No. 1 seeds advance in PNGA Women’s Amateur and Mid-Amateur

Emily Baumgart of Walla Walla, Wash. had earned medalist honors in the qualifying rounds of the 118th Pacific Northwest Women’s Amateur, while Amanda Jacobs of Portland had secured the No. 1 seed in the 18th Women’s Mid-Amateur, and both have advanced to the quarterfinals of their respective championships.

Championship links:

• Women’s Amateur – Brackets/Pairings| Photos | Complete Information
• Women’s Mid-Amateur – Brackets/Pairings | Photos | Complete Information

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Both championships are being held concurrently this week on the par-71 Arrowhead Golf Club in Molalla, Ore., and are conducted by the Pacific Northwest Golf Association (PNGA).

In earning the No. 1 seed in the Women’s Amateur, Baumgart got a bye in this morning’s opening Round of 32, so she was rested when she faced Haley Greb of Pendleton, Ore. in this afternoon’s Round of 16 match. Greb, who will be a junior on the Colorado State University women’s golf team, had earlier today defeated Amanda Elich of Camas, Wash. in the Round of 32.

Baumgart handled Greb, 3&2, to move on to tomorrow’s quarterfinal matches. She will face Rino Sasaki of Japan in tomorrow’s quarterfinal. In the longest match of the day, Sasaki outlasted Jennifer Krause of Eugene, Ore. in 22 holes in the Round of 16. Sasaki had tied the match with a par on the 18th hole, then won it with another par on the 22nd.

Sasaki is a sophomore on the University of Washington women’s golf team who last week was the qualifying medalist into the U.S. Women’s Amateur. Last month Sasaki won the Washington State Women’s Amateur.

Baumgart is a two-time Washington Class B High School individual state champion, who now is a sophomore on the Washington State University women’s golf team. Earlier this month, she qualified for the 2019 U.S. Women’s Amateur, which will be held in August.

Mary Parsons of Delta, B.C. had also earned a bye in the Round of 32 by virtue of her No. 3 seed. In her first match this afternoon, in the Round of 16, she had all she could handle with Alexa Clark of Richland, Wash., finally pulling out the win with a 1-up victory. Parsons was named the 2018 PNGA Women’s Player of the Year, and is a junior on the Indiana University women’s golf team. She will face Valerie Hernandez of Portland in tomorrow’s quarterfinal.

Others to advance to the quarterfinals are Susan Xiao of Surrey, B.C., who outlasted Camden Decker of Keizer, Ore. in the Round of 16, winning in 19 holes. Xiao was named the 2017 PNGA Junior Girls’ Player of the Year.

In tomorrow’s quarterfinal, Xiao will square off against Victoria Gailey of Tigard, Ore. Gailey just finished her freshman year at the University of Nevada-Reno women’s golf team, where she set the program’s single season average scoring record.

Also advancing are Jacqueline Bendrick of Mercer Island, Wash. Bendrick, as the No. 2 seed, had also earned a bye this morning, so was ready to go for her afternoon Round of 16 match. She defeated Anne Bahr of Olympia, Wash., 4&3. In tomorrow’s quarterfinal, Bendrick will face Phoebe Yue of West Vancouver, B.C. who had knocked off Ellen Secor in the Round of 16, 3&2.

Bendrick just completed her senior year competing on the Furman University women’s golf team.

In the longest match of the day, Rino Sasaki of Japan outlasted Jennifer Krause of Eugene, Ore. in 22 holes in the Round of 16. Sasaki had tied the match with a par on the 18th hole, then won it with another par on the 22nd.

Sasaki is a sophomore on the University of Washington women’s golf team who last week was the qualifying medalist into the U.S. Women’s Amateur. Last month Sasaki won the Washington State Women’s Amateur.

In the Women’s Mid-Amateur, Jacobs took another step in defending her title by defeating Josee Deslauriers of Parksville, B.C., 7&6 in today’s Round of 16 match. Along with winning last year’s championship, Jacobs also won in 2014 and 2016. She was also the No. 1 seed last year.

Jacobs will square off against Catherine Allen of Bellingham, Wash. in tomorrow’s quarterfinal.

Also advancing in the Women’s Mid-Amateur are No. 10 seed Marcia Fisher, who defeated Loree KcKay of Portland, 1-up. Fisher is a member of the PNGA Hall of Fame, and her family owns Arrowhead.

Gretchen Johnson of Portland also advanced, defeating PNGA Hall of Famer Alison Murdoch of Victoria, B.C., 7&6. Johnson has been runner-up the past two years, falling to Jacobs in last year’s final match.

In tomorrow’s quarterfinal, Johnson will face Victoria Fallgren of Spokane, Wash. Fallgren, the assistant coach on the Gonzaga University women’s golf team, had defeated Cheung Ching Ng of Washougal, Wash. 6&4 in the Round of 16.

The quarterfinal and semifinal matches for both championships will be held Thursday, July 18. The final match for each championship will be contested in Friday, July 19. The Women’s Amateur will have a 36-hole final match, and the Mid-Amateur final match will be contested over 18 holes.