SCOTS-BORN KARIS DAVIDSON HAS A FIRST-ROUND 77 IN CANADA

AMERICANS SET PACE IN WORLD GIRLS CHAMPIONSHIP

MARKHAM, Ontario – Megan Khang (5-under 67) and Mika Liu (2-under 70) shot an opening-round team-total 7-under 137 to give Team USA a 7-shot, opening-round lead at the inaugural  World Junior Girls Golf Championship at Angus Glen Golf Club (South Course) in Markham, Ontario Khang, 16, carded six birdies and a single bogey going off the back nine of the South Course at Angus Glen on Sunday. Currently the no. 40 ranked player on the World Amateur Golf Ranking, Khang finished her opening-round in impressive fashion with birdies on her final four holes. “I was hitting a lot of great approach shots coming in and my short game was working really well for me,” said Khang following her round. “That’s what I’ve been working on the most and it’s great to see it coming all together. The course was in great shape; I blew some putts by but made some comebackers and that gave me a great confidence boost in the putter.” Liu, 15, had five birdies and three bogies in her opening round as the second US score to count while teammate Angel Yin shot a (non-counting) 1-over 73 in her opening round. For Team USA non-playing captain Courtney Myhrum, the team executed their game plan and left their captain brimming with pride following their round. “I’m so proud, the team did a wonderful job; the course was playing great and I’m in awe of how they hit the ball,” said Myhrum. “What impresses me so much is that these kids hit greens in regulation and give themselves birdie opportunities one after another. They’re very consistent off the tee and they didn’t get into any trouble.” Team Canada, led by the world’s no. 1 ranked amateur Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont. sits alone in second at even-par 144 through 18 holes. Henderson (2-under 70) and teammates Grace St. Germain of Ottawa (2-over 74) and Naomi Ko of Victoria (5-over 77) were grouped with Team USA in Sunday’s opening round at Angus Glen. Henderson, 17, finished with four birdies including her final two holes while St-Germain, 16, was 1-under through 16 holes before a bogey on her 17th hole and a double-bogey finish for Canada’s two counting scores. “It was little bit slow to start, I wasn’t hitting the ball quite as good as I would have liked to,” said Henderson, who earlier this year finished runner-up at the US Women’s Amateur and was the low individual at the recent World Amateur Team Championship. “Throughout the round I started to get a bit more comfortable. The last couple of holes I was playing my best golf; three birdies in the last four or five holes so I’m happy with that.” With her opening round 67, Khang sits alone atop the individual leader board with a three-shot lead over Liu (70) and Henderson (70) heading into Monday’s second round.  Finland’s Anna Backman is fourth at 1-under 70 while Canadian Jaclyn Lee and England’s India Clyburn are tied for fifth at even-par 72 through 18 holes. Scots-born Karis Davidson, a member of the Australian team, shot a five-over-par 77 FIRST-ROUND TEAM SCORES (par 72, 6298yd) 1. United States of America - Megan Khang, Angel Yin, Mika Liu *69-68-137 -7 2. Canada 1 - Brooke Henderson, Naomi Ko, Grace St-Germain *70-74-144 E 3. Finland - Anna Backman, Ellinoora Moisio, Sandra Salonen *71-74-145 +1 4. Italy - Lucrezia Colombotto Rosso, Martina Flori, Carlotta Ricolfi *73-74-147 +3 4. Spain - Nuria Iturrios Servera, Alejandra Pasarin Olalla, Ana Pelaez Trivino *71-76-147 +3 6. England - India Clyburn, Alice Hewson, Inci Mehmet *77-71-148 +4 7. Denmark - Puk  Thomsen, Line Hansen, Marie Lund-Hansen *75-74-149 +5 8. Belgium - Diane Baillieux, Clarisse Louis, Elodie Van Dievoet *72-78-150 +6 8. Sweden - Emma Svensson, Filippa Mork, Michaela Finn *74-76-150 +6 8. Canada 2 - Jaclyn Lee, Selena Costabile, Alisha Lau *77-73-150 +6 11. Mexico - Isabella Fierro, Maria Fassi, Monica Dibildox Hassaf *76-75-151 +7 11. Norway - Sandra Nordaas, Dorthea Charlotte Forbrigd, Renate Grimstad *74-77-151 +7 13. Czech Republic - Kristýna Frýdlová, Karolína Kohoutová, Hana Ryškova *80-73-153 +9 14. Australia - Hannah Green, Karis Davidson, Soo Jin (Jenny) Lee *76-78-154 +10 15. Ireland - Mary Doyle, Olivia Mehaffey, Annabel Wilson *79-76-155 +11 16. New Zealand - Alanna Campbell, Julianne Alvarez, Wenyung Keh *76-80-156 +12 LEADING INDIVIDUAL SCORES (par 72) 1. Megan Khang, United States of America, *33-34-67 -5 2. Mika Liu, United States of America, *36-34-70 -2 2. Brooke Henderson, Canada 1, *34-36-70 -2 4. Anna Backman, Finland, *34-37-71 -1 5. Jaclyn Lee, Canada 2, *36-36-72 E 5. India Clyburn, England, *37-35-72 E 7. Lucrezia Colombotto Rosso, Italy, *37-36-73 +1 7. Sandra Nordaas, Norway, *36-37-73 +1 7. Angel Yin, United States of America, *37-36-73 +1 7. Puk  Thomsen, Denmark, *38-35-73 +1 7. Ana Pelaez Trivino, Spain, *35-38-73 +1 12. Carlotta Ricolfi, Italy, *36-38-74 +2 12. Michaela Finn, Sweden, *35-39-74 +2 12. Hana Ryškova, Czech Republic, *38-36-74 +2 12. Clarisse Louis, Belgium, *35-39-74 +2 12. Grace St-Germain, Canada 1, *36-38-74 +2 12. Sandra Salonen, Finland, *37-37-74 +2 12. Alejandra Pasarin Olalla, Spain, *36-38-74 +2 19. Maria Fassi, Mexico, *38-37-75 +3 20. Martina Flori, Italy, *39-37-76 +4 20. Diane Baillieux, Belgium, *37-39-76 +4 20. Emma Svensson, Sweden, *39-37-76 +4 20. Isabella Fierro, Mexico, *38-38-76 +4 20. Wenyung Keh, New Zealand, *38-38-76 +4 20. Inci Mehmet, England, *40-36-76 +4 20. Line  Hansen, Denmark, *37-39-76 +4 27. Elodie Van Dievoet, Belgium, *42-35-77 +5 27. Naomi Ko, Canada 1, *39-38-77 +5 27. Olivia Mehaffey, Ireland, *40-37-77 +5 27. Soo Jin (Jenny) Lee, Australia, *38-39-77 +5 27. Karis Davidson, Australia, *38-39-77 +5 32. Renate Grimstad, Norway, *38-40-78 +6 32. Selena Costabile, Canada 2, *41-37-78 +6 32. Alice Hewson, England, *39-39-78 +6 32. Mary Doyle, Ireland, *39-39-78 +6 32. Hannah Green, Australia, *37-41-78 +6 37. Kristýna Frýdlová, Czech Republic, *42-37-79 +7 37. Marie Lund-Hansen, Denmark, *42-37-79 +7 39. Julianne Alvarez, New Zealand, *38-42-80 +8 40. Filippa Mork, Sweden, *42-39-81 +9 40. Alanna Campbell, New Zealand, *40-41-81 +9 40. Nuria Iturrios Servera, Spain, *41-40-81 +9 43. Annabel Wilson, Ireland, *44-38-82 +10 43. Ellinoora Moisio, Finland, *40-42-82 +10 45. Alisha Lau, Canada 2, *44-39-83 +11 46. Monica Dibildox Hassaf, Mexico, *41-43-84 +12 46. Dorthea Charlotte Forbrigd, Norway, *41-43-84 +12 48. Karolína Kohoutová, Czech Republic, *42-44-86 +14