Texas Tech University Athletics
Kaufman Advances Past Opening Round of Match Play
June 20, 2012 | Women's Golf
June 20, 2012
Tournament Home | Match Play Bracket
LUBBOCK, Texas - Texas Tech golfer Kim Kaufman won her opening round match at the U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links Championship Wednesday as she defeated Alice Chen, 2-and-1, at the Neshanic Valley Golf Course in Neshanic Station, N.J.
Kaufman's victory over Chen, one of the top high school players in the state of New Jersey, avenges a first-round loss from a year ago where the junior fell in sudden death.
After recording consecutive even-par 72 rounds during stroke play Monday and Tuesday, Kaufman continued her consistency as she overcame an early bogey on the par-4 first to eventually take a two-hole lead through the front nine.
Chen recovered to tie the match just two holes later before Kaufman once again found her groove and posted back-to-back birdies on the par-5 14th and par-4 15th. She and Chen both birdied the par-4 16th and pared the par-3 17th, effectively ending the match with Kaufman up two holes with one to play.
The Clark, S.D. native advances to face Demi Frances Runas at 8:20 a.m. Thursday morning. Runas defeated Catherine Dolan, 2-and-1, on Wednesday as well. The winner of that match will turn around and play again later in the afternoon against the winner of Kelsey Vines and Chieh Peng.
Kaufman's teammate Gabby Dominguez did not fare as well on Wednesday, however, as the fellow junior fell, 4-and-3, to T.J. Kliebphipat. Dominguez led by two holes early in the round before Kliebphipat recovered to tie the match on the par-4 10th and then close the match with four-straight victories from the 12th to the 15th.
It was Dominguez' first career appearance at the Women's Amateur Public Links Championships. She will return to the links in just over two weeks for the U.S. Women's Open which will be held July 5-8 at Blackwolf Run in Kohler, Wisc.
Players Mentioned
