Photo Credit: USGA/Steven Gibbons
WEST POINT, Miss. – Vanderbilt’s Morgan Baxendale and Auston Kim have advanced to match-play competition at the United States Women’s Amateur golf tournament.
Baxendale, from Windermere, Florida, and Kim, from St. Augustine, Fla., are scheduled to play Wednesday in the first of six potential match-play rounds. Kim will take on Arkansas redshirt sophomore Brooke Matthews at 12:40 p.m. Ten minutes later, Baxendale will face Northern California teenager Lucy Li at 12:50 p.m.
Baxendale and Kim are among 64 of 156 golfers to advance at the Women’s Amateur, which continues through Sunday at the difficult Old Waverly Golf Club in West Point.
Baxendale made the 64-player cut on the strength of a superb finish to her second round. After struggling to a 3-over front nine, the rising junior caught fire, making four consecutive birdies from to move into medalist contention.
“After that triple (at No. 6), I made a couple of important par putts, then hit the reset button walking down the 10th fairway,” Baxendale said. “On the 10th green, I knocked in a 30-footer that totally changed the momentum of the round.
“This might be the first time I’ve made four birdies in a row in competition, and it’s due to my putting. I haven’t three-putted over the last two days and I’m just playing with a lot of confidence in the putter.”
Baxendale ended stroke play with a 36-hole total of 4-under-par 140. She finished in a tie for fifth place in the competition for low individual.
Kim posted a second-round score of 3-over-par 75. She finished stroke play tied for 45th place with a 2-over-par 146 total.
After making three bogeys on the back nine, Kim provided some cushion to reaching match play with a birdie on her closing hole, the 512-yard, par-5 ninth.
“I knew I had the game today, but my score wasn’t really reflective of how well I played,” Kim said. “Honestly, I’m just happy (to advance) and know that it’s a completely new game tomorrow.”
This marks the first time either Baxendale or Kim have played in the Women’s Amateur. They also become the first Commodores to reach match play at the event since rising senior Abbey Carlson in 2016.
Coverage and results
Live results of the Women’s Amateur are available at usga.org. FOX Sports will provide coverage Wednesday starting at 3 p.m., and continue daily coverage through Sunday.
