Fighting Na moves in to US quarter-final

BY Liz White | US Womens Amateur Tour | 2008 US Women's Amateur | Matchplay Round Three | 08 Aug 2008

Australia’s Stephanie Na has shown tremendous fight to make her way into the quarter finals of the US Amateur in Oregon today.

It was a long day out on the Eugene Country Club course for Na who battled her way through her second round match earlier in the day and again came from behind to win her afternoon match.

The 19-year-old’s efforts demonstrated why she is Australia’s number one amateur, never giving up even when she was down by three with seven holes to play in her second round encounter with California’s Sydney Burlison

“I think today’s performance was pretty gusty,” a delighted Na said.

“I am happy to think I have achieved so much mentally today, it was a really big step for me.

“It’s funny because even though I was three down I wasn’t fussed, I just kept thinking I could pull it out, although it did take me a lot longer than I had hoped.”

The South Australian clawed the match back to 2 down with a birdie on the 12th and then won the 13th with a bogey, to apply the pressure to her waning opponent.

The match was then all square on the 15th when Na posted a four to Burlison’s bogey five.

When the heat was on it was Na who was cool, two-putting for a birdie on the 485-yard par five, 16th.

“I love that hole, it is always a great feeling to two putt for birdie and I started to feel pretty good at that point.”

The birdie put Na one up with two to play. For Burlison, the disappointment of letting such a big lead slip was too much and she lost the match 2 & 1on the very next hole with a bogey.

“I was really pumped after that win, I just felt really good,” Na said.

After a 90 minute break, Na then faced up to New York’s Kristina Wong who had just secured a win on the 20th hole to advance to the third round.

“That was a different sort of match, where even though I was one down I never felt really confident that I could pull it back,” she said.

“It was a really up and down day and after that match I just felt really relieved.”

Na’s third round match was a very tight affair, with neither girl able to get on a roll.

After 15 holes it looked like Wong would take the honours with a one up advantage, but like her previous round, Na was able to find that something extra.

She birdied the par 5 16th again and as the girls walked down the 17th it became a case of who wanted it more. Na showed nerves of steel to par the 17th while Wong bogeyed. A solid par on the 18th saw Na take the match 1 up.

“I made some pretty good up and downs today, which is what you have to do on this course, because it is just so difficult.”

It was a real battle out there for Na today, who said the course is playing tougher as the week progresses.

“Obviously the rough is getting thicker and if you get in it trying to make up and down is very hard because sometimes you need to make up and down from 100 out. Also the greens are becoming so much firmer,” she said.

“Today I hit a 6 iron and it was all over the pin and I couldn’t believe it when it ran through. Then it makes it hard to get up and down because you are so close to the pin.”

Na’s opponent tomorrow, Spain’s Azahara Munoz, was also taken to the 18th in her match today against California’s Tracy Nichols.

The match was all square after 16 but Munoz’s birdie, par finish was enough to see her through to the next round.

In what has turned out to be a Spanish invasion tomorrow’s quarter finals feature three Spaniards, with the pick of the round being the match between America’s number one, Amanda Blumenhurst and the extremely talented Spaniard, Carlotta Ciganda.

In the remaining matches fourth seed Whitney Neuhauser takes on 21st seed Belen Mozo and California’s Chelsea Stelzmiller will meet Washington’s Erynne Lee. Lee has struck some form after defeating the third seed, Canadian Kira Meixner on the 19th while Stelzmiller caused a major upset, defeating American world number four Alison Walshe 2 & 1.

Na knows she will be in a battle with Azahara Munoz tomorrow.

“She won the National college championships this year so she is obviously good,” Na said.

“But it doesn’t matter, I will just play my own game.”

And if that means coming back from three down so be it.