Hawai'i's Wilson, Wie advance in Public Links

Advertiser Staff

Hawai'i's junior golfers plowed through their first- and second-round matches yesterday in the 26th U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links at Sunriver Resort Meadows Course in Oregon.

If Amanda Wilson and Michelle Wie win their third-round matches this morning they will meet in an afternoon quarterfinal.

Wie, a Punahou eighth grader, reached the third round for the second straight year. She defeated Janell Howland, of Texas, 5 and 4, and Angela Won, from California, 5 and 3. Wie never trailed. She was 6-under par against Howland and took a 3-up advantage after six holes against Won. Wie closed that match on the 15th hole with her only birdie.

Wilson, a Waiakea sophomore, took out Heidi Chua in the first round and Alexis Wooster in the second, both 2 and 1.

Chua, from the Philippines, qualified in Honolulu with Wilson. But the Hawai'i state high school runner-up won Nos. 8, 9, 10 and 11 — playing them in 2-under par — to go from 1-down to 3-up.

Wilson never trailed against Wooster, who is from Illinois. Wilson birdied the 10th and 11th to go 2-up. Wooster cut her deficit to one, but another Wilson birdie on the 17th ended the match.

Honolulu's team — Wie, Wilson and Jennie K. champion Kira-Ann Murashige — was sixth in the team competition, shooting 301 during the stroke play portion. Sacramento, with 12-year-old California Women's Amateur champion Mina Harigae, won with 293. Harigae lost her second-round match.

• Sasada second: Maui's Brian Sasada shot 32 on the front nine and opened with a 3-under 69 in the 35th Club Professional Championship at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Ken.

Sasada, who had six birdies and a double bogey on the front, is tied for second with five others. The leader is Sean Farren, from Pennsylvania, at 68.

The $350,000 tournament ends Sunday. The low 25 earn a berth in the 84th PGA Championship.