Ariya Jutanugarn leads the US Girls' Junior
Ariya Jutanugarn, the defending champion of the US Girls Junior Championship, is still leading the tournament after the second round.
She has played in two rounds so far and won her matches easily. This trend will continue as she progresses up the ladder to ward semi-finals and then finals.
In the first round, also known as the round of 64, she played against Ji Eun Baik. The match was easy for Jutanugarn and she won by a score of 142 to 159. This win buoyed fans’ hopes but many experts were still divided about Jutanugarn’s chances of defending
her title.
The second round, the round of 32 left no doubts in anyone’s mind. Jutanugarn was up against Katelyn Dambaugh, also from America. The match was another easy win for the Thai player. She won with an easy score of 6 and 5.
Jutanugarn is considered to be the most favourite player of the event with a proven track record of success. She has great skills and most importantly, the will to win. This combination is very important for any player looking to make it big in an international
event.
However, Jutanugarn will face tougher competition as the tournament runs its course. The weaker and less skilful players will have left the field clear for the skilled players to fight it out in the semis and the final.
Jutanugarn is not the only star of the event. World’s number one amateur player Lydia Ko from New Zealand is also there and wants the title for herself. This win will be another victory in Ko’s increasing list of wins.
Ko is also moving up the ranks. In the first round, she faced Mikayla Harmon from the US. It was an easy win for Ko who made it look effortless. The final score was 145 to 159 in Ko’s favour.
Ko next faced America’s Hee Wook Choi. The match was interesting as Choi gave Ko a tough time. The final score, however, indicated Ko’s superiority over her American opponent. The score was 7 and 6.
Jutanugarn is an able player and if she manages to successfully defend her title, she will become the third player to do so.
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