Malaysia’s Alyaa Abdulghany and Natasha Andrea Oon both advanced to the matchplay rounds of the prestigious US Women’s Amateur Championship after finishing T8 and T14 respectively in the 36-hole strokeplay stage.
Alyaa carded rounds of 73 and 71 for an even-par total at Woodmont Country Club in Rockville, Maryland. Natasha recovered with a brilliant second round 69 after an opening 76 to comfortably make it to the 64-player knockout rounds.
The second round of strokeplay was originally scheduled for Tuesday but heavy rainfall brought on by Hurricane Isaias caused it to be deferred to Wednesday.
Alyaa faces Australia’s Kirsty Hodgkins while Natasha takes on American Nicole Whiston in the first round of the matchplay stage.
Both players are US-based and compete on the elite collegiate circuit. Alyaa, Malaysia’s top-ranked lady amateur at 34th place in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR), is in her senior (final) year at the University of Southern California.
Natasha is the next highest ranked Malaysian at No 54 in the WAGR and is currently in her junior (third) year at San Jose State University.
