UCLA star Tiffany Joh moved within a match of her second U.S. Womens Amateur Public Links Championship in three years, winning twice Friday to advance to the 36-hole final against Southern California recruit Jennifer Song.
Joh, the 2006 winner at Walking Stick in Pueblo, Colo., beat Lee Lopez of Whittier, Calif., 2 and 1 in the quarterfinals, then edged Tiffany Lua of Rowland Heights, Calif., 4 and 3 in the semifinals on the 6,158-yard, par-73 Erin Hills course.
Song, from South Korea, beat Lauren Doughtie of Suffolk, Va., 4 and 3 in the morning, and topped Stephanie Kono of Honolulu 2-up in the afternoon.
Joh, the runner-up in the NCAA tournament and a member of the victorious U.S. Curtis Cup team, birdied six of the first seven holes to take a 6-up lead over Lua.
I dont know what happened, said Joh, who made three putts of 30 feet. A lot of the putts I was just trying to lag and they just went in.
Lua cut the deficit to three holes with a birdie on the par-4 13th.
At least I didnt lose 10 and 8, Lua said. Im proud of myself for hanging in there.
Song parred the par-4 17th to take a 1-up lead over Kono, and birdied the par-5 final hole to seal the victory.
I was very patient, Song said.