Team Canada

Canada’s Naomi Ko advances to quarters at US Girls’ Junior

Naomi Ko (USGA/ Steven Gibbons)

TULSA, Okla. – Team Canada’s Naomi Ko won two matches Thursday in the U.S. Girls’ Junior to advance to the quarterfinals at Tulsa Country Club.

The 17-year-old Ko, from Victoria, B.C, beat stroke-play medalist Megan Khang of Rockland, Massachusetts, 1 up in the round of 32, and topped Alyaa Abdulghany of Newport Beach, California, 2 and 1 in the afternoon round of 16.

Ko will face South Korea’s Eun Jeong Seong on Friday morning. Seong routed Thailand’s Chakansim Khamborn 6 and 5 in the round of 16.

In the other upper-bracket quarterfinal, Jayna Choi of Collierville, Tennessee, will play Annika Cedo of the Philippines. Choi advanced with a 2-up victory over Karah Sanford of Escondido, California, and Cedo beat Gina Kim of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 4 and 3.

Long-hitting Angel Yin of Arcadia, California, powered into the quarterfinals. She beat Mexico’s Maria Balcazar 4 and 3 in the morning, and eliminated South Korea’s Yujeong Son 5 and 3 in the afternoon.

Yin will play Andrea Lee of Hermosa Beach, California, a 7-and-6 winner over Marni Murez of Manhattan Beach, California.

In the other quarterfinal, Mexico’s Evelyn Arguelles will face Mika Liu of Los Angeles. Arguelles beat Kathleen Scavo of Benicia, California, 1 up, and Liu topped Aneka Seumanutafa of Frederick, Maryland, 2 and 1.