June 27, 2024
When the final putt fell in to the cup on the 17th hole, it took a few seconds for Caroline Gao to realize what she had done.
Gao, a 13-year-old who's set to enter the 8th grade this fall, became one of the youngest winners of the annual California Junior Girls' State Championship when she toppled No.1 seed Asterisk Talley, 2 and 1, in Thursday's 18-hole finale on the Dunes Course at Monterey Peninsula Country Club. Yealimi Noh was 12 when she won in 2014.
Along with notching the biggest win of her budding career, Gao earned an automatic exemption into this year's U.S. Girls' Junior Championship, which is set to tee off July 15-20 at El Caballero CC in Tarzana.
"I think it's kind of unbelievable right now, being so young," Gao said. "I didn't even know if I'd win my first match."
Coming into the event, the No.7 seeded Gao had never competed in match play. To make things even more interesting, she didn't feel all that great during Wednesday's Round of 16 and the quarterfinals. In both matches, she'd end up playing extra holes--winning her opener on the 20th hole and then her quarterfinals match on the 19th hole.
After squeaking past No.6 Melia Gustavson in the morning semifinals, Gao had to face the red-hot Talley, who entered the event coming off a win at the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship and low amateur honors at the U.S. Open.
After see-sawing through the first eight holes, Talley, 15, grabbed a 1-up lead with a birdie on the par-5 9th. Talley maintained her one hole lead over the next five holes, but on No.15 Gao turned into a dynamo herself.
She'd birdie holes Nos. 15, 16 and 17 in succession while Talley could only make par. On the closing 17th, Talley had a birdie putt but it lipped out. After knocking it stiff, Gao's putt, just a 4-footer, dropped in to seal the victory.
"What I liked about match play was that if you messed up, you could quickly get it of your system," said Gao, who joined the likes of current LPGA Tour member Yealimi Noh and former U.S. Women's Amateur champ Dorothy Delasin as winners of the event. "On the 17th, I couldn't tell how close my shot was on the green. The big relief was when Asterisk missed her putt. She is just so good."
Following a tight opening Round of 16 match, Talley had turned into her dominating self. She won her quarterfinals match, 7 and 5, and her semifinals match, 4 and 3.
Gao's late birdie flurry, however, did her in.
"Caroline played really well," said Talley, whose next stop will be playing for the U.S. National Development Team in Wisconsin on Sunday. "I could've played better."
Gao picked up golf not through her own family, but through a friend's dad. Gao stuck with it. The friend doesn't play anymore.
"It was just a hobby," Gao said.
Now, she's a state champion.
June 26, 2024
No.1 seed Asterisk Talley lived up to the billing, while each of the other top seeds saw their runs end.
Talley, the 15-year-old phenom coming off a win at the U.S. Women's Amateur Four-Ball Championship and low amateur honors at the U.S. Women's Open, moved on at the Dunes Course at Monterey Peninsula Country Club as both the Round of 16 and quarterfinals took place.
In the morning Round of 16, Talley found herself in a duel with No.16 Erica Villegas but eventually emerged with a 2 and 1 victory after winning holes Nos. 16 and 17 with a birdie and par, respectively. Talley opened by playing her first eight holes at 2-over par, but then went on a spree, making three straight birdies from holes Nos. 9 through 11 to build a 1-up lead.
Later in the afternoon, Talley cruised past No.8 seed Ashlee Xu, 7 and 5. In that win, Talley carded 13 straight pars.
In Thursday's semifinals, Talley will face No.12 Abigail Sickles of Garden Grove. Sickles held on in the quarterfinals, defeating No.13 Tavia Burgess, 1-up.
Also moving on to the semifinals was No.6 seed Melia Gustavson of Meadow Vists. Gustavson had a dominant day, winning her Round of 16 match, 6 and 4, and her quarterfinals match, 4 and 3. She'll next face No.7 Caroline Gao, who moved on after defeating No.2 Taylor Baker on the 19th hole.
Thurday's action will also consist of the 18-hole final.
Former champions of the event include Hannah O'Sullivan (2010), who went on the win the 2015 U.S. Women's Amateur, and current LPGA Tour member Yealimi Noh (2014, 2018).
Stevie Umali lost in the Round of 16 but had the shot of the day, acing the par-3 14th on the Dunes Course. It was her first hole-in-one.
June 25, 2024
Chowchilla resident Asterisk Talley came in to this year's California Junior Girls' State Championship as the favorite. Now she's officially been tagged as the one to beat.
Talley, 15, will be the No.1 seed when match play begins Wednesday on the Dunes Course at Monterey Peninsula Country Club after coming in with a two-day score of 5-under 139 in stroke play qualifying. The recent U.S. Women's Amateur Four-Ball champion and low amateur at the U.S. Women's Open carded a second-round 67 a day after opening with a hom-hum even-par 72.
Overall, the low 16 players in stroke play qualifying advanced to match play. The cutline came at 7-over 151.
The No.2 seed will be Taylor Baker of Sacramento, who came in at 140 after a second round 71. Joyce Zhang of Milpitas will be the No.3 seed (142) and Emily Guan of El Dorado Hills will be No.4 (143).
Wednesday's play will feature the Round of 16 and quarterfinals. Thurday's action will consist of the semifinals and 18-hole final.
Former champions of the event include Hannah O'Sullivan (2010), who went on the win the 2015 U.S. Women's Amateur, and current LPGA Tour member Yealimi Noh (2014, 2018).
June 24, 2024
A field of over 70 players is about to get whittled down into the teens.
Emily Guan of El Dorado Hills took the lead in stroke play qualifying at this week's annual California Junior Girls' State Championship on Monday after posting a 4-under 68 on the Dunes Course at Monterey Peninsula Country Club.
Guan posted five birdies to go against just one bogey over the seaside layout.
In second place at 69 is Taylor Baker of Sacramento. Joyce Zhang of Milpitas is third at 70.
Fifteen-year-old Chowchilla resident Asterisk Talley, coming off a win at the U.S. Amateur Women's Four-Ball and low amateur honors at the U.S Women's Open, opened with an even-par 72.
Tuesday's action will consist of the second round of stroke play qualifying. Following play, a cut will be made with the low 16 advancing to match play.
Wednesday's play will feature the Round of 16 and quarterfinals. Thurday's action will consist of the semifinals and 18-hole final.
Former champions of the event include Hannah O'Sullivan (2010), who went on the win the 2015 U.S. Women's Amateur, and current LPGA Tour member Yealimi Noh (2014, 2018).