Post by philknj on May 9, 2018 12:55:18 GMT
I dropped by Canoe Brook CC (North course) in Summit, NJ at 10:40 AM. The parking lot is near the tennis courts which had at least a dozen women on them...and white white white was obviously the club’s apparel policy. A cramped driving range was nearby, as well as a wide well-lit tunnel underneath Rte. 24 leading to the shorter South course.
As in the last qualifier the USGA held here in 2016, two qualifiers and two alternates would be selected. I was here to see Grace & Karen’s Excellent Adventure: two Symetra Tour travel buddies, Grace Na and Karen Chung(of Livingston, NJ), were in the field. The only competitor here with a better pedigree was Maria Jose Uribe. This event appeared to be a temporary diversion for Na and Chung, as both were in the field for a Symetra tournament in Georgia two days later.
I walked to the scoreboard area, which had been updated to show only the WDs. The earliest groups were almost done with their morning rounds. I carried a written list of seven players (w/ tee times) who would get my attention: Grace Na, Karen Chung, MJ Uribe, Yuka Saso, Kelly Sim, Alejandra Llaneza, and Susana Benavides.
Grace and Karen were my first priority so I began walking up the 18th hole to intercept them. The driving range fence was against the right rough area and many balls had gone over or under the fence. Callaway and Taylormade practice balls seem to be the house brands.
I circled around the 16th hole area but didn’t see Grace or Karen. Then it hit me that I had misread my cheat sheet. Grace and Karen had started on #10 quite early (with one group between them), which means they would be on the front nine by this time. Duh! I marched over there and found Karen’s group putting out on #6.
As Karen walked to the 7th tee, I gave her best wishes on returning to the LPGA soon, which she thanked me for. I’m guessing it was her brother carrying her old Southern Cal stand bag. Nike is still her apparel brand and she plays one of the newer versions of Titleist AP1 irons, which is a little unusual for a pro, but I saw Candace Schepperle game those at the 2013 Galloway National pro-am. As for GI irons, the Callaway Apex (“Rubbish”) irons are still popular, as I saw three or four sets at this qualifier.
Karen had a red boxing glove on her driver which said DOUBLE P on the cuff. A signature in gold script on the glove was not easy to decipher, but maybe it said Pat Perez. Is this a reference to the PGA Tour pro? Does she know that goofball?!
One young amateur was in Karen’s threesome, which would explain the two guys in the U. of Delaware outfits who were scouting her. The Blue Hens had three players in the field, Ariane Klotz, Ashley Dingman and Valentina Mueller (they all got clobbered).
The par-3 7th hole was extremely interesting and challenging. The tee was all the way back to 203 yards, but it was steeply downhill. The green was narrow and deep with the pin in the left-middle area. It was also downwind. Players would hit mostly hybrids, but anything hitting near the flag would come in way too hot and roll off the back into heavy grass...and saving par from there was quite hard to do. It also helps to strike the ball properly. Emily Gimpel, who I had seen hit a superb wood into the sensational 18th hole at last year’s Galloway National pro-am, dropped-kicked her tee ball and made bogey.
I followed Karen’s group to the end of their morning round at #9 and checked out the scoreboard. The course was set at 6507 yards (par-72) and a noticeable breeze was blowing from west to east. As expected, some horrendous scores were getting posted, but not by Grace Na, who nailed it with a 72. Woohoo! It was even more impressive since she got stuck with a young amateur in her group who shot 95...Grace must have done a lot of standing around.
MJ Uribe was in the last morning group to finish their first nine holes at #18 so I walked over to that green. I’m guessing Uribe had her regular tour caddy with her...he had that sort of look. The club caddies had uniforms and green bibs. Larry the Looper says it’s a sin to make your caddy carry a tour staff bag during a 36-hole qualifier (instead of a lighter-weight stand bag), but Uribe’s guy got stuck with her heavy bag.
After putting out, a USGA guy in a cart with a clipboard warned Uribe that her group was out of position. She said her group got stuck looking for a lost ball on the back nine. She started walking to the 1st hole, then turned around and returned to the man.
Q: Sir, what is our time?
A: You’re two minutes out of position.
Two minutes...I wish I could have read her mind when he said that.
But, the low morning score was posted by amateur Ami Gianchandani, 71. She’s from nearby Watchung, NJ, so it wouldn’t surprise me if she had played this course a hundred times before. Another NJ product came out firing, high school senior Kelly Sim, 72. I saw her drive at the par-5 18th, a high tight draw. She probably had her mom on the bag, who was pushing a Clicgear golf cart with a seat attachment. Karen Chung opened with a competitive 75. On the other hand, Yuko Saso’s family was giving her encouragement after she blew the tournament with a morning 80.
The plan was to follow Grace for nine holes when she teed off at #1 and then break off to watch other players. I also had time to check out the pro shop, which I missed the first time I was here. Among the equipment, they don’t play favorites for a particular brand. Of course, the shirts are perfectly folded on the tables. The back of the shop leads to the dining room and bar, which I skipped. On the way out, I grabbed a scorecard for the North course.
There was enough time between rounds for Grace to visit the range for a few cuts before her next tee time at 12:50 PM. Unfortunately, you have to hit off mats, but they look spongy and high quality...balls are dumped into wooden crates at each station where they filter out through a hole at the crate’s base. As she left the range, I congratulated her on the good opening round. She replied, “thank you, appreciate it.” Her voice is raspy.
Grace opened with a par at the par-4 1st hole. She was gaming Ping i200 irons, Ping Glide wedges and a two-ball putter (Odyssey or a copycat). She wore a no-name short sleeve polo shirt and shorts, a Linksoul cap and a pair of white Nike shoes. I have no idea if she ever had a golf apparel contract, but she would make a fabulous model. She had a youngish, sandy-haired guy on her bag who wore a white Cobra cap and a hot pink Puma golf shirt.
BTW, the young amateur who shot 95 in Grace’s group during the AM, Anna Bowman, proved it was a bad fluke. She shot 81 during the PM, which was a fair assessment of her abilities. Her Callaway XR driver didn’t make a loud sound, but she displayed some pop at times. At the downhill par-5 2nd hole (470 yards), she was easily the longest of her group and had around 170 yards into the green. Unfortunately, she made a bogey-six. Meanwhile, Grace had a longer approach from the right rough, hit it just short of the green, chipped or putted it on and made the birdie putt.
Grace gave that stroke back on the uphill par-4 6th hole and risked a big number in the process. Her drive went left and finished in upslope rough surrounding a fairway bunker. There were overhanging tree limbs on the left which seemed to block out a direct approach to a pin guarded by a bunker on the right. I don’t know what her plan was, but she choked down on a fairway wood or hybrid with an awkward stance and took a hack at it. I lost sight of the ball, but I heard the click of a tree. She got some distance on it, but it finished left of the trees. She was able to wedge the ball over the trees to a spot just in front of the green and limited the damage to a bogey.
She bogeyed the 7th hole and finished her front nine at +1 (and +1 overall). I saw her play nine holes at the Seaview in 2016, where she missed the cut (72-75, +5). I’m guessing she’s a better player now, although Canoe Brook(North) and the Seaview are completely different types of courses regarding distance and dangers. There’s no guessing about her setup over the ball...her stance, grip and posture are textbook beautiful.
Grace continued to the 10th hole, while I veered towards the parking lot to get more granola bars from my car. I was stopped in my tracks by a parked golf cart with one bag strapped behind the driver’s seat. It was a Maruman bag with Majesty Prestigio headcovers on all the clubs, including the irons. An Asian guy walked up from behind:
AG: They were cheap.
Me: Yes, these cost pocket change.
AG: They make you play better...they’re my wife’s.
Me: Of course.
Super am Yuka Saso of The Philippines was next on the agenda as she continued her afternoon round at the par-4 1st hole. LoudMouth apparel might have first dibs when she turns pro. She had a lime green top with a white belt and green w/ orange trim flowery pants. After watching her bomb her driver at the par-5 2nd hole, she might be the Philippines “Terminator” one day, but has a long way to go.
The next player I switched to was Alejandra Llaneza. She doesn’t have a lot of steam through the hitting zone, which probably explains her precarious position outside the LPGA tour mainstream. “ALE” is on her Vokey wedges in green-white-red letters. She had Titleist AP2 irons in a stand bag that said National Golf Links of America.
She kept her poise under difficult positions. On the uphill par-4 6th hole (into strong winds), she hit a wood or hybrid full tilt and almost fell backwards. That left her a birdie putt, but before she could mark her ball, a huge wind gust blew it off the green. A rules guy nearby said she had to play the ball from its new position...no sweat, she still made par.
Llaneza finished her day at the par-5 9th hole...her third shot nestled in downslope rough next to the green. Aiming far to the left of the flag, her chip looped around to the back of the hole almost went in for birdie.
The second round was nearing the end, so I hustled up the 18th fairway to catch Kelly Sim finish the day. Her second shot into the par-4 17th hole found sand and she made bogey. Her drive at the downhill par-5 18th hole plugged itself in mud in light rough. I didn’t know the rules in place, but playing partner Evelyn Arguelles (Dallas Baptist U. bag) said she could lift the ball and re-drop it near the original ball mark. Sim hit her next shot with an iron, a club with a red ferrule, which I can’t recall seeing before. Her third shot went into the bunker and she couldn’t save par. I had a chance to examine her bag and she was playing Epon Forged by Endo AF-703 irons.
I didn’t watch Susana Benavides play...actually, I didn’t realize the player I saw all covered up with a conservative black/grey Nike ensemble and a huge visor was her. Of more visual interest was Caroline Ciot of Canada, who I never heard of before...from her practice round, I think this is the par-5 8th hole:
Of course, everyone gathered around the scoreboard late in the day. Grace Na was in first (+4, 148) and it appeared she’d get one spot...the two young ams, Gianchandani and Sim, collapsed in the afternoon. The one threat still out there was Uribe, who opened with a 75. A guy writing the report for the NJ State Golf Association mumbled to himself, “I better find Grace Na.” I motioned with my collapsible umbrella that she was over there sitting on the back bumper of a golf cart about six feet away.
Then there was a buzz of excitement as the guys manning the laptops under the canopy informed Grace that she was low medalist...Uribe shot 78 in the PM. Karen Chung finished in a three-way tie for second with amateurs Evelyn Arguelles and Jennifer Cleary at 149. The playoff holes would be 10 thru 12 (if it went that long), which were par-4, par-3 and par-5 respectively.
FIGHT ON! Karen should have been a heavy favorite against two ams, but she completely blew it...missed the green on all three holes and didn’t save par on any of them. Arguelles made par on #10 to get the second spot. Chung and Cleary halved #11 before Cleary won #12 to get the valuable first alternate spot (it’s not unusual for the USGA to pick two or three first alternates to play the USWO). Karen got second alternate...that plus 79 cents will get you a senior coffee at McDonalds.
NJSGA article with scoreboard and photo links:
www.njsga.org/communications/news/gracena18/
As in the last qualifier the USGA held here in 2016, two qualifiers and two alternates would be selected. I was here to see Grace & Karen’s Excellent Adventure: two Symetra Tour travel buddies, Grace Na and Karen Chung(of Livingston, NJ), were in the field. The only competitor here with a better pedigree was Maria Jose Uribe. This event appeared to be a temporary diversion for Na and Chung, as both were in the field for a Symetra tournament in Georgia two days later.
I walked to the scoreboard area, which had been updated to show only the WDs. The earliest groups were almost done with their morning rounds. I carried a written list of seven players (w/ tee times) who would get my attention: Grace Na, Karen Chung, MJ Uribe, Yuka Saso, Kelly Sim, Alejandra Llaneza, and Susana Benavides.
Grace and Karen were my first priority so I began walking up the 18th hole to intercept them. The driving range fence was against the right rough area and many balls had gone over or under the fence. Callaway and Taylormade practice balls seem to be the house brands.
I circled around the 16th hole area but didn’t see Grace or Karen. Then it hit me that I had misread my cheat sheet. Grace and Karen had started on #10 quite early (with one group between them), which means they would be on the front nine by this time. Duh! I marched over there and found Karen’s group putting out on #6.
As Karen walked to the 7th tee, I gave her best wishes on returning to the LPGA soon, which she thanked me for. I’m guessing it was her brother carrying her old Southern Cal stand bag. Nike is still her apparel brand and she plays one of the newer versions of Titleist AP1 irons, which is a little unusual for a pro, but I saw Candace Schepperle game those at the 2013 Galloway National pro-am. As for GI irons, the Callaway Apex (“Rubbish”) irons are still popular, as I saw three or four sets at this qualifier.
Karen had a red boxing glove on her driver which said DOUBLE P on the cuff. A signature in gold script on the glove was not easy to decipher, but maybe it said Pat Perez. Is this a reference to the PGA Tour pro? Does she know that goofball?!
One young amateur was in Karen’s threesome, which would explain the two guys in the U. of Delaware outfits who were scouting her. The Blue Hens had three players in the field, Ariane Klotz, Ashley Dingman and Valentina Mueller (they all got clobbered).
The par-3 7th hole was extremely interesting and challenging. The tee was all the way back to 203 yards, but it was steeply downhill. The green was narrow and deep with the pin in the left-middle area. It was also downwind. Players would hit mostly hybrids, but anything hitting near the flag would come in way too hot and roll off the back into heavy grass...and saving par from there was quite hard to do. It also helps to strike the ball properly. Emily Gimpel, who I had seen hit a superb wood into the sensational 18th hole at last year’s Galloway National pro-am, dropped-kicked her tee ball and made bogey.
I followed Karen’s group to the end of their morning round at #9 and checked out the scoreboard. The course was set at 6507 yards (par-72) and a noticeable breeze was blowing from west to east. As expected, some horrendous scores were getting posted, but not by Grace Na, who nailed it with a 72. Woohoo! It was even more impressive since she got stuck with a young amateur in her group who shot 95...Grace must have done a lot of standing around.
MJ Uribe was in the last morning group to finish their first nine holes at #18 so I walked over to that green. I’m guessing Uribe had her regular tour caddy with her...he had that sort of look. The club caddies had uniforms and green bibs. Larry the Looper says it’s a sin to make your caddy carry a tour staff bag during a 36-hole qualifier (instead of a lighter-weight stand bag), but Uribe’s guy got stuck with her heavy bag.
After putting out, a USGA guy in a cart with a clipboard warned Uribe that her group was out of position. She said her group got stuck looking for a lost ball on the back nine. She started walking to the 1st hole, then turned around and returned to the man.
Q: Sir, what is our time?
A: You’re two minutes out of position.
Two minutes...I wish I could have read her mind when he said that.
But, the low morning score was posted by amateur Ami Gianchandani, 71. She’s from nearby Watchung, NJ, so it wouldn’t surprise me if she had played this course a hundred times before. Another NJ product came out firing, high school senior Kelly Sim, 72. I saw her drive at the par-5 18th, a high tight draw. She probably had her mom on the bag, who was pushing a Clicgear golf cart with a seat attachment. Karen Chung opened with a competitive 75. On the other hand, Yuko Saso’s family was giving her encouragement after she blew the tournament with a morning 80.
The plan was to follow Grace for nine holes when she teed off at #1 and then break off to watch other players. I also had time to check out the pro shop, which I missed the first time I was here. Among the equipment, they don’t play favorites for a particular brand. Of course, the shirts are perfectly folded on the tables. The back of the shop leads to the dining room and bar, which I skipped. On the way out, I grabbed a scorecard for the North course.
There was enough time between rounds for Grace to visit the range for a few cuts before her next tee time at 12:50 PM. Unfortunately, you have to hit off mats, but they look spongy and high quality...balls are dumped into wooden crates at each station where they filter out through a hole at the crate’s base. As she left the range, I congratulated her on the good opening round. She replied, “thank you, appreciate it.” Her voice is raspy.
Grace opened with a par at the par-4 1st hole. She was gaming Ping i200 irons, Ping Glide wedges and a two-ball putter (Odyssey or a copycat). She wore a no-name short sleeve polo shirt and shorts, a Linksoul cap and a pair of white Nike shoes. I have no idea if she ever had a golf apparel contract, but she would make a fabulous model. She had a youngish, sandy-haired guy on her bag who wore a white Cobra cap and a hot pink Puma golf shirt.
BTW, the young amateur who shot 95 in Grace’s group during the AM, Anna Bowman, proved it was a bad fluke. She shot 81 during the PM, which was a fair assessment of her abilities. Her Callaway XR driver didn’t make a loud sound, but she displayed some pop at times. At the downhill par-5 2nd hole (470 yards), she was easily the longest of her group and had around 170 yards into the green. Unfortunately, she made a bogey-six. Meanwhile, Grace had a longer approach from the right rough, hit it just short of the green, chipped or putted it on and made the birdie putt.
Grace gave that stroke back on the uphill par-4 6th hole and risked a big number in the process. Her drive went left and finished in upslope rough surrounding a fairway bunker. There were overhanging tree limbs on the left which seemed to block out a direct approach to a pin guarded by a bunker on the right. I don’t know what her plan was, but she choked down on a fairway wood or hybrid with an awkward stance and took a hack at it. I lost sight of the ball, but I heard the click of a tree. She got some distance on it, but it finished left of the trees. She was able to wedge the ball over the trees to a spot just in front of the green and limited the damage to a bogey.
She bogeyed the 7th hole and finished her front nine at +1 (and +1 overall). I saw her play nine holes at the Seaview in 2016, where she missed the cut (72-75, +5). I’m guessing she’s a better player now, although Canoe Brook(North) and the Seaview are completely different types of courses regarding distance and dangers. There’s no guessing about her setup over the ball...her stance, grip and posture are textbook beautiful.
Grace continued to the 10th hole, while I veered towards the parking lot to get more granola bars from my car. I was stopped in my tracks by a parked golf cart with one bag strapped behind the driver’s seat. It was a Maruman bag with Majesty Prestigio headcovers on all the clubs, including the irons. An Asian guy walked up from behind:
AG: They were cheap.
Me: Yes, these cost pocket change.
AG: They make you play better...they’re my wife’s.
Me: Of course.
Super am Yuka Saso of The Philippines was next on the agenda as she continued her afternoon round at the par-4 1st hole. LoudMouth apparel might have first dibs when she turns pro. She had a lime green top with a white belt and green w/ orange trim flowery pants. After watching her bomb her driver at the par-5 2nd hole, she might be the Philippines “Terminator” one day, but has a long way to go.
The next player I switched to was Alejandra Llaneza. She doesn’t have a lot of steam through the hitting zone, which probably explains her precarious position outside the LPGA tour mainstream. “ALE” is on her Vokey wedges in green-white-red letters. She had Titleist AP2 irons in a stand bag that said National Golf Links of America.
She kept her poise under difficult positions. On the uphill par-4 6th hole (into strong winds), she hit a wood or hybrid full tilt and almost fell backwards. That left her a birdie putt, but before she could mark her ball, a huge wind gust blew it off the green. A rules guy nearby said she had to play the ball from its new position...no sweat, she still made par.
Llaneza finished her day at the par-5 9th hole...her third shot nestled in downslope rough next to the green. Aiming far to the left of the flag, her chip looped around to the back of the hole almost went in for birdie.
The second round was nearing the end, so I hustled up the 18th fairway to catch Kelly Sim finish the day. Her second shot into the par-4 17th hole found sand and she made bogey. Her drive at the downhill par-5 18th hole plugged itself in mud in light rough. I didn’t know the rules in place, but playing partner Evelyn Arguelles (Dallas Baptist U. bag) said she could lift the ball and re-drop it near the original ball mark. Sim hit her next shot with an iron, a club with a red ferrule, which I can’t recall seeing before. Her third shot went into the bunker and she couldn’t save par. I had a chance to examine her bag and she was playing Epon Forged by Endo AF-703 irons.
I didn’t watch Susana Benavides play...actually, I didn’t realize the player I saw all covered up with a conservative black/grey Nike ensemble and a huge visor was her. Of more visual interest was Caroline Ciot of Canada, who I never heard of before...from her practice round, I think this is the par-5 8th hole:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BiQeTUkg7sd
Of course, everyone gathered around the scoreboard late in the day. Grace Na was in first (+4, 148) and it appeared she’d get one spot...the two young ams, Gianchandani and Sim, collapsed in the afternoon. The one threat still out there was Uribe, who opened with a 75. A guy writing the report for the NJ State Golf Association mumbled to himself, “I better find Grace Na.” I motioned with my collapsible umbrella that she was over there sitting on the back bumper of a golf cart about six feet away.
Then there was a buzz of excitement as the guys manning the laptops under the canopy informed Grace that she was low medalist...Uribe shot 78 in the PM. Karen Chung finished in a three-way tie for second with amateurs Evelyn Arguelles and Jennifer Cleary at 149. The playoff holes would be 10 thru 12 (if it went that long), which were par-4, par-3 and par-5 respectively.
FIGHT ON! Karen should have been a heavy favorite against two ams, but she completely blew it...missed the green on all three holes and didn’t save par on any of them. Arguelles made par on #10 to get the second spot. Chung and Cleary halved #11 before Cleary won #12 to get the valuable first alternate spot (it’s not unusual for the USGA to pick two or three first alternates to play the USWO). Karen got second alternate...that plus 79 cents will get you a senior coffee at McDonalds.
NJSGA article with scoreboard and photo links:
www.njsga.org/communications/news/gracena18/