AMATEUR GOLF ROUNDUP : Santa Ana’s Allison Reaches Semifinals

Alicia Allison of Santa Ana, a sophomore at Foothill High School, reached the semifinals of the U.S. Girls’ Junior Championships on Thursday in Wichita, Kan.

Allison defeated Vicky Strada of Cosmopolis, Wash., 5 and 4, in the third round before defeating Kristel Mourgue-D’Algue of France, 4 and 3, in the quarterfinals.

Her opponent will be Emilee Klein of Studio City. Klein, who won medalist honors during two stroke-play qualifying rounds, defeated Victoria Boysen of Fort Worth, 4 and 3, in the third round. She then beat Jennifer Biehn of Scottsdale, Ariz., 2 up.

Also advancing to the semifinal round are JoJo Robertson of Roswell, N.M., and Kimberly Marshall of Bermuda.

The championship continues today at the Crestview Country Club, with the finals Saturday.

Ben Garner of El Toro easily won his fourth American Junior Golf Assn. event in five tries. Garner shot a final round of four-over-par 75 at Bethpage State Park in Farmingdale, N.Y., for a 54-hole total of 224. He finished 17 strokes ahead of G.W. Cable of Oaktown, Va., and Geoff Walker of Farmington, Conn., in the boys’ 13-14 division.

Ben’s brother, Joe, tied for fifth in the 15-18 division with a 231 total (77-77-77). Garner was 11 strokes behind winner Rob Bradley of Milford, N.J.

Northern California upset three-time defending champion Southern California for the team championship in the Junior America’s Cup tournament at Carlton Oaks Country Club in Santee.

Cypress’ Tiger Woods, 15, winner of last week’s U.S. Junior championship in Bay Hill, Fla., shot 146 for Southern California.

San Diego’s Chris Riley shot a low 70-69--139 on the par-72 course for third-place San Diego. Northern California’s Matt Bettencourt finished one stroke behind Riley.

Seventeen teams competed in the 54-hole event, originally scheduled over three days and 54 holes. Wednesday’s rain cut it to 36 holes.

Northern California’s Joe Acosta Jr., Steve Burdick and Steve Johnson teamed for a two-over-par 434 to Southern California’s second-place 441. Riley, Bill Lunde and Jamie Guerrero shot a 443 for San Diego.