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COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. -- Two former NYSGA champions, Bailey Shoemaker of West Edmeston (now resides in Dade City, Fla.), and Kennedy Swedick of Albany are representing the Empire State at the 74th US Girls’ Junior Championship at Eisenhower Golf Club on July 17-22.

Related: Results / Championship Home 

The U.S. Girls’ Junior consists of 36 holes of stroke play – 18 each on July 17 and July 18 – after which the field will be reduced to the low 64 scorers. There will then be six rounds of match play, starting Wednesday, July 19. The championship is scheduled to conclude with a 36-hole final on Saturday, July 22. 

The United States Air Force Academy Eisenhower Golf Club’s Blue Course will be set up at 6,778 yards and will play to a par of 36-36-72.

Shoemaker, 18, winner of three NYS Girls’ Junior championships, was exempt into this year’s U.S. Girls' Junior. This will be her fourth appearance in the national championship and was a quarterfinalist in 2021 and round of 32 in 2022. .

She currently sits in the top 100 of the Women’s World Amateur Golf Ranking, at 75, and Top 15 points leaders in Women's World Amateur Golf Ranking. Last season, she was a runner-up in the U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball, was invited to compete in the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, and qualified for the U.S. Women’s Open, where she made the cut. This season she was able to finish in fourth place at the U.S. Womens Amateur and yet again be invited to the Augusta National Women’s Amateur Championship. 

Swedick, 16, was the one of the two alternates to advance during the NYSGA-conducted sectional qualifier held at Teugega Country Club on June 19. She shot two-over 73 to qualify for her third consecutive US Girls’ Junior. .

The Albany Academy student has dominated the New York State golf scene in her past seasons. Besides qualifying for her third U.S. Girls' Junior, she won the 92nd NYS Women’s Amateur title and NYSPHSAA Girls’ title, both hosted at McGregor Links Country Club in Wilton. She also played in the Epson Tour's Twin Bridges Championship on a sponsor's exemption.

Both of the 2023 New York State representatives formerly competed in the Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals. Swedick competed in 2017, Shoemaker in 2018.­

Listed below are tee times in Eastern Time for the duo’s opening rounds in the U.S. Girls’ Junior: