.S. Women's Open earlier this month. Morales, 16, will bring her match play experience (advanced to the Round of 16 at the U.S. Women's Amateur a year ago) to the field.

Other local girls competing in the championship are Karen Chung of Livingston, N.J., Camilla Vik of Greenwich, Conn., and Taylor Totland of Tinton Falls, N.J.

Coverage for the U.S. Girls' Junior can be found on the championship's official website.