Tangtiphaiboontana Falls in Golf Final

Jennifer Tangtiphaiboontana of Long Beach was defeated by In-Bee Park of Eustis, Fla., 4 and 3, Saturday in the final match of the U.S. Girls’ Junior golf championships at Echo Lake Country Club in Westfield, N.J.

Park, who turned 14 two weeks ago and became the second-youngest winner, went ahead, 3-up, after nine holes. Tangtiphaiboontana had a chance to cut the deficit to 2 up on No. 10, but she missed a seven-foot putt. She missed a 10-footer at No. 11 and a six-footer at No. 12, putts that could have won either hole.

“I misread [greens] a lot,” said Tangtiphaiboontana, 17, who will be a senior at Wilson High. “Just making it to the finals ... more than exceeded my expectations.”

Tangtiphaiboontana took some time off earlier this summer after her parents were killed in an accident when driving her and teammate Diane Sirisut home from the Southern Section team championships. Tangtiphaiboontana and Sirisut suffered minor injuries.