Final Michigan Junior Girls’ State Amateur match play returns for fourth year – Macomb Daily
Alena Li in action on Wednesday, June 26, 2024, at the 46th Michigan Junior Girls’ State Amateur Championship at Michigan State University’s Forest Akers West Golf Course, where she won two matches to advance to the final four of the tournament. (Photo courtesy of Golf Association of Michigan)
EAST LANSING – Stroke play medalists Macie Elzinga of Byron Center, Mia Melendez of Ann Arbor, Grace Slocum of Traverse City and Alena Li of Okemos won two rounds of play Wednesday to advance to the final four of the 46th Michigan Junior Girls’ State Amateur Championship.
Elzinga will face Melendez and Slocum will face Li in the semifinals on Thursday morning at Michigan State University’s Forest Akers West Golf Course. The winners will play for the championship in the afternoon.
A final four was also decided in the under-15 age group, including stroke play medalist Saisha Patil of Okemos, Madilyn Sheerin of Grand Blanc, Hannah Kim of Troy and Tula Puzzuoli of Washington Township.
Patil will face Sheerin in the semifinals and Kim will face Puzzuoli. The winners will advance to the final in the afternoon.
Elzinga, who will play college golf at Bowling Green State University, won a quarterfinal match against Avery Manning of Dexter in the afternoon after defeating Chaille Payne of Spring Lake 4 and 3 in the round of 16 in the morning.
“I played good golf and it was unfortunate for both of them (my opponents) because they played really good golf,” Elzinga said. “I was just overwhelmed.”
Elzinga fell behind early in her afternoon match against Manning but recovered with birdies, including one on a 40-foot putt.
“I just took a minute, focused and then I was able to win,” she said. “I went full throttle.”
Elzinga reached the semifinals before also being defeated at the recent Michigan Women’s Amateur Championship.
“Hopefully it will be different this time,” she said.
Melendez, who reached the semifinals last year, is also hoping for a different story.
She defeated Brooke Morris of Canton 2-0 in the quarterfinals after defeating Grace Celso of Saline 3-1 in the round of 16 in the morning.
“I was pretty confident going into my second match because I had found a really good stride with my irons towards the end of the first match,” she said. “I took an early lead when I holed out from 55 yards and made an eagle on hole 4, and then I had a streak of birdies and didn’t look back from there.”
Melendez, the 2021 champion in the under-15 age group, said her game was in good shape.
“My golf game is a lot more consistent than it was last year and I feel like everything is starting to come together,” she said. “And I’ve put a lot of work into my short game and have noticed a big difference under pressure.”
Slocum, the 2022 under-15 champion, said her game was not quite perfect on Wednesday.
“In the end, I won both games, so I can’t be too hard on myself,” she said. “My short game definitely impressed.”
Slocum said she was excited to be back in the semifinals.
“I’ve got three great golfers competing with me, so I’m super happy to have made it this far,” she said. “I know anything can happen in match play, so I just want to keep going and try to keep making putts.”
After her two games, Slocum said she was heading to the range to work on a few things.
“Then I will do my best tomorrow,” she said.
Li earned her place in the final four with convincing wins, first in the round of 16 against Isabel Kelly of Grand Ledge by 6 and 5, then by 10 and 8 after five birdies against Rachel Fay of Petoskey.
“I’ve been playing pretty consistently, hitting a lot of fairways and greens and making a few putts,” she said. “I think I want to keep doing what I’ve been doing, enjoying it and enjoying the game. I’m going to keep focusing on hitting greens and making putts.”
Li, who reached the semifinals a year ago, said she learned that a good start helps.
“It gives me confidence and is a kind of buffer for the rest of the round,” she said. “Last year I didn’t have a good start (in the semifinal loss).”
In the under-15 age group, Patil secured her spot in the final four with a 5-4 win over Colbie Livingston of Grand Haven. Sheerin defeated Anika Srivastava of Okemos 2-1 in the round of 16. Kim defeated Marissa Monteith of Macomb 2-1 to secure her spot in the semifinals. And Puzzuoli defeated Eleanor O’Grady of Grand Rapids 2-1.
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