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Upsets Rule PNGA Women’s Amateur Quarterfinals

Naomi Ko of Victoria, B.C. had the tall task of facing No. 1 seed Ziyi Wang in this morning’s quarterfinal match at the 116th Pacific Northwest Women’s Amateur Championship.

Naomi Ko tees off on #1 at Fairwood

And the 2016 PNGA Women’s Player of the Year brought her A game.

After a double-bogey on the 17th hole left her 1-down to Wang, Ko dropped a must-have birdie on the par-5 18th to win the hole and square the match, and the two went to the first tee for extra holes. Ko then birdied the first extra hole to win the match.

In the other quarterfinal match, Julianne Alvarez, a rising junior at the University of Washington and the reigning Washington State Women’s Amateur champ, stayed steady in the closing holes against Gigi Stoll of Tigard, Ore. Stoll, the reigning Oregon Women’s Amateur champ, had a 1-up lead over Alvarez with four holes to play, but bogeyed 15 and 17, losing both holes to Alvarez. The two then matched birdies on the par-5 18th, giving the match to Alvarez.

Alvarez and Ko will square off in today’s semifinal match, teeing off at 12:30 p.m.

Julianne Alvarez shows her school pride with a UW hat

To stay connected on social media and follow the action of all matches for the Women’s Amateur and Women’s Mid-Amateur, follow @PNGALIVE on Twitter for live updates and use the hashtag #PNGAWomensAm.