CHULA VISTA, Calif. – The University of Alabama’s Lauren Stephenson posted a pair of match play victories on Thursday at the 2017 U.S. Women’s Amateur to advance to Friday’s quarterfinal round at the par-72, 6,423-yard San Diego Country Club in Chula Vista, Calif.
Stephenson opened the day with a 4-and-3 win over Duke’s Jaravee Boonchant in the Round of 32 and followed with a 5-and-4 win over Arizona’s Gigi Stoll in the Round of 16 to move on to the quarterfinals. She will face Chia Yen Wu of Chinese Taipei on Friday at 3:50 p.m. (CT) for a spot in Saturday’s semifinal.
Stephenson’s Crimson Tide teammates Cheyenne Knight and Kristen Gillman were also in action on Thursday. Knight dropped a 1-up decision to Stanford’s Albane Valenzuela in the Round of 32 on Thursday morning. Gillman defeated SMU’s Brigitte Dunne 5-and-4 in the Round of 32 but fell to Stephenson’s quarterfinal opponent, Wu, 3-and-1 in the Round of 16.
Coverage of Friday’s quarterfinals will air on FS1 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. (CT).
Former Crimson Tide golfer Emma Talley became the first Alabama golfer to win the Women’s U.S. Amateur when she captured the title in 2013 at Charleston (S.C.) Country Club prior to her sophomore year. Gillman won the event in 2014 as a 16-year-old.
