Hewson Drops First Round Match at US Amateur

Clemson, S.C.—Rinko Mitsunaga defeated Clemson golfer Alice Hewson on the second extra hole to advance to the second round of the United States Women’s Amateur golf tournament at San Diego Country Club on Wednesday afternoon.

Hewson had been the first Clemson women’s golfer to reach match play of the United States Women’s Amateur as she had rounds of 71 and 70 during the stroke play qualifier on Monday and Tuesday.   She was one of just three players to have under par rounds in each of the stroke play rounds and was seeded sixth in the match play competition.

Mitsunaga, a junior golfer at Georgia, took a one-up lead after the first hole, but Hewson came back to win the par five second hole.   Hewson then took a one-up lead on the sixth hole before Mitsunaga won the seventh with a birdie to square the match. The match remained all square until Hewson won the 16th hole with a birdie.

But, for the second time in the match, Mitsunaga came right back and won the next hole, the 17th, with a bogey. It was the first double bogey of the tournament for Hewson, who had just five bogeys in the 36 holes of the stroke play qualifier.

Both players made par on 18 to send the match to extra holes.   The two players made par on the first hole, the 19th hole of the match. Hewson had won the second hole earlier in the match, but in the extra holes, Mitsunaga won the second hole, the 20th hole between the two competitors.