An end and a beginning
Campos’ time at Amateur ends, her time in spotlight just beginning
Zoe Campos’ run at the U.S. Women’s Amateur in Chula Vista came to an end Thursday. Her performance this week, however, made it hard not to run down the possibilities of where the 14-year-old Valencia resident’s career can go from here.
Campos beat Rinko Mitsunaga of Georgia, 2 and 1, to advance through Thursday’s Round of 32, but later in the day, she fell 7 and 6 to Sophia Schubert of Tennessee.
It was a confidence-building opportunity for Campos, competing, and for most of the week besting, older players.
She originally planned to forgo the Amateur in favor of defending her title at the Alison Lee Championship at Valencia Country Club this week. But a phone call from Lee, a Valencia High grad, convinced the younger SCV prodigy otherwise.
Campos came to San Diego Country Club in Chula Vista and promptly earned a share of 38th place after two rounds to advance along with 63 others to match play.
She slipped by Lauren Hartlage of Elizabethtown, Kentucky, on Wednesday, winning holes 11 through 14 to come away with a 4 and 3 win.
Thursday, though, provided a different kind of challenge in that golfers played two rounds.
Campos won the 16th hole in the Round of 32 and tied Mitsunaga on the 17th to win 2 and 1.
Schubert stormed out of the gate in the Round of 16, winning the first four holes. She won holes eight, nine, 11 and 12 to secure the win.
She’ll face Isabella Fierro of Mexico today in the quarterfinals.
Campos will turn her attention to the fall, when she’ll compete for West Ranch High.
Her long-term goal is to follow in Lee’s footsteps and play on the LPGA Tour.