Stanford, CA - Karen Tsuru of Carlsbad, California, holds on to the lead at the Mariah Stackhouse Girls Invitational after completing the second round at 4-under-par 67.
Tsuru started the round on the back nine, carding her first birdie on No.12. The 2023 graduate went on to birdie No.16 and No.17 and concluded her front nine with a bogey on No.18. Tsuru made her final push to the top after consecutive birdies on hole Nos. 7-8. She completed the second round with six birdies total and is sitting at 10-under-par 132 overall.
Tsuru is looking to secure her first Invitational win to add to her impressive 2021 season. The 16-year old sits at No. 37 in the Rolex AJGA Rankings and has tallied three top-10 finishes in 2021. Tsuru had her first AJGA victory at the 2021 AJGA Lake Las Vegas Junior and is searching for her second AJGA win of the year.
Michelle Liu of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, sits in solo second at 9-under-par 133. The incoming sophomore had a strong front nine after carding four birdies to finish at 4-under-par 31. Just like the first round, Liu would go on to card one birdie and one bogie on the back nine to complete the back nine at even-par 36 for a total of 4-under- par 67. With seven top-10 finishes, Liu is looking to secure her third AJGA victory.
Leigh Chien of Irvine, California, continued her steady play into the second round. The 2024 graduate won the KPMG Stacy Lewis Junior All-Star Invitational back-to-back in 2019 and 2020. Chien carded three birdies and will enter the final round 5-under- par 137.
Ashley Yun of West Covina, California, and Reagan Zibilski of Springfield, Missouri, round out the top-5 at T4. Yun carded four birdies during the second round and Zibilski carded three birdies. They both sit at 3-under-par 139 overall for the tournament.
Final round tee times will run from 7:30-11:00 a.m. off No. 1 at Stanford Golf Course on September 4th.
About the Host
Stackhouse joins fellow LPGA Tour players Annika Sorenstam, Alison Lee, Sung Hyun Park, Se Ri Pak, Stacy Lewis, Albane Valenzuela and Marina Alex, in lending her name to a top junior golf tournament in 2021. Stackhouse, the 2011 Player Representative to the AJGA Board of Directors, had an impressive junior career. The four-time AJGA champion earned Rolex Junior All-America honors three times, including a first team appearance in 2011. Stackhouse finished T2 in the 2011 edition of the event she now sponsors.