Amy Anderson long felt that winning the U.S. Girls Junior Amateur golf championship would be a bonus.
The 17-year-old Oxbow, N.D., golfer hit the jackpot.
Anderson defeated Kimberly Kim of Hilo, Hawaii, 6 and 5 in the match play final to win the championship in 36 holes on Saturday at the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, N.J.
The victory capped a week that saw Anderson sweep the stroke play and match play titles.
"I'm so excited," Anderson said. "I never really let myself think about this."
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With her brother Nathan serving as her caddy, Anderson just smiled as she left a 20-foot birdie putt on the edge of the 13th hole to close out her match against Kim.
Anderson - who is committed to play collegiately at North Dakota State - said the victory does as much for her self-confidence as it does for her career.
"One week doesn't make a career at all," she said. "But it definitely gives me the confidence that I have the game to be one of the top players in the country."
Anderson was 2 up after the morning round of 18 holes before taking three of the first four holes in the afternoon.
She extended her lead to 7 up by the 10th hole of the afternoon session, closing out the victory on No. 13.
The wide-open spaces of a golf course were quickly replaced by a one-hour session with various media outlets following her victory.
After that, there was an awards ceremony and time spent handing out autographs and getting her picture taken.
The national media had dubbed Anderson as the underdog, and she didn't see it any differently.
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Prior to Saturday's match, Anderson was a little-known golfer on the national scene.
However, her opponent, Kim, was playing in her fourth United States Golf Association final and was trying to become the first player to win the junior amateur after winning the U.S. Amateur.
Kim has previously played in LPGA events on sponsor's exemptions.
Anderson said it wasn't so much her game that made her the underdog as it was her level of experience.
"I'm in North Dakota all the time," Anderson said. "The girl I played today hasn't been home in three years. She's traveling the country all the time."
The frenetic pace won't stop for Anderson, who has little time to celebrate before hitting the road this morning to head to Maineville, Ohio, for the Junior PGA Championships, which starts Tuesday.
Anderson doesn't anticipate having a chance to watch herself on national TV when NBC televises a highlight show of the U.S. Junior Amateur at 1 p.m. Aug. 1.
"I'm sure somebody will tape it back home," she said.
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The Associated Press contributed to this story
Readers can reach Forum Assistant Sports Editor Hayden Goethe at (701) 241-5558
