Chen & Smith Fall at U.S. Women’s Amateur

LOS ANGELES – Both Andie Smith and Anne Chen of the Duke women’s golf program had their runs at the U.S. Women’s Amateur come to an end on Thursday at the Bel-Air Country Club in Los Angeles, Calif.

In the round of 32 in the morning, Chen faced third-seeded Gianna Clemente and the Duke senior was on fire from the start.  Chen, who is from Sugar Land, Texas, birdied the first hole and never trailed.  After four straight pars, Chen collected four birdies in a row to make the turn with a 5UP lead.  Another birdie on No. 11 moved the ledger to 6UP.  Clemente won a couple of holes late, before Chen put her away with a par on No. 15 to win 4&3.  Chen shot 6-under through 15 holes for the round.  

Smith went up against Kyra Ly and dropped the first hole after Ly birdied.  Ly built a 3UP lead on the front, but Smith tried to make a comeback.  A product of Hobe Sound, Fla., Smith posted birdies on No. 8, No. 10 and No. 11 to trail by one hole.  Ly was just too strong as she came back with back-to-back birdies on No. 12 and No. 13, before winning 4&3.  

In the round of 16 later in the day, Chen went up against former Augusta National Women’s Amateur Champion, Anna Davis.  Chen got off to a good start with a birdie and took a 1UP lead through hole No. 1.  She bogeyed the next hole and Davis went on to grab a 3UP lead on the front nine.  Chen won holes No. 10 and No. 12 to cut into the lead, but eventually fell, 4&3.  

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