Cindy Ha tops medalist Angel Yin to make US Girls' Junior quarterfinals

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – Cindy Ha beat qualifying medalist Angel Yin 2 and 1 on Thursday at Forest Highlands to reach the U.S. Girls' Junior quarterfinals. 

 

After a delay for lightning at the Meadow Course, the 17-year-old Ha won the par-4 15th with a 25-foot birdie putt and the par-4 16th with a par to take a 2-up lead and finished off the long-hitting Yin with a par for a halve on the par-3 17th. 

 

"I thought, cruise it down there, get it to a tap-in putt and it just happened to go it," Ha said about the long putt on No. 15. "I just got that momentum." 

 

Ha, a Vanderbilt recruit from Demarest, N.J., set up the third-round match with a 19-hole victory over Yealimi Noh of Concord, Calif., in the morning session. The 15-year-old Yin, from Arcadia, Calif., beat Bailey Tardy of Norcross, Ga., 1 up. 

 

"I've never been so nervous in my life," Ha said before facing Yin. "She hits the ball a mile and seeing her swing, it kind of intimidates you a little." 

 

Ha, a semifinalist last week in the U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links in Washington, will face Brigitte Dunne of Camarillo, Calif. Dunne beat Mary Janiga of Wellington, Fla., 4 and 3. 

 

In the other upper-bracket quarterfinal, Princess Mary Superal of the Philippines will play Bethany Wu of Diamond Bar, Calif. Superal beat Kristen Gillman of Austin, Texas, 3 and 1, and Wu topped Rose Huang of Honolulu 4 and 2. 

 

Mexico's Marijosse Navarro, second in stroke-play qualifying, reached the lower-bracket quarterfinals, beating Fuzzy Brooks of Kingwood, Texas, in 19 holes. The 17-year-old Navarro, a three-time Women's Mexican Amateur champion, was sixth this year for Texas A&M in the NCAA tournament. 

 

Navarro will play Andrea Lee of Hermosa Beach, Calif., a 2-and-1 winner over Gigi Stoll of Tigard, Ore. 

 

In the other quarterfinal, Australia's Shelly Shin will play Binny Lee of Frisco, Texas. Shin routed Clare Amelia Legaspi of the Philippines 6 and 5, and Binny Lee edged Sofia Chabon of the Philippines 2 up. 

 

The semifinals are Friday afternoon, and the final is set for Saturday.