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U.S. GIRLS' JUNIOR

Meet the Quarterfinalists

By Vanessa Zink, USGA

| Jul 27, 2017 | AUGUSTA, Mo.

Erica Shepherd is trying to become the second female to win a USGA championship left-handed. (USGA/Steven Gibbons)

U.S. Girls' Junior

Jennifer Chang, 17, of Cary, N.C.

  • Born Oct. 20, 1999 in Springfield, Mo.
  • No. 96 in the Women’s World Amateur Golf Ranking.
  • Attends Athens Drive High School in Raleigh, N.C., where she plays on the golf team
  • Playing in her second U.S. Girls’ Junior, qualified at Raintree C.C. in Charlotte, N.C., on June 19
        o 2016: lost in the round of 32 to Yu-Sang Hou
  • Semifinalist in the 2017 U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball with partner Gina Kim at The Dunes Golf & Beach Club in Myrtle Beach, S.C.
  • Played in her first USGA championship, the 2013 U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links, at age 13
  • 2015 North Carolina Girls’ Player of the Year
  • Verbally committed to attend the University of Southern California in the fall of 2018


Path to the quarterfinals:

        o    Stroke play: 76-69-145 (T16)
        o    Round of 64: defeated Julia Misemer, 6 and 5
        o    Round of 32: defeated So Whi Kang, 3 and 2
        o    Round of 16: defeated Yu-Sang Hou, 2 and 1

Youngin Chun, 17, of Gainesville, Fla.

  • Born May 14, 2000 in Tampa, Fla.
  • No. 206 in the Women’s World Amateur Golf Ranking
  • Attends Cornerstone Academy in Gainesville, and plans to graduate in 2018
  • Playing in her fourth U.S. Girls’ Junior, qualified at Silver Lake (Ohio) C.C., on June 22
        o 2012: missed cut
        o 2013: lost in the round of 64 to Princess Mary Superal
        o  2016: missed cut
  • Qualified to play in the U.S. Women’s Amateur at San Diego Country Club in Chula Vista, Calif., in August


Path to the quarterfinals:

    o    Stroke play: 74-69—143 (T11)
    o    Round of 64: defeated Julia Gregg, 5 and 4
    o    Round of 32: defeated Stephanie Carras, 2 up
    o    Round of 16: defeated Haylin Harris, 8 and 7

Celeste Dao, 16, of Canada

  • Born March 31, 2001 in Chapel Hill, N.C.
  • No. 662 in the Women’s World Amateur Golf Ranking
  • Attends Ecole Secondaire du Chêne Bleu in Montreal, Quebec, and plans to graduate in 2019
  • Playing in her second U.S. Girls’ Junior, qualified at Oak Hill C.C. in Fitchburg, Mass., on June 27
        o 2016: lost in the round of 64 to Ellie Szeryk, 1 up
  • Won the Quebec Girls’ Championship in 2015 and finished runner-up in 2016
  • Named Junior Golfer of the Year in Quebec in 2015 and 2016
  • Enjoys snowboarding, swimming and listening to Beyonce


Path to the quarterfinals:

    o    Stroke play: 76-71–147 (T28)
    o    Round of 64: defeated Jacque Galloway, 3 and 2
    o    Round of 32: defeated Izzy Pellot, 19 holes
    o    Round of 16: defeated Brianna Navarrosa, 4 and 3

Ami Gianchandani, 17, of Watchung, N.J.

  • Born Dec. 16, 1999 in New York, N.Y.
  • Attends the Pingry School in Basking Ridge, N.J., and plans to graduate in 2018
  • Playing in her third consecutive U.S. Girls’ Junior, qualified at Silver Creek C.C. in Hellertown, Pa. on June 28
        o    2015: missed cut
        o    2016: missed cut
  • 2015 New Jersey State Golf Association Junior Girls champion
  • Four-time New Jersey PGA Junior Player of the Year and NJPGA Girls All-State Team selection (2017, 2015, 2014, 2013)
  • A squash player, she participates on her school’s robotics team and enjoys math and science


Path to the quarterfinals:
    o    Stroke play: 75-74–149 (T42)
    o    Round of 64: defeated Macy Fox, 2 and 1
    o    Round of 32: defeated Ellie Szeryk, 3 and 2
    o    Round of 16: defeated Paphangkorn Tavatanakit, 1 up

Elizabeth Moon, 17, Forrest City, Ark.

  • Born Dec. 9, 1999 in Forrest City
  • No. 2,246 in the Women’s World Amateur Golf Ranking
  • Attends Forrest City High School, and plans to graduate in 2018
  • Playing in her first USGA championship, earned medalist honors in qualifying with a 66, her lowest competitive 18-hole score, at Cartersville (Ga.) C.C. on June 26
  • Three-time Arkansas State Golf Association Player of the Year (2014, 2015, 2017)
  • 2011 U.S. Kids world champion
  • The oldest of five children, she has one sister, Ann, and three brothers, Richard, Alexander and Khan


Path to the quarterfinals:

    o    Stroke play: 75-74–149 (T42)
    o    Round of 64: defeated Hailey Borja, 2 and 1
    o    Round of 32: defeated Ivy Shepherd, 3 and 2
    o    Round of 16: defeated Alexa Pano, 3 and 2

Calista Reyes, 17, of San Diego, Calif.

  • Born Feb. 5, 2000 in the Philippines
  • No. 415 in the Women’s World Amateur Golf Ranking
  • Attends Rancho Bernardo High School in San Diego, and plans to graduate in 2018
  • Playing in her fourth consecutive U.S. Girls’ Junior, qualified in Lake San Marcos, Calif., on June 19
        o    2014: missed cut
        o    2015: missed cut
        o    2016: lost in the round of 32 to Xinying Wang, 19 holes
  • She was a first alternate for the 2017 U.S. Women’s Open, and won medalist with a 69 in the U.S. Women’s Amateur qualifier at Brentwood C.C. in Los Angeles, Calif., on July 10
  • Started playing golf at age 7 when she was introduced to the sport through The First Tee of San Diego
  • Played on the West Team in the 2017 Wyndham Cup conducted by the American Junior Golf Association
  • When facing a challenging situation on the course, she pretends to play the piano with her toes to refocus and relax.


Path to the quarterfinals:

    o    Stroke play: 73-73–146 (T21)
    o    Round of 64: defeated Ruqing Guan, 1 up
    o    Round of 32: defeated Karah Sanford, 2 and 1
    o    Round of 16: defeated Annick Haczkiewicz, 19 holes

Taylor Roberts, 15, of Parkland, Fla.

  • Born Jan. 29, 2002 in Boca Raton, Fla.
  • No. 1,857 in the Women’s World Amateur Golf Ranking
  • Attends Florida Virtual School
  • Playing in her first USGA championship, she qualified by winning a 3-for-1 playoff at Hobe Sound (Fla.) G.C. on July 6
  • Verbally committed to attend Florida State University in 2020
  • 2014 U.S. Kids Golf Player of the Year
  • Three-time South Florida PGA Junior Player of the Year (2014-16)
  • Self-taught golfer who took up the game at age 10; she just started taking lessons from a swing instructor this year


Path to the quarterfinals:
    o    Stroke play: 72-78–150 (T52)
    o    Round of 64: defeated Zoe Campos, 22 holes
    o    Round of 32: defeated Natasha Andrea Oon, 1 up
    o    Round of 16: defeated Haley Moore, 19 holes

Erica Shepherd, 16, of Greenwood, Ind.

  • Born Jan. 5, 2001 in Indianapolis, Ind.
  • No. 372 in the Women’s World Amateur Golf Ranking
  • Attends Center Grove High School in Greenwood
  • The left-hander is verbally committed to attend Duke University in 2019
  • Playing in her third U.S. Girls’ Junior, earned medalist honors in qualifying with a 68 at Battle Ground (Ind.) G.C. on June 22
        o    2014: missed the cut in an 11-for-8 playoff
        o    2016: lost in the Round of 32 to Ya Chun Chang, 19 holes
  • Played in the 2016 U.S. Women’s Open and 2015 U.S. Women’s Amateur, missing the cut in both championships
  • Qualified to play in the U.S. Women’s Amateur at San Diego Country Club in Chula Vista, Calif., in August
  • Two-time American Junior Golf Association champion and 2017 AJGA Rolex Girls Championship runner-up
  • Two-time Indiana Girls’ Junior (2015-16) and 2014 Indiana Women’s Golf Association champion
  • 2015 Indiana State Amateur runner-up
  • Her middle name is Leigh in honor of family friend and 1998 U.S. Girls’ Junior champion Leigh Ann Hardin


Path to the quarterfinals:
    o    Stroke play: 73-74–147 (T28)
    o    Round of 64: defeated Kelly Sim, 4 and 3
    o    Round of 32: defeated Nicole Whiston, 3 and 1
    o    Round of 16: defeated Yujeong Son, 2 and 1

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