ELMSFORD, N.Y. (July 22, 2009) - The Met Area contingent at the U.S. Junior Amateur and U.S. Girls’ Junior Championships at Trump National-Bedminster in Bedminster, N.J., continued their strong play in the first round of match play. Among those to advance were 2009 Met Junior champion David Pastore of Greenwich, Conn., and Karen Chung of Livingston, N.J. Pastore defeated Joe Toland of White River Junction, Vt., 3 & 1, and Chung beat Emma Talley of Princeton, Ky., 1 up, to advance to the second round.

Former MGA/MetLife Boys champion Cameron Wilson of Norwalk, Conn., dominated in his match with Curtis Thompson of Coral Springs, Fla., taking a 4-up lead at one point before winning, 3 & 1. In a matchup of fellow Met Area natives, 13-year-old Jim Liu of Smithtown, N.Y., beat Anthony Alex of Wayne, N.J., 2 & 1, to advance to the second round.Ryan McCormick, a 2007 Met Junior semifinalist, lost his first-round match in 19 holes to Bobby Wyatt of Mobile, Ala. Also on the losing end was Sean Kelly of Staten Island, N.Y., who lost, 3 & 2, to Patrick Rodgers of Avon, Ind.

On the Girls’ side, Suzie Lee of East Northport, N.Y., will join Karen Chung in the second round after dispatching Austin Ernst of Seneca, S.C., 3 & 2, in the first round. Harin Lee of Bayside, N.Y., lost her first round match, 4 & 3, to Amy Anderson of Oxbow, N.D. Also on the losing end was Sarah Brownof Lopatcong, N.J., who lost her match in 19 holes to Daniela Lendl of Goshen, Conn., daughter of tennis great Ivan Lendl. Annie Park of Levittown, N.Y., and Kelly Shon of Port Washington, N.Y., also did not advance to the second round.

12 Local Juniors Advance to Match Play

ELMSFORD, N.Y. (July 22, 2009) – Six of the nine Met Area juniors advanced to match play at the U.S. Junior Championship at Trump National Golf Club-Bedminster in Bedminster, New Jersey. The highest-seeded Met Area Junior is 13-year-old Jim Liuof Smithtown, N.Y., who is seeded 14th after shooting 74-71 in stroke play qualifying for a 145 total. The next highest seed is 2009 Met Junior champion David Pastore of Greenwich, Conn., who shot 148 in stroke play. Also advancing to match play are Ryan McCormick of Middletown, N.J., who is seeded 44th; Anthony Alex (right) of Wayne, N.J., seeded 51st; Sean Kelly of Staten Island, N.Y., seeded 54th; and former MGA/MetLife Boys champion Cameron Wilson of Norwalk, Conn., seeded 61st.  The first round of match play is underway at Trump National, with live scoring available.

The U.S. Girls Junior Championship is also taking place this week at Trump National-Bedminster and six of  nine Met Area juniors also advanced to match play. The highest seeded local junior girl is Sarah Brown of Lopatcong, N.J., who is seeded 4th after shooting 72-70—142. Not far behind was Kelly Shon of Port Washington, N.Y., who shot a 144 and earned a 6th seed. Karen Chung of Livingston, N.J., is seeded 25th; Annie Park of Levittown, N.Y., is seeded 30th; Suzie Lee of Long Island, N.Y., is seeded 47th; and Harin Lee of Bayside, N.Y., is seeded 64th.