On display in the lobby of the Lodge at the Bandon Dunes Golf Resort is the Curtis Cup. The bowl says “Presented by Harriot S. Curtis and Margaret Curtis of Boston, Massachusetts, 1932 To stimulate friendly rivalry among the women golfers of many lands.” World Photo by Lou Sennick.

BANDON - While most of the competitors in this week's Curtis Cup matches arrived at Bandon Dunes ready to get to work, Jenny Suh arrived looking for a little rest.

She tuned up for this week's event by winning the North and South Women's Amateur, an annual event at Pinehurst in North Carolina on Sunday.

It was a grueling week leading up to the championship.

She had two practice rounds, two qualifying rounds and six matches, including the 36-hole final on Sunday in 100-degree weather.

“I played 11 rounds in seven days,” she said.

The University of Alabama senior-to-be debated about playing in the tournament, but was encouraged to participate by her coaches.

“I knew I would be tired, but I knew that it would be a great tune-up for match play to get ready,” she said.

After flying to Bandon Dunes, she got a well-deserved chance to sleep in Tuesday.

By late morning, she was sporting an unending smile and ready to help the American squad against the Great Britain & Ireland team this weekend.

“It's the highest honor to represent your country,” she said, adding that if she could find a way, she'd have a painting or tattoo of the American flag on her cheek like Paula Creamer did during the Solheim Cup matches last year.

“There's definitely no hiding the American flag in something like this,” she said. “If I could, I'd wear it everywhere.”

Suh picked up golf as a girl because it was an activity she could share with her dad, and started competing by the time she was 11.

After participating in various junior events, she took her skills to Furman University and then Alabama, where she earned first-team All-American honors this spring, placing in the top nine in 10 of her 11 events.

Despite all that success, she was surprised to be named to the Curtis Cup team.

“I guess it's the most prestigious women's amateur event,” Suh said. “When they called me in early June, I thought someone was playing a prank on me. I was just shocked.”

Now she's excited to be at Bandon Dunes.

“It's great,” she said. “I love everybody on the team. We have great camaraderie and great relationships.”

Suh is far from the only American with success this summer. Six of the 10 team members competed in the U.S.Open last month. Two of those players -Amanda Blumenherst and Jane Park - tied for low amateur honors, finishing in a tie for 10th. Taylor Leon, Paige Mackenzie, Amanda McCurdy and Jennie Lee also played, missing the cut.