Player Information/Pairings/Results
June 22, 2023
Los Altos resident Camille Thai now has something in common with LPGA Tour members Yealimi Noh and Christina Kim.
On Thursday at Quail Lodge Resort, Thai, still just a 16-year-old high school junior, joined Noh and Kim as winners of the annual California Junior Girls' State Championship. In the 18-hole match play final, the No.1 seeded Thai defeated runner-up and No.11 seed Darla May Dela Torre, 6 and 5.
A member of the Junior Tour of Northern California, Thai was a buzzsaw in the final, playing her 14 holes at 4-under par with no bogeys. By the time the match reached the 10th tee, Thai held a commanding 5-up lead.
In the morning semifinals, Thai squeaked by No.13 seed Lauren Pierce, 1-up. Pierce held a 1-up lead thru 16 holes but would end up making bogey on both the 17th and 18th.
Dela Torre punched her ticked to the final by knocking out No.7 Meghan Paracuelles via a 2-up win. There, the match was tied thru 16 holes. On the 17th, Dela Torre took a 1-up lead when she made birdie. On the par-4 18th, Dela Torre made par to a Paracuelles bogey.
Thai earned medalist honors and the No.1 seed by shooting 1-over 145 in stroke play qualifying. Kim won the title in 2000, while Noh was a two-time champ, collecting trophies in 2014 and 2018.
June 21, 2023
The semifinals are set at this week's annual California Junior Girls' State Championship at Quai Lodge Resort in Carmel.
No.1 seed Camille Thai of Los Altos will take on No.13 Lauren Pierce of Granite Bay, while the other semis match will see No.7 Meghan Paracuelles taking on No.11 Darla May Dela Torre.
In Wednesday's quarterfinals, Thai had a 3-up lead over No.8 Janna Andaya thru 15 holes, but Andaya won both holes Nos. 16 and 17 to get to the 18th hole. There, the two tied with pars, giving Thai a 1-up win.
Pierce, meanwhile, advanced with a 2 and 1 semifinals win over No.12 Iliana Rubio. Pierce grabbed a 1-up lead thanks to a birdie on No.7. A hole later, Rubio made bogey upping the lead to 2-up. Rubio got the lead back down to just a hole with a birdie win on No.11, but just three holes later she bogeyed to put Pierce back up by two.
In another quarterfinal, Paracuelles pulled off the upset, knocking out No.2 seed Tavia Burgess, 3 and 2. Paracuelles grabbed a 2-up lead thru 9 holes and never looked back, upping the lead to three holes on No.13 after Burgess made bogey.
The last quarterfinals match was the closest. Dela Torre and No.3 seed Claire Zhong were tied through 16 holes. On the par-3 17th, Dela Torre made bogey but Zhong ended up making double-bogey. A hole later on the 18th, Dela Torre sealed a 2-up win by making birdie.
The morning Round of 16 saw No.4 seed Nicole Iniakov fall, 3 and 1, to Lauren Pierce. Also getting knocked out in the Round of 16 was No.6 seed and defending champion Ellie Bushnell, who lost 2 and 1 to Darla May Dela Torre.
The semifinals and finals are slated for Thursday.
Past champions include Yealimi Noh (2018, 2014), Kathleen Scavo (2012-13) and Dorothy Delasin (1996, 1998).
June 20, 2023
Los Altos resident Camille Thai will be the No.1 seed when match play gets underway Wednesday at this week's annual California Junior Girls' State Championship at Poppy Hills.
Thai, a junior-to-be in high school, earned medalist honors at the championship, posting a second round 1-under 71 Tuesday at Quail Lodge Resort to finish stroke play qualifying with a 36-hole score of 1-over 145.
The No.2 seed will be Tavia Burgess of Mather, who came in at 147 after a 73.
Overall, only the low 16 players made it into the match play brackets.
Defending champion Ellie Bushnell advanced, carding a 75 to finish qualifying T-6.
Wednesday's action will consist of the first round of match play (Round of 16) and quarterfinals. The semifinals and finals are slated for Thursday.
Past champions include Yealimi Noh (2018, 2014), Kathleen Scavo (2012-13) and Dorothy Delasin (1996, 1998).
Tuesday Photo Gallery
June 19, 2023
Nicole Iniakov felt right at home in Monday's first round of stroke play qualifying at this week's annual California Junior Girls' State Championship at par-72 Quail Lodge Resort.
Iniakov, who hails from nearby Prunedale, carded a first-round leading 1-under 71 that featured five birdies and four bogeys.
In second place at 72 is Petra Yee of Sacramento. Only the low 16 players following stroke play qualifying will move on to the match play brackets.
Defending champion Ellie Bushnell is T-12 after an opening 76.
Tuesday's play will consist of the second round of stroke play qualifying. The first round of match play (Round of 16) and quarterfinals will take place Wednesday, with the semifinals and finals slated for Thursday.
Past champions include Yealimi Noh (2018, 2014), Kathleen Scavo (2012-13) and Dorothy Delasin (1996, 1998).