Mariel Galdiano finished the U.S. Women’s Open in some pretty distinguished company.
The Punahou senior made the cut for the first time in three U.S. Open appearances on Friday then carded rounds of 1 over par 71 on Saturday and Sunday at Lancaster Country Club in Pennsylvania to finish in a tie for 42nd at 6 over for the tournament.
Galdiano was 3 over through 15 holes on Sunday then birdied No. 16 and 18 to get to 1 over for the day and 6-over 286 for the tournament. She was joined at 6 over by (in order of their Rolex World Ranking):
>> No. 10 Sei Young Kim: second on LPGA Tour money list ($1,121,643); winner of the Lotte Championship.
>> No. 12 Lexi Thompson: four career victories; 2014 Kraft Nabisco Champion.
>> No. 31 Paula Creamer: 10 career victories; 2010 U.S. Women’s Open champion; $11 million in career earnings.
>> No. 49 Charley Hull: No. 10 on Ladies European Tour; became the youngest player to win the LET Order of Merit in 2014.
Galdiano, a UCLA commit, was 12 holes into the first round on Thursday when play was suspended by a storm. She went on to finish the round on Friday morning at even par 70. She shot 4 over in the second round to finish just above the cut line and was among five amateurs to advance to weekend play.
>> Aiko Leong, another Punahou senior, secured a spot in the U.S. Women’s Amateur as the medalist in Friday’s sectional qualifier on Kauai.
Leong’s round of 1-under 71 at Poipu Bay Golf Course earned her a place in the field for the U.S. Amateur, set for Aug. 10-16 in Portland, Ore.
‘Iolani graduate and Pepperdine senior Marissa Chow won a playoff with Kaiser’s Malia Nam for the second spot available in the qualifier. Chow and Nam both shot 73 in regulation. Nam will be the first alternate.
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