Liu, Zhao, Dolce Qualify for 74th U.S. Girls Junior Championship
(L-R) Qualifiers, Sammie Dolce, Ysabel Liu and Alice Ziyi Zhao
RINGOES, N.J. – Three junior amateur golfers advanced to the 74th edition of the U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship following an 18-hole qualifier at Copper Hill Country Club on Tuesday.
Ysabel Liu (New Jersey), Alice Ziyi Zhao (California) and Sammie Dolce (New Jersey) will compete for the 2023 U.S. Girls’ Junior title at the United States Air Force Academy’s Eisenhower Golf Club in Colorado Springs, Colo. from July 17-22, 2023.
Grabbing medalist honors was Liu, of Millburn, N.J., with a score of two-over, 74. Liu was able to grab four birdies on the afternoon which she used to remain steady from hole-to-hole.
“I was hitting it close and giving myself a lot of chances to make birdies. I left a few shots out there for sure but overall I didn’t get into too much trouble and stayed steady,” said Liu. “I stayed calm, tried to play it one shot at a time and the rest is out of my control.”
Coming down the stretch at the 17th hole, Liu knew she would need to make a few big shots to solidify her place near the top of the leaderboard.
“My tee shot was in the center of the fairway so I had a good opportunity to make birdie because it’s a shorter hole. I hit my approach shot close enough for a tap-in and I tapped in for birdie,” said Liu.
Joining Liu in Colorado will be Alice Ziyi Zhao who finished the day at three-over, 75. Zhao made back-to-back birdies on the 12th and 13th holes on her way to shooting even par on the back-nine.
In the third and final qualifying spot was Sammie Dolce with a score of four-over, 76. On the 18th hole, Dolce knocked her approach shot to just a few feet to give herself an opportunity for birdie and the final qualifying spot.
“I hit an awesome drive and figured I might as well go for it. I clubbed up last second because of the wind, hit it and was like, ‘Ok that will work,’” said Dolce. “I focused on my putt, played a little break and it went in which was nice.”
In the alternate positions were Megan Meng (First Alternate) and Season Wei at five-over, 77. Meng bested Wei in a single-hole playoff for the top alternate spot.
“It’s so awesome, I’m so thankful for everything from the course for letting us play to the USGA,” said Dolce. “I’m so excited to go to Colorado.”
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