MALVERN, Pa. -- The McDonald’s Betsy Rawls Girls Championship went down to the wire when Jessica Korda of Bradenton, Fla., birdied the par-4, No. 18 to cement a one-stroke victory over first-and-second-round leader Alison Lee of Valencia, Calif., at White Manor Country Club.
Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the McDonald’s Betsy Rawls Girls Championship was a 54-hole stroke play event held at White Manor Country Club. The 78-player field featured players from 14 states, Argentina, Colombia and Canada. The Girls Division played the course at 6,186 yards.
Korda, who is currently ranked 29th in the Polo Golf Rankings, began the final round four strokes behind Lee. She recorded four birdies throughout the day en route to a tournament total of 1-under-par 212. Korda maintained a relaxed and jovial disposition throughout the round, laughing and joking with her fellow competitors through all 18 holes.
“Having fun was the most important part of the day for me,” the fifteen-year-old said. “My dad told me to be relaxed, have fun, and most importantly not put too much pressure on myself.”
While Korda said she felt the pressure of competition throughout the event, she didn’t let it weigh her down. Even when she sat five strokes behind Lee after a bogey on No. 3, Korda maintained her composure, gaining two strokes on Lee over the next six holes. It was on the back nine, however, that Korda shined, outscoring Lee by four strokes to come away with her first AJGA championship.
“[Lee] is such a good competitor,” Korda said. “I knew I had to make that birdie putt to win on No. 18 or we would go to a playoff.”
A playoff was not in the cards after Korda drained an eight-foot putt to claim the title.
Lee, 13, ended the event alone in second with a tournament total of even-par 213. A double bogey on No. 9 followed by bogeys on Nos. 10, 13, and 14 allowed Korda to capitalize and pull even after No. 14. Lee led after both the first and second rounds, securing her spot in the leader girls group. She began the final round in a consistent fashion, recording pars on the first six holes. She carded two birdies on the day, including one on No. 17 to remain even with Korda.
Finishing third, five strokes behind Korda was Ginger Howard of Bradenton, Fla., with a tournament total of 4-over-par 217. In a tie for fourth were Brittany Altomare of Shrewsbury, Mass., and Courtney Gunter of Matthews, N.C., each with a tournament total of 5-over-par 218.
The American Junior Golf Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the overall growth and development of young men and women who aspire to earn college golf scholarships through competitive junior golf. The AJGA, the largest Association of its kind, has an annual junior membership (boys and girls ages 12-18) of approximately 5,000 junior golfers from 49 states and 25 foreign countries.
Titleist, the AJGA's National Sponsor, has been the catalyst and driving force behind the Association's success since 1989. Rolex Watch USA, which is in its third decade of AJGA support, became the inaugural AJGA Premier Partner in 2004. In 2007, after 12 years of support, Polo Ralph Lauren became the AJGA's second Premier Partner.
AJGA alumni have risen to the top of amateur, collegiate and professional golf. More than 160 former AJGA juniors currently play on the PGA and LPGA Tours and have compiled more than 300 wins. AJGA alumni include Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Jim Furyk, Stewart Cink, Davis Love III, Cristie Kerr, Pat Hurst, Paula Creamer, Brittany Lincicome, Morgan Pressel and Julieta Granada.
For more information on the McDonald’s Betsy Rawls Girls Championship, please contact AJGA National Headquarters at (770) 868-4200, or visit the AJGA Web site at ajga.org.
MALVERN, Pa. -- Final results from the McDonald's Betsy Rawls Girls Championship conducted by the American Junior Golf Association at White Manor Country Club. Par: 35-36—71. Yardage: 6,186. Rating/Slope: 76.5/139.
Jessica Korda, Bradenton, Fla. 72-71-69—212
Alison Lee, Valencia, Calif. 68-71-74—213
Ginger Howard, Bradenton, Fla. 77-68-72—217
Brittany Altomare, Shrewsbury, Mass. 75-72-71—218
Courtney Gunter, Matthews, N.C. 75-66-77—218
Christine Song, Fullerton, Calif. 77-77-66—220
Alexis Thompson, Coral Springs, Fla. 79-71-70—220
Luz Alejandra Cangrejo, Bogota, Colombia 74-75-71—220
Courtney Ellenbogen, Blacksburg, Va. 73-75-72—220
Kristina Wong, Bradenton, Fla. 73-72-75—220
Julie Yang, Phoenix, Ariz. 79-71-72—222
Victoria Tanco, Buenos Aires, Argentina 73-74-75—222
Danielle Kang, Oak Park, Calif. 74-72-76—222
Katie Sylvan, San Diego, Calif. 71-80-72—223
Jennifer Johnson, La Quinta, Calif. 74-73-76—223
Amelia Lewis, Jacksonville, Fla. 73-76-75—224
Maria Piccio, Bradenton, Fla. 72-73-79—224
Demi Frances Runas, Torrance, Calif. 78-79-68—225
Victoria Kiser, Orlando, Fla. 74-76-75—225
Ani Gulugian, Irvine, Calif. 80-73-73—226
Kyndall Ardoin, Gibsland, La. 73-80-73—226
Grace Na, Oakland, Calif. 72-76-78—226
Stephanie Kim, Orlando, Fla. 79-77-71—227
Mitsuki Katahira, Wheaton, Ill. 75-75-77—227
Casey Ann Kennedy, Venice, Fla. 78-76-74—228
Stephanie Meadow, Jordanstown, N. Ireland 72-78-78—228
Valentina Fontaine, Hilton Head Island, S.C. 75-76-77—228
Christina Miller, Bradenton, Fla. 76-74-78—228
Kaira Martin, Paradise Valley, Ariz. 78-77-74—229
Allie White, Lancaster, Ohio 76-77-76—229
Nicole Zhang, Calgary, Alberta 77-75-77—229
Kyle Roig, Pembroke Pines, Fla. 75-76-79—230
Austin Ernst, Seneca, S.C. 78-77-76—231
Katie Burnett, Brunswick, Ga. 80-75-76—231
Alexandra Groetsema, Palo Alto, Calif. 78-75-78—231
Lindsey Solberg, Verona, Wis. 78-76-78—232
Emma Lavy, Fayetteville, Ark. 77-76-79—232
Daffodil Sanchez, Mesa, Ariz. 80-77-75—232
Victoria Sungmin Park, Irvine, Calif. 80-79-73—232
Nikki Koller, Lewisburg, Ky. 82-77-73—232
Sarah Beth Davis, Victoria, Texas 83-77-72—232
Kaitlyn Rohrback, Crofton, Md. 78-78-77—233
Rachel Morris, Carlsbad, Calif. 76-81-76—233
Madison Pressel, Boca Raton, Fla. 78-80-75—233
Stacy Kim, Yorba Linda, Calif. 75-74-84—233
Lauren Stratton, Spring Hill, Tenn. 78-78-78—234
Sarah Brown, Phillipsburg, N.J. 81-75-78—234
Emily Tubert, Burbank, Calif. 76-81-77—234
Kendall Martindale, Jefferson City, Tenn. 78-80-76—234
Suzie Lee, E. Northport, N.Y. 80-77-78—235
Andrea Messer, Largo, Fla. 78-80-77—235
Simin Feng, Orlando, Fla. 79-80-76—235
Jessica Schall, Lake Mary, Fla. 74-77-85—236
Michelle Yang, Los Angeles, Calif. 85-75-76—236
Samantha Swinehart, Lancaster, Ohio 80-82-74—236
Daniela Lendl, Bradenton, Fla. 77-81-79—237
Kelly Shon, Seoul, South Korea 75-81-82—238
Stephanie Wagstaff, Asheville, N.C. 75-77-86—238
Eunae Jo, Ridgewood, N.J. 75-83-80—238
Meghan Chapman, Seminole, Fla. 88-74-78—240
Haley Sanders, Rogers, Ark. 80-82-79—241
Hannah Collier, Birmingham, Ala. 78-82-82—242
Katy Nugent, Wichita, Kan. 79-83-80—242
Stani Schiavone, Bangor, Pa. 81-77-85—243
Tiffany Dong, Sacramento, Calif. 77-84-82—243
Brittany Henderson, Smiths Falls, Ontario 78-84-82—244
Rebecca Song, Fullerton, Calif. 80-82-83—245
Seo Hee Moon, Mukilteo, Wash. 80-82-83—245
Courtney McKim, Raleigh, N.C. 86-76-83—245
Kalynd Carson, The Woodlands, Texas 83-85-78—246
Tessa Teachman, Baton Rouge, La. 79-87-81—247
Meredith Swanson, Roanoke, Va. 78-84-87—249
Christine Meier, Rochester Hills, Mich. 78-86-85—249
Gianna DiGrazia, Addison, Ill. 80-83-93—256
Abby Cotter, Noblesville, Ind. 90-83-86—259
Jamie Lavin, Deerfield, Ill. 87-87-85—259
Jane Rah, Torrance, Calif. 74 JWD
Pearl Jin, Bradenton, Fla. 77-73-77 JWD
** JWD=Justified WD
