California girls find top of leaderboard

KIT DOYLE ~ kdoyle@semissourian.com Ani Gulugian of California walked off the sixth green during Wednesday's round. Gulugian, who won an AJGA event last week in Springfield, Mo., takes a two-shot lead into the final round. [Click to enlarge]

Much is still to be decided in the girls competition of the AJGA Dalhousie Junior Championship with today's final round remaining.

But after two rounds of the tournament, one thing became abundantly clear: A Californian doesn't travel all the way to Missouri to finish last.

Eight Californians journeyed to Cape Girardeau to make up part of the 39-player field, and in Wednesday's second round they continued their journey — to the top of the leaderboard.

The three lowest two-day totals belong to the West Coast girls, with 16-year-old Ani Gulugian of Irvine, Calif., leading the way by two strokes at 146 overall. Gulugian, who won last week's AJGA event in Springfield, Mo., carded five birdies in a round of 4-under 68 for the lowest girls competitive round in the seven-year history of Dalhousie.

Gulugian came into the day tied for 11th after an opening 78, seven shots behind first-round leader Courtney McKim of Raleigh, N.C. But much like last week, when she followed up a first-round 76 with a 67 on her way to a seven-shot victory, Gulugian again went low.

"That's a great round," said McKim, who followed her first-round 71 with an 80 and slid into fourth place, five shots back. "I think the pin placements were in tougher places and there wasn't a whole lot of room to work with."

While the rest of the field marveled at the 68, Gulugian was not so much surprised with her round as much as that a few other similar scores were not turned in.

KIT DOYLE ~ kdoyle@semissourian.com Hanule Seo of St. Louis sank her chip on the sixth hole Wednesday during the second round of the AJGA Dalhousie Junior Championship in Cape Girardeau. [Click to enlarge]

"I thought the scores would be a lot better today," she said. "I just thought everybody would be playing better. It didn't seem like it played too hard out there today."

She will be paired with Lauren Salazar of Santa Clara, Calif., and Bonnie Hu of Fremont, Calif., in the final round.

Salazar, a 14-year-old who is missing her first freshman days of high school to play in the tournament, shot her second straight 74 and was two shots behind Gulugian and two shots ahead of Hu. Her best finish is a third in an AJGA event.

California accounted for four of the top five places, and five of the top seven.

"We play year round, so we have that advantage," Salazar said.

Hu has not been surprised to see so many California golfers in her first year of AJGA play.

"There are a lot of people from California, a lot of golfers," she said.

Salazar is in her second year of AJGA play, but has been familiar with Gulugian.

"We're pretty good friends," Salazar said. "She used to be from Northern California. When we were younger, we played against each other, but then she moved down to Southern Cal, but I still see her a lot in tournaments."

Salazar said she's also gotten to know Hu and Elizabeth Doty, tied for sixth, from being around the AJGA events and embraces the camaraderie.

"I pretty much know every California person here," Salazar said. "You definitely root for your state. And yeah, we all support each other."