ATHENS, Ga. — Current and future members of the Georgia women’s golf team turned in some solid performances in summer tournaments over the summer. Headlining the list were Rinko Mitsunaga and Stephanie Carras qualifying for the U.S. Women’s Amateur and U.S. Girls’ Junior Championships, respectively, this week.
Mitsunaga, a rising junior, shot 3-under on Tuesday to claim medalist honors at an qualifier at Ansley Golf Club in her hometown of Roswell. Mitsunaga will be appearing in her eighth USGA Championship. She won the inaugural Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Championship in 2015. In addition, Mitsunaga has qualified for the 2012 and 2016 Women’s Opens; the 2014 and 2016 Women’s Amateurs; and the 2012 and 2013 Girls’ Juniors. The 2017 Women’s Amateur Championship will be held August 7-13 at the San Diego Country Club in Chula Vista, Calif.
Carras, an incoming freshman from Midland, Mich., shot 2-over 74 to tie for fifth and won a three-player playoff for her spot in the Girls’ Junior field in a qualifier at the Alta Mesa Golf Club in Mesa, Ariz., on Monday. The Girls Junior Championship is set for July 24-29 at Boone Valley Golf Club in Augusta, Mo.
Carras may join Mitsunaga in the Women’s Am. She shot even-par 72 to tie for second a qualifier at Dove Valley Ranch Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz., on Wednesday. She is the site’s second alternate after finishing second in a five-player playoff for two alternate spots.
Jillian Hollis, a rising junior from Rocky River, Ohio, finished seventh in the Michigan Women’s Open on Wednesday. She shot 1-under 215 competing in a field of more than 100 golfers featuring primarily professional players.
Rising senior Isabella Skinner, rising sophomore Gabriela Coello and incoming freshmen Paula Neira Garcia and Elisa Yang also have turned in solid performances over the past couple of weeks. Skinner tied for 23rd at this week’s Judson Invitational. Coello finished as runner-up at the Women’s Southern Am. Garcia, who won the Women’s Spanish Amateur last month, led Asturias to the team title at the Spanish Interautonómico (Interstate) Championships last week. Yang finished fifth in stroke play qualifying and reached the quarterfinals of the Georgia Women’s Match Play Championship.
Bailey Tardy, a rising junior from Peachtree Corners, Ga., is preparing for the U.S. Women’s Open, which will be contested on July 13-16 at Trump National Golf Course in Bedminster, N.J. Tardy will be competing in her third U.S. Open.