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07.28.2007
08:31 pm (ET)
LAKEWOOD, Wash. (Sports Network) -- Kristen Park's first experience with match play couldn't have turned out better. Playing in her first U.S. Girls' Junior, the 14-year-old Park rolled to a 4 & 3 win over Ayaka Kaneko in the 36-hole match play final on Saturday to become the fourth-youngest champion in tournament history. She is the third girl under 15 to win a USGA championship in the last two seasons. Jenny Shin won the 2006 U.S. Girls' Junior at 13, and Kimberly Kim claimed the 2006 U.S. Women's Amateur at 14. "I think like the younger girls have just as much talent as the older girls, so there's no fear," said Park, who was competing in the match play format for the first time. Her opponent, the 17-year-old Kaneko, was a quarterfinalist at the 2006 U.S. Women's Amateur and played in the 2006 U.S. Women's Open, where she missed the cut. Kaneko played Park to a tie in the first 18 holes, but Park took the lead early in the afternoon round by winning three of the first five holes. She was 3-up through 27 holes, then moved 4-up with a par at their 30th hole -- the 12th at Tacoma Country & Golf Club. Park clinched the match when the duo halved the next three holes. "I think in the morning I was too tight, and I was just stiff," said Park, who made seven birdies through 33 holes. "I just kind of relaxed on the second 18." Copyright 2007 Sports Network. All rights reserved.
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