Post by philknj on Aug 7, 2016 1:59:05 GMT
I arrived at the Cardinal O’Hara H.S. parking lot around 11 AM for the short shuttle ride to Rolling Green GC in Springfield, PA. The van traversed its way through narrow streets populated 80% with small two-story brick houses.
Before checking out the play, I dropped by the pro shop to look over the USWA souvenirs. I had to check out the leather(?) wood and hybrid head covers. The big ones got my attention since I don’t have the original head cover for my Adams XTD driver. They were in a variety of color schemes with the USWA logo and a big numeral ‘1’ inside a square. Then I turned one over...FIFTY DOLLARS! Get out of here, that’s what I paid for my used XTD before tax!
The driving range was across from the upper level of the par-3 14 hole. It was a short range with a high fence. Later in the day, I watched three or four players hit drivers, but they could not hit the fence on the fly. To the left and below the range were two practice greens for chipping and bunker play. Muni He and her caddie (daddy?) were there over three hours before her 2:31 PM tee time. Another player there was Arizona junior Kelly Su...her looper was probably her coach, a blonde maybe in her late 30s.
Lucy Li started at 9:16 AM, so I went looking for her group (w/ Sierra Sims and Maddy Herr) and found them teeing off at the par-4 12th hole. As I walked along the fairway, a cart passed me carrying Fox TV crew Shane O’Donoghue, Julie Inkster, and Brad Faxon. When I reached the back of the green, Faxon was gone, but the other two were still there.
Li and Sims hit the greens with their second shots. Herr, a local product who attends Penn St., was in some trouble as he third shot finished in a short-sided position off the green and above the pin. Aiming a little to the right, she tried a delicate chip, but the ball raced about fifty feet and off the other side of the green. She chipped on and two-putted for a seven. The other two made pars.
I was surprised to see Herr teeing off first at the par-4 13th hole...it seems the USGA designates the same order of tee shots for each hole, but it’s okay to play “ready” golf to save time.
Watching Li is most interesting. Her pre-shot routine includes a slow-motion downswing where she drives her right elbow across her waist at an extreme angle. It reminded me of the full swings of Sergio Garcia and Mika Miyazato. Her backswing has some Stack & Tilt, she dips on the downswing, and keeps her hands low on the follow-through. She wears no glove for her woods/UTs, but puts on a glove for her short irons. She took a Lexi Jr. divot on her approach and made a short putt for birdie. Her putting stance looks no different than with her other clubs. Although she wears Edel visors, her bag appears to be all TaylorMade.
Sims (Wake Forest U. bag) was the longest hitter of this group, but she must not like heights. After her tee shot at the par-3 14th, which is to an elevated green over a gorge, she passed on taking the quick route on the foot bridge and walked the long way down and up the gorge instead.
Spectators were not allowed on the bridge, but I had a close look at it. The flooring was two-by-four wooden planks bolted into a sturdy steel frame and anchored in concrete. It was not wide enough to handle motor carts, just people. It looked perfectly safe to me, but some people didn’t look comfortable using it.
There were no standard bearers carrying the scores during medal play, but Li and Sims played well, while Herr struggled. After they finished at the par-5 18th, Li was a popular guest for Beth Ann Nichols and three other reporters. I know Holly Sonders was doing interviews for Fox Sports, but I never saw her during my two days at RGGC.
I hung out at the par-4 1st hole and watched a few tee balls. The most memorable outfit was worn by Ashley Holder, who had the black and gold colors of the U. of Central Florida. It included knee-high socks with horizontal black and gold bands, plus shiny matching two-tone shoes.
Muni He started at #1. She played with Danielle Lemek (Bradley U. bag) and Elizabeth Wang (her blue braided ponytail matched her blue Ping stand bag).
Upon a second look at Muni’s bag since the U.S. Girls Junior, it appears that her driver is not a Honma TW-717 455, but a Honma TW-727 455. Also, it appears that her irons were the original T/M M2 sledgehammers, not the pro M2 version. I assume it was her daddy pushing the bag; mom followed her round.
Muni’s outfit was almost identical to what she wore at the U.S. Girls Junior round of 64: grey Nike polo shirt tucked into a light teal Nike short skort. However, the Adidas BOA shoes were out and Footjoys were in.
Lemek was the longest driver of this group. She’s built along the lines of Lizette Salas, but the swing is quite different. She has a less than graceful body turn away from the ball, but I can’t argue with the results when she catches the ball solid. Muni was the second longest and quite accurate, too. Wang was the shortest, although she got some good roll with her Ping driver. But, she clearly lacked pop throughout her bag and she is not small. I couldn’t believe she chose hybrid for the downhill par-3 3rd hole (156 yards)...missed the green right and made bogey.
Muni opened with a par, then bogeyed the par-4 2nd hole. At #3, she debated between two clubs and maybe chose the wrong one. Her shot was right at the flag, but too long and hot and would not hold the green. Her downhill chip finished above the hole and she three-putted for a double. Oh boy, it’s Ridgewood CC all over again. Fortunately, she picked up one birdie and the rest pars thru the 10th hole.
She hit the fairway at the par-4 11th, but pulled her uphill approach left of the green...made bogey.
I had now seen every hole on the course. It is quite hilly with numerous uphill shots at the greens. It’s not an easy course to walk, but the distances between the greens and tee boxes are not punishing. They had a lot of shade trees for spectators who wanted to stay out of the sun. The creeks that wound through the course had very little water in them, which surprised me considering the heavy rains of the prior weekend. The greens looked really good...the fairways weren’t cut, they were shaved! However, I saw many areas in the rough that were chewed up.
This was the right time to break away from Muni’s group temporarily. Hye Jin Choi teed off about an hour earlier from #10 and I caught up with her group approaching the par-5 7th tee box. She was with Amber Wang (Princeton U.), who I had seen at the Canoe Brook USWO qualifier in May, and Emma Bradley (Ole Miss).
Choi had a club caddie on her bag. At the time, I was unaware that her daddy might have carried it earlier that day or during Monday’s medal round. Her parents and her brother were following her play.
Before hitting at #7 or #8, Choi stretched out her lower back while leaning on her driver, and gave her back some light fist bumps. After the drive, she walked to her ball the entire way with her hands anchored to her hips.
Nevertheless, I saw no infirmities with her performance. She was easily the longest hitter of her group. She went for the green in two at #7 and finished a little short in a greenside bunker...made an easy splash out and rolled in a two-footer for birdie.
At the short par-4 8th, I paced off Choi’s drive at 246 yards into a breeze, which she followed up with a stiff wedge and another birdie.
The 9th hole is an uphill three-shot par-5...Choi’s third left her a putt within seven feet of the hole. From what I’ve seen at two USGA events, she is almost automatic at that range...another birdie.
My timing was perfect as the 9th green was a short distance to the 15th tee box (par 4), where I rejoined Muni He’s group. The second shot is uphill and blind from where I stood in the fairway. Christine Wang hit the first approach shot for her group...about ten seconds later two women standing around the green started hooting and hollering. Wang arrived and pulled her ball out of the hole for an eagle. The scorer following this group said it was their second hole-out; I missed Danielle Lemek make eagle at the par-4 12th. BTW, Muni’s approach left her a kick-in birdie.
The 16th hole is a short par-4. From what I observed earlier, if you land your ball on the sloped left fringe, the ball will roll directly right and to the flag. Unfortunately, I couldn’t give this advice to Muni as she made bogey. She closed with pars on the par-5 17th and 18th holes.
I had no idea what Muni shot, but she had to be close to the cut line. The incomplete manual scoreboard showed it to be at 148. Muni shot 72 on Monday and I’m sure she did worse on Tuesday, but by how much? Haley Moore was one of the 148 players, but she was not celebrating her position. The inevitable playoff hole order would be 10-11-9.
It took forever to update the scoreboard and there was only so much daylight remaining. I went to the restroom and when I came out, a mass of players were assembling at the 10th tee. Nine players at 147 would fight it out for five open spots and Muni was one of them. Another was Kacie Komoto, who got my attention for two reasons. First, she had PXG irons in her Northwestern U. bag. Wow, I guess her school is quite generous, or does she get them for free like a pro? Second, she looks like a younger and smaller version of the JLPGA’s Yumiko Yoshida.
Five players teed off at the uphill par-3 10th hole. After they hit, I walked to the back of the green and waited for the second wave to hit, which included Muni...ugh, she made bogey. When the 10th was completed by everyone, the USGA lady started reading off the successful qualifiers. After the fourth name she stopped...WOO HOO!! Then she announced Muni and four others would continue the playoff at #11 at 7:15 AM tomorrow for the last spot.
Before checking out the play, I dropped by the pro shop to look over the USWA souvenirs. I had to check out the leather(?) wood and hybrid head covers. The big ones got my attention since I don’t have the original head cover for my Adams XTD driver. They were in a variety of color schemes with the USWA logo and a big numeral ‘1’ inside a square. Then I turned one over...FIFTY DOLLARS! Get out of here, that’s what I paid for my used XTD before tax!
The driving range was across from the upper level of the par-3 14 hole. It was a short range with a high fence. Later in the day, I watched three or four players hit drivers, but they could not hit the fence on the fly. To the left and below the range were two practice greens for chipping and bunker play. Muni He and her caddie (daddy?) were there over three hours before her 2:31 PM tee time. Another player there was Arizona junior Kelly Su...her looper was probably her coach, a blonde maybe in her late 30s.
Lucy Li started at 9:16 AM, so I went looking for her group (w/ Sierra Sims and Maddy Herr) and found them teeing off at the par-4 12th hole. As I walked along the fairway, a cart passed me carrying Fox TV crew Shane O’Donoghue, Julie Inkster, and Brad Faxon. When I reached the back of the green, Faxon was gone, but the other two were still there.
Li and Sims hit the greens with their second shots. Herr, a local product who attends Penn St., was in some trouble as he third shot finished in a short-sided position off the green and above the pin. Aiming a little to the right, she tried a delicate chip, but the ball raced about fifty feet and off the other side of the green. She chipped on and two-putted for a seven. The other two made pars.
I was surprised to see Herr teeing off first at the par-4 13th hole...it seems the USGA designates the same order of tee shots for each hole, but it’s okay to play “ready” golf to save time.
Watching Li is most interesting. Her pre-shot routine includes a slow-motion downswing where she drives her right elbow across her waist at an extreme angle. It reminded me of the full swings of Sergio Garcia and Mika Miyazato. Her backswing has some Stack & Tilt, she dips on the downswing, and keeps her hands low on the follow-through. She wears no glove for her woods/UTs, but puts on a glove for her short irons. She took a Lexi Jr. divot on her approach and made a short putt for birdie. Her putting stance looks no different than with her other clubs. Although she wears Edel visors, her bag appears to be all TaylorMade.
Sims (Wake Forest U. bag) was the longest hitter of this group, but she must not like heights. After her tee shot at the par-3 14th, which is to an elevated green over a gorge, she passed on taking the quick route on the foot bridge and walked the long way down and up the gorge instead.
Spectators were not allowed on the bridge, but I had a close look at it. The flooring was two-by-four wooden planks bolted into a sturdy steel frame and anchored in concrete. It was not wide enough to handle motor carts, just people. It looked perfectly safe to me, but some people didn’t look comfortable using it.
There were no standard bearers carrying the scores during medal play, but Li and Sims played well, while Herr struggled. After they finished at the par-5 18th, Li was a popular guest for Beth Ann Nichols and three other reporters. I know Holly Sonders was doing interviews for Fox Sports, but I never saw her during my two days at RGGC.
I hung out at the par-4 1st hole and watched a few tee balls. The most memorable outfit was worn by Ashley Holder, who had the black and gold colors of the U. of Central Florida. It included knee-high socks with horizontal black and gold bands, plus shiny matching two-tone shoes.
Muni He started at #1. She played with Danielle Lemek (Bradley U. bag) and Elizabeth Wang (her blue braided ponytail matched her blue Ping stand bag).
Upon a second look at Muni’s bag since the U.S. Girls Junior, it appears that her driver is not a Honma TW-717 455, but a Honma TW-727 455. Also, it appears that her irons were the original T/M M2 sledgehammers, not the pro M2 version. I assume it was her daddy pushing the bag; mom followed her round.
Muni’s outfit was almost identical to what she wore at the U.S. Girls Junior round of 64: grey Nike polo shirt tucked into a light teal Nike short skort. However, the Adidas BOA shoes were out and Footjoys were in.
Lemek was the longest driver of this group. She’s built along the lines of Lizette Salas, but the swing is quite different. She has a less than graceful body turn away from the ball, but I can’t argue with the results when she catches the ball solid. Muni was the second longest and quite accurate, too. Wang was the shortest, although she got some good roll with her Ping driver. But, she clearly lacked pop throughout her bag and she is not small. I couldn’t believe she chose hybrid for the downhill par-3 3rd hole (156 yards)...missed the green right and made bogey.
Muni opened with a par, then bogeyed the par-4 2nd hole. At #3, she debated between two clubs and maybe chose the wrong one. Her shot was right at the flag, but too long and hot and would not hold the green. Her downhill chip finished above the hole and she three-putted for a double. Oh boy, it’s Ridgewood CC all over again. Fortunately, she picked up one birdie and the rest pars thru the 10th hole.
She hit the fairway at the par-4 11th, but pulled her uphill approach left of the green...made bogey.
I had now seen every hole on the course. It is quite hilly with numerous uphill shots at the greens. It’s not an easy course to walk, but the distances between the greens and tee boxes are not punishing. They had a lot of shade trees for spectators who wanted to stay out of the sun. The creeks that wound through the course had very little water in them, which surprised me considering the heavy rains of the prior weekend. The greens looked really good...the fairways weren’t cut, they were shaved! However, I saw many areas in the rough that were chewed up.
This was the right time to break away from Muni’s group temporarily. Hye Jin Choi teed off about an hour earlier from #10 and I caught up with her group approaching the par-5 7th tee box. She was with Amber Wang (Princeton U.), who I had seen at the Canoe Brook USWO qualifier in May, and Emma Bradley (Ole Miss).
Choi had a club caddie on her bag. At the time, I was unaware that her daddy might have carried it earlier that day or during Monday’s medal round. Her parents and her brother were following her play.
Before hitting at #7 or #8, Choi stretched out her lower back while leaning on her driver, and gave her back some light fist bumps. After the drive, she walked to her ball the entire way with her hands anchored to her hips.
Nevertheless, I saw no infirmities with her performance. She was easily the longest hitter of her group. She went for the green in two at #7 and finished a little short in a greenside bunker...made an easy splash out and rolled in a two-footer for birdie.
At the short par-4 8th, I paced off Choi’s drive at 246 yards into a breeze, which she followed up with a stiff wedge and another birdie.
The 9th hole is an uphill three-shot par-5...Choi’s third left her a putt within seven feet of the hole. From what I’ve seen at two USGA events, she is almost automatic at that range...another birdie.
My timing was perfect as the 9th green was a short distance to the 15th tee box (par 4), where I rejoined Muni He’s group. The second shot is uphill and blind from where I stood in the fairway. Christine Wang hit the first approach shot for her group...about ten seconds later two women standing around the green started hooting and hollering. Wang arrived and pulled her ball out of the hole for an eagle. The scorer following this group said it was their second hole-out; I missed Danielle Lemek make eagle at the par-4 12th. BTW, Muni’s approach left her a kick-in birdie.
The 16th hole is a short par-4. From what I observed earlier, if you land your ball on the sloped left fringe, the ball will roll directly right and to the flag. Unfortunately, I couldn’t give this advice to Muni as she made bogey. She closed with pars on the par-5 17th and 18th holes.
I had no idea what Muni shot, but she had to be close to the cut line. The incomplete manual scoreboard showed it to be at 148. Muni shot 72 on Monday and I’m sure she did worse on Tuesday, but by how much? Haley Moore was one of the 148 players, but she was not celebrating her position. The inevitable playoff hole order would be 10-11-9.
It took forever to update the scoreboard and there was only so much daylight remaining. I went to the restroom and when I came out, a mass of players were assembling at the 10th tee. Nine players at 147 would fight it out for five open spots and Muni was one of them. Another was Kacie Komoto, who got my attention for two reasons. First, she had PXG irons in her Northwestern U. bag. Wow, I guess her school is quite generous, or does she get them for free like a pro? Second, she looks like a younger and smaller version of the JLPGA’s Yumiko Yoshida.
Five players teed off at the uphill par-3 10th hole. After they hit, I walked to the back of the green and waited for the second wave to hit, which included Muni...ugh, she made bogey. When the 10th was completed by everyone, the USGA lady started reading off the successful qualifiers. After the fourth name she stopped...WOO HOO!! Then she announced Muni and four others would continue the playoff at #11 at 7:15 AM tomorrow for the last spot.
