Met Area Players Eliminated at U.S. Women's Amateur
Samantha Galantini of West Orange, N.J. | All times referenced are Eastern
UPDATE (August 9, 2023) -- Four Met Area players' time at the 123rd U.S. Women's Amateur Championship came to an end Wednesday with Round of 64 losses at Bel-Air Country Club in Los Angeles, Calif.
Related: U.S. Women's Amateur Home Page
Aliea Clark of New York City had the day's earliest match among Met Area players. Though she stood tied through seven holes against Vanessa Zhang of Canada, her opponent five of the next nine holes. Clark, the only mid-amateur player to make the cut at the U.S. Women's Amateur for the second straight year, won two holes during the stretch as well, but Zhang earned the 3-and-2 victory.
Katie Li of Basking Ridge, N.J., had her match play out similarly, standing tied through the opening nine holes. However, her opponent Kyra Ly of Portland, Ore., won four of the next seven holes to eliminate Li by a 3-and-2 margin.
Though Samantha Galantini of West Orange, N.J., won the second hole, Anne Chen of Sugar Land, Texas won the next three holes to grab a 2-up advantage. Galantini persisted, winning the par-4 sixth and the par-4 11th to tie the match. However, the Duke player won three of the next five holes and closed out the match by a 2-and-1 margin after a tie with fours on the par-4 17th.
Megha Ganne of Holmdel, N.J., had the unfortunate draw of facing her Stanford teammate Kelly Xu of Claremont, Calif., in the opening round. After the duo tied the first six holes, Xu won four of the next five holes to take command of the match. Though Ganne won the par-4 ninth and then the par-3 13th with a conceded birdie after a tee shot within inches of the hole, Xu won the par-4 15th and a tie on the par-3 16th led her to a 3-and-2 victory.
The U.S. Women's Amateur and Augusta National Women's Amateur stand as the most point-worthy events on the MGA's Women's Player of the Year race, which is in its inaugural year in 2023. Li currently holds a sizable lead in the race, accumulating 1135 points thanks to top finishes in the Dixie Amateur, Annika Invitational, and Junior Invitational (Sage Valley), and making match play in both the U.S. Girls' Junior and U.S. Women's Amateur. Several Met Area events, including The Farrell, plus national events such as the U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur remain on the schedule as point-receiving events.
ELMSFORD, N.Y. (August 9, 2023) -- Four Met Area players have advanced to the 64-player bracket in the 123rd U.S. Women's Amateur Championship, taking place this week at Bel-Air Country Club in Los Angeles, Calif. On Wednesday afternoon, the quartet will look to continue their run in match play.
Related: U.S. Women's Amateur Home Page
Samantha Galantini of West Orange, N.J., and Megha Ganne of Holmdel, N.J., led the way for Met Area qualifiers, carding a 1-over 141 total over the two days of stroke play qualifying. Galantini, who wil soon begin her collegiate career at Quinnipiac University, was steady with rounds of 71-70 en route to the tie for 25, while Ganne bounced back from an opening 74 with a 3-under 67 for her 141. Galantini garners the No. 35 seed and will face Anne Chen of Sugar Land, Texas in the Round of 64 at 4:10 p.m. (Eastern Time), while Ganne drew the No. 38 seed and will face her Stanford teammate Kelly Xu of Claremont, Calif., at 4:50 p.m.
Two-time U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur runner-up Aliea Clark of New York, N.Y., posted scores of 72-71 to tie for 45th and stand as the lone mid-amateur player to advance to match play in the U.S. Women's Amateur for the second consecutive year. Katie Li of Basking Ridge, N.J., also came in at 3-over 143. Like Ganne, Li responded to an over-par opening round with a sub-par score, shooting scores of 74-69 to advance. Clark, a California native and UCLA graduate, drew the No. 48 seed and will square off against Vanessa Zhang of Canada at 12:20 p.m., while Li, who heads to Duke University this fall, took the No. 47 seed and matches up against Kyra Ly of Portland, Ore., at 3:10 p.m.
Madeleine Zang of Princeton, N.J., and Mia Sessa of East Hampton, N.Y., were also in the field at Bel-Air, but fell short of advancing to match play.
A 10-for-9 playoff will take place Wednesday morning beginning at 10 a.m., with the Round of 64 beginning at 12 p.m. The Round of 64 will be broadcast live on Golf Channel from 6-9 p.m.