Spieth vs. Hwang in boys, Anderson to play Kim for girls title

Medalists Spieth, Anderson advance to USGA finals

BEDMINSTER, N.J. — Medalists Jordan Spieth of Dallas and Amy Anderson of Oxbow, N.D. scored semifinal victories to advance to the finals of the boys and girls USGA Junior Amateur championships on Friday.

Spieth, 15, will play Jay Hwang, 16, of San Diego in the boys final, while Anderson will play Kimberly Kim, 17, of Hilo, Hawaii for the girls crown. The championships will be played over 36 holes on Saturday on the New Course at the Trump National Golf Club.

Spieth blew a 4-up lead and then came back to post a 1 up victory over Logan Harrell of Huntersville, N.C., sinking a sliding 4-foot par saver at No. 18 to seal the win.

Hwang, who only started playing golf five years ago, won the 12th, 13th and 14th holes en route to a 3 and 2 win over Nicholas Reach of Moscow, Pa.

Anderson, who lives in a town of 300 people — what she calls a golf course surrounded by homes — chipped in from 20 feet to save par on the 18th hole and then won the match on the 19th hole when Luz Alejandra Cangrejo of Colombia hit her tee shot into the hazard on the 10th hole and eventually conceded.

Kim, who won the U.S. Women’s Amateur in 2006 as a 14-year-old, played 14 holes in 7 under in posting a 5 and 4 win over Doris Chen of Bradenton, Fla.

The most interesting matches of the day involved Spieth and Anderson, who were the low scorers in the 36-hole stroke play on Monday and Tuesday that set the fields of 64 for match play.

Spieth, who has been friends with Harrell for about three years, went 4 up through six holes but saw his lead evaporate when he bogeyed No. 7 and Harrell birdied Nos. 9-11.

“He just started making putts from everywhere,” said Spieth, who lost in the semifinal of this event last year. “He was pumped. He was screaming and making fist pumps.”

Spieth won the 12th with a par, but Harrell birdied the 13th to even the match again.

Spieth took the lead for good with a 6-foot birdie at No. 15 and won the 16th when Harrell missed a 3-footer for a bogey. Spieth gave a hole back with a bogey at No. 17, but he made his last putt from 4 feet to close out the match.

“I told myself you’re not going to have a chance like this to win if you don’t capitalize here,” Spieth said.

Anderson, 17, has been the biggest surprise this week. She plays golf about five months a year, and she has made the most of this event after driving here with her family.

She also got lucky.

Two down with three to play, she tied the match when Cangrejo bogeyed the 16th and 17th holes. All appeared lost at the 18th when she faced a 20 footer from off the green for par with her opponent 3 feet from the hole for par.

However, Anderson used a lob wedge to chip in.

“It was definitely a miracle,” Anderson said. “First it was a question to putt or chip and there was too much scruffy grass to putt. My caddie told me to play it right edge and I pulled it, but it had cut spin so it broke right in the hole.”

Anderson felt sorry for Cangrejo, who was in tears after the match.

“It’s not the way you want to lose or win a match,” Anderson said.

“This will just motivate me to practice more so it doesn’t happen again,” said the 16-year-old Cangrejo, who lost in the first round last year to eventual champion Alexis Thompson.

Hwang was tied with Reach after 11 holes before taking control by winning three straight holes, winning the 13th and 14th with birdies.

“He doesn’t make a mistake,” Reach said of Hwang. “He made one mistake at 7, he made a double. Other than that he did not make a mistake.”

Hwang, who has never won a tournament other than in near home, has been playing well lately. He finished sixth in the recent Junior World Championships.

“I’m excited, more than nervous,” Hwang said.

Kim, who struggled with her putting in a 1 up win over Jennifer Johnson in the quarterfinals on Friday morning, made everything with her putter in the semifinal. She also added an eagle on the par-4, third hole, sinking a wedge from about 57 yards.

Kim is trying to become the first golfer to win the Women’s Amateur and then the junior amateur, an event for players 17-years-old and under.

“It would be cool but you never know what will happen tomorrow,” said Kim, who will be playing in her fourth USGA final. She also finished second twice in the Women’s Amateur Public Links.