Smith Done at U.S. Girls' Junior Amateur After Round of 32 Loss

  PARAMUS, N.J. – Following her opening-round match play victory over Aubree Jones Wednesday at the 2016 U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship, Minnesotan Kate Smith was eliminated during the Round of 32 Thursday by Hailee Cooper at Ridgewood Country Club.

Smith, Detroit Lakes, Minn., rolled in a trio of birdies on the back nine to get past Jones during the Round of 64 Wednesday before Cooper took an early lead with a pair of birdies to begin the Round of 32 Thursday.

Answering with a birdie of her own at the par-5 seventh, Smith narrowed the deficit before Cooper extended her lead with another birdie at the 12th. Converting a birdie at the par-3 15th, Cooper’s lead increased to 3-up before Smith won the 16th with a par.

Cooper would close out the match at the 17th, 2 and 1, with both players making par.

Smith, who will attend the University of Nebraska this fall, qualified for match play after shooting rounds of 77 and 76, respectively, to finish the first two rounds of stroke play tied for 37th at 153.

In June Smith became the only high school golfer in Minnesota to win five individual state championships. The previous record was held by Katie Detlefson, who won four titles at Minnehaha Academy, before Smith earned co-medalist honors with Anni Heck last month.