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Boothwyn's Kan falls in U.S. Women's Amateur

After graduating last year from Purdue, Aurora Kan took a long break from golf, saying she was burned out. But she always loved the competitive aspect of the game, and she was glad to have that spark back this week at the U.S. Women's Amateur.

After graduating last year from Purdue, Aurora Kan took a long break from golf, saying she was burned out. But she always loved the competitive aspect of the game, and she was glad to have that spark back this week at the U.S. Women's Amateur.

The Boothwyn native got off to a horrible start Wednesday in her opening-round match, losing five of her first six holes to South Carolina all-American Katelyn Dambaugh. But she started finding her groove and threw a scare into her opponent before Dambaugh pulled away to a 4-and-3 victory at Rolling Green Golf Club.

The 22-year-old Kan, a Chichester High School graduate, reduced her deficit from five holes to two after 11 holes. But Dambaugh put the match away with birdies at 12 and 15 and a nice up-and-down for a par to win the hole at No. 14.

Kan said her thirst for competition returned in May when she tried to qualify, unsuccessfully, for the ShopRite LPGA Classic at Stockton Seaview Resort near the Jersey Shore, and it surfaced again in her practice rounds for this week's national championship.

"Yeah, it was from Day 1 when I had the practice rounds and the stroke-play rounds here," she said. "Even though I didn't play that well at Seaview, that spark came back. After you take a break, it just felt good to get back in it."

Kan was part of a nine-way playoff after two stroke-play rounds of the Women's Am, and gained the match-play field. She parred only two of her first seven holes against Dambaugh, but two crisp shots at the eighth, which was halved with pars, seemed to boost her confidence.

Kan went on to win the ninth, 10th and 11th holes, all with pars, to close to 2-down and looked to be in good shape at the par-4 12th when Dambaugh's tee shot wound up just outside a fairway bunker, leaving her with an awkward stance on her second shot.

Dambaugh was up to the task. She punched her approach on the green and sank a 4-foot birdie putt after Kan lipped out her birdie attempt. After losing No. 13 to make it a two-hole gap once again, Dambaugh chipped to one foot for a par at 14, and knocked her second shot at the par-4 15th to 8 feet, sinking the putt for the win.

"I hit a lot of great shots in the beginning," Kan said. "It was just like the putts didn't drop. Katelyn had some good shots in and she just made putts. That was the difference."

Another Philadelphia-area player, Penn State sophomore Jackie Rogowicz of Yardley, came out Wednesday morning to finish up a five-woman playoff for the final match play spot. But China's Muni He claimed the berth with a birdie, then went out and upset qualifying medalist Mariel Galdiano on the 22nd hole, one of six matches that went extra holes on Wednesday.

No. 2 seed Lucy Li, 13, of Redwood Shores, Calif., advanced with a 4-and-3 win over August Kim.

jjuliano@phillynews.com

@joejulesinq