Lucy Li, the 11-year-old who became the youngest qualifier in U.S. Women’s Open history, made an early exit Wednesday in the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship in Dupont, Wash.
Li, from Redwood Shores, Calif., lost in 19 holes to Alice Chen, 18, of Princeton, N.J..
''It was a battle back and forth all day,’' Chen said. ''She really kept me on my toes all round. Every shot, you could expect her to be really close. She was going right at pins.’'
In other action on the first day of match play, medalist Eun Jeong Seong rallied from four holes down to beat Samantha Gotcher on the first extra hole.
The 14-year-old from South Korea was 2 down through the first three holes, and Gotcher, of Clarksville, Tenn.,increased her lead to four holes at the turn.
But Seong fought back, making an eagle at the par-5 10th, and cutting the deficit to one hole going to the 18th. She forced extra holes by draining a 30-foot putt. She then won on a 15-foot birdie putt at the first hole.
''That was so hard,’' she said.
Seong will next face Grace Na, 21, of Alameda, Calif., who advanced by beating Sydney Youngblood of Durant, Okla., in 19 holes.
Katie Lee, 18, of Silverdale, Wash., rallied from 3 down to upset Curtis Cup team member Annie Park of Levittown, N.Y., 1 up.