Former Coloradan Elizabeth Wang misses match play by one stroke at U.S. Women’s Amateur after going to the round of 16 in 2018; all 7 players with major Colorado ties see their tournament end after stroke play
By Gary Baines – 08/06/2019
This week’s experience at the U.S. Women’s Amateur was a far cry from last year’s for former Colorado resident Elizabeth Wang.
Wang, who lived in Parker until 2010 when she moved to San Marino, Calif., advanced to the match play round of 16 last year at the Women’s Amateur, duplicating what she did at the event in 2015 when she won the national Girls Junior PGA Championship. Along the way, she defeated Jennifer Kupcho of Westminster in the round of 64.
Wang, who placed 34th in the 2018 U.S. Women’s Open, wasn’t so fortunate at this week’s Women’s Am in West Point, Miss. In fact, her national championship ended on Tuesday after just two days, as she fell agonizingly short of making match play.
Wang (pictured in a 2018 USGA photo) rallied in a big way following her opening-round 78 by firing a 2-under-par 70 on Tuesday. But that left her with a 4-over 148 total and in a tie for 65th place. And only the top 64 advance to match play, which starts on Wednesday.
Wang, who is going into her sophomore year at Harvard, finished with six birdies to go along with four bogeys on Tuesday.
Wang certainly wasn’t alone in seeing their U.S. Women’s Amateur competitive experience cut short this week. In fact, all seven players with significant Colorado connections fell short of match play on Tuesday.
As for current Colorado residents, posting the best finishes in the 36-hole stroke-play portion of the Women’s Amateur were Lauren Lehigh of Loveland and Katherine Hollern of Sedalia, who tied for 97th place at 152, ending up five shots behind the final match-play qualifiers. Lehigh eagled the par-4 sixth hole (her 15th) on Tuesday. Hollern made one birdie and 15 pars to go along with a double bogey and a triple bogey in round 2.
U.S. Women’s Amateur
At Old Waverly Golf Club in West Point, Miss.
RESULTS FOR COLORADANS/FORMER COLORADANS COMPETING
Failed to Make Match Play
65. Former Coloradan Elizabeth Wang 78-70–148
97. Lauren Lehigh, Loveland 75-77–152
97. Katherine Hollern, Sedalia 76-76–152
126. Anna Kennedy, Parker 82-73–155
135. Former CSU golfer Ellen Secor 81-76–157
151. Delaney Elliott, Superior 85-83–168
156. Erin Sargent, Longmont 89-88–177
For complete results from the U.S. Women’s Amateur, CLICK HERE.