University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
Bethany Wu (left) and Mariel Galdiano each made match play at the U.S. Women's Amateur (photos by USGA).
Wu, Galdiano Compete in U.S. Women's Amateur
August 04, 2016 | Women's Golf
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SPRINGFIELD, Pa. – Sophomore Bethany Wu advanced to the second round of match play at the 116th U.S. Women's Amateur at Rolling Green Golf Club, while incoming freshman Mariel Galdiano, who earned medalist honors, fell in extra holes in the first round.
Thursday Match Play - Second Round
Wu, the #35-seed, won just one hole in her second-round matchup against #3-seed Hye-Jin Choi. Wu claimed #13, but lost #2, #5, #6, #8, #10, #11 and #13 to fall 6 and 5.
Wednesday Match Play - First Round
Wu never trailed in her 3 and 2 victory over #30-seed Lauren Stephenson. Wu won the first hole, but dropped the second, before winning #4 and #5 to go 2-up. Stephenson came back with a win on the seventh, and after four straight halves, Wu went ahead 2-up again with a birdie on the 12th. After Stephenson reduced her deficit to 1-up at the 13th, Wu claimed #14, while a birdie on the par-3 16th finished up the 3 and 2 victory for the Bruin sophomore.
Galdiano, the top seed for match play, fell to #64-seed Muni He in 22 holes. Galdiano won the fourth hole, and after dropping the seventh, birdied #8 to go 1-up. After five halves, He evened the match on the 14th. He would take her first lead at the 17th, but Galdiano, needing to win #18, birdied the par 5 to get the match back to all square and send it to extra holes. Galdiano and He played four more holes, but on the 22nd, He nailed a long birdie putt to eliminate Galdiano.
Monday and Tuesday Stroke Play
Galdiano shot a championship-record 9-under 133 to earn medalist honors. Galdiano's total marked the lowest 36-hole score in U.S. Women's Amateur history, according to the USGA, breaking the previous mark of 135. She shot a 68 (-3) on Monday and a 65 (-6) on Tuesday, the latter round tying for the lowest score in this year's tournament and also equaling the second-lowest round ever at a U.S. Women's Amateur.
In her first round, Galdiano had a steady first 11 holes, with 10 pars and a birdie on the fourth. After balancing out a birdie on the 12th and a bogey on #13, she ended her round with birdies on two of her last five holes (#16 and #18). On Tuesday, Galdiano was bogey free. Starting on the back nine, she had birdies on #16 and #18 before gaining strokes on each of her first three holes of her second nine. Galdiano added a birdie on the seventh to finish with a 65.
Wu, who started her first round on the 10th hole on Monday, fired a 1-under 70. After six pars and a bogey on #13, she would birdie the 17th and make the turn at even-par. Wu lost a stroke on #1, but gained it right back on the second. She would par six of her last seven holes, with a birdie on #7 giving her an under-par round. In round two, Wu struggled to a 2-over 73 and finished stroke play in a tie for 33rd (+1, 143). She birdied the 11th and bogeyed #5, #13 and #14.
Players Mentioned
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