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Duncan Falls to Kang in U.S. Amateur Round of 16

by LSUsports.net (@LSUsports)
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Duncan Falls to Kang in U.S. Amateur Round of 16

PORTLAND, Ore. — LSU women’s golfer Meredith Duncan bowed out of the United States Women’s Amateur here Thursday as a late comeback fell short on the 18th green, losing to Jimin Kang, 1 up, in the round of 16 play at the Waverly Country Club.

Duncan, 20, was three down in the match after 13 holes after having a six-foot par putt ring the hole. The junior to be at LSU still found herself down 3 holes with three to play before the All-American began to rally.

Duncan, with her father David acting as her caddy, threw in a short birdie putt on the par-3 16th and her par 4 on the signature 17th hole at Waverly was good enough to win the hole after Kang found the rough to the right of the flag to put the LSU golfer just one down with one to play going to the 566-yard, par 5 18th.

Both players were in the fairway after two shots and Kang, hitting first, knocked her shot to the left of the green. Duncan aggressively went for the flag and was right and beyond the green. Both players chipped and had par putts, with the 20-year-old Kang making a four-footer to win the match which received a good bit of play over the last four holes on the national ESPN coverage Thursday afternoon.

Duncan, the seventh ranked women’s amateur in the GolfWeek rankings and a junior to be at LSU, knocked off Leigh Ann Harbin, the 18-year-old medalist of the qualifying round from Martinsville, Ind., 3 and 2, in the second round.

The Duke freshman to be won her first match earlier in the day, 6 and 4, before being stopped by Duncan. Hardin is ranked fourth in the Sagarin junior girls rankings.

In the opening round match in the field of 64 also on Wednesday, Duncan took out Mexico’s Marcela Leon, also by a 3 and 2 decision.

Duncan will return to LSU to begin the fall semester on Aug. 21 with the start of the 2000-2001 collegiate golf season for the nationally-ranked Lady Tigers set for Sept. 8-10 when LSU travels to the Auburn Derby Invitational.