Kang claims 109th Women’s North & South Amateur Championship at Pinehurst No. 2

VILLAGE OF PINEHURST, N.C. (July 23, 2011)

Danielle Kang added another prestigious victory to her amateur resume before turning pro next month, defeating Doris Chen 2 and 1 Saturday to capture the 109th Women’s North & South Amateur at Pinehurst No. 2.

It was a long and grinding day of golf for both teenagers as three weather delays and 100-degree heat presented its share of challenges during the 36-hole match of the longest-running women’s amateur championship in the United States.

“Winning this championship with the match play system gives me some great confidence going into the U.S. Amateur in a couple of weeks.” said Kang.  “I just have to play like my personality and just attack.”

Kang, the nation’s second-ranked amateur from Thousand Oaks, Calif., took a three-hole lead in the morning match and was 2 up as the players broke for lunch.

Chen, who defeated Kang in the quarterfinals en route to the U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship last summer at nearby Country Club of North Carolina, then got hot with her putter, winning four of six holes to get back into the match.

She sank a 45-foot putt on No. 2, a 15-footer on the fourth hole and then a tap in on No. 6 for a string of three straight birdies to grab a two-hole margin as the match stayed close the rest of the way.

However, Chen’s putter was her worst enemy on the back side of the afternoon match as she three-putted twice to lose a pair of holes, and fell behind for good when she pushed a 4-footer to lose No. 14.

The fourth-seeded Kang, the 2010 U.S. Amateur champion who has made cuts this year in the U.S. Women’s Open and LPGA Championship, sank a 15-footer on the ninth hole to briefly forge ahead before benefitting from Chen’s putting misfortunes and pulling off the shot of the day.

Leading by one hole, Kang fired a 6-iron on the par-3 15th hole to within 12 inches to go 2 up.  The two players recorded pars on the next two holes as Kang captured the Putter Boy trophy.  “When I went out after second rain delay I was playing so defensive and I don’t know why.”  Kang said.  “All of a sudden something hit me and I got this big adrenalin rush.  I don’t know how to explain it and then I just went on a run from there.

“I just went for the pin on that shot on No. 15 because there was no reason to hold back.  I play better when I attack because that’s my personality.”

Chen, of Bradenton, Fla., will be an incoming freshman this fall at Southern Cal, while Kang, 18, leaves Sunday for Scotland and the Women’s British Open before returning to the mainland to defend her U.S. Amateur title and then turning professional.

Results from the 36-hold championship match Saturday at the 109th Women’s North & South Amateur Championship on Pinehurst No. 2 with seeding, player’s name and hometown.

(4) Danielle Kang (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) def (11) Doris Chen (Bradenton, Fla.) 2 & 1

Complete match play tree results are available at www.pinehurst.com. 

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