Maggie Ma, 14, holes dramatic bunker shot to keep bid for U.S. Women’s Amateur history alive

Maggie Ma’s quest to become the youngest champion in U.S. Women’s Amateur history continued in dramatic fashion on Saturday morning in Ooltewah, Tennessee.

The 14-year-old Ma, already the youngest in this week’s 156-player field, holed a bunker shot on The Honors Course’s par-4 18th hole to force a playoff against reigning U.S. Girls’ Junior winner Clairey Lin, then won their Round-of-16 match on the 19th hole to advance to the quarterfinals.

Lin led 1 up through 10 holes when play was suspended for inclement weather on Friday afternoon. The Canadian and recent Stanford commit then won the 11th hole to go 2 up before Ma mounted her comeback.

Ma’s run through match play had already included a hole-out eagle with fairway wood on No. 10 in a 3-and-2 win over Kylie Chong in the Round of 32. Her 40-yard bunker shot Saturday at No. 18, came out perfect, landing about halfway and rolling straight into the cup.

Ma will now face top-ranked junior Asterisk Talley in the quarterfinals, which were already underway Saturday morning as this championship tries to get back on schedule.

Kimberly Kim is the youngest U.S. Women’s Amateur champion, winning the 2006 edition at 14 years, 11 months and 21 days old. Should Ma win, she would best Kim by more than seven months.

But don’t let Ma’s age fool you.

The Irvine, California, resident had long been considered the best player in the Class of 2030. She won the AJGA’s Seri Pak Desert Junior back in June for her fourth win on the premier junior circuit, then punched her USWA ticket a few weeks ago by capturing the California Women’s Amateur with a 2-and-1 victory over Michelle Woo in the final.

Ma isn’t just ranked in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, an impressive feat on its own, but she’s No. 307 – and with a divisor of only seven, she’s poised to climb much higher after this week.

How high depends on how much longer Ma can maintain her flair for the dramatic.