Wie beats Wilson in Women's Publinks

Advertiser Staff

WIE: Eighth-grader wins match on first extra hole.

Wie will be joined by three college sophomores today at Sunriver Resort's Meadows Course in Sunriver, Ore.

Yesterday morning, Wilson beat Jeanne Cho of France, 1-up, in the third round. Wilson birdied the 17th hole to take the lead and finished the match with par on 18.

Wie defeated Kelly Schaub of Colorado, 5 and 4, despite making four bogeys. Schaub was 8-over par over the 14 holes.

The all-Hawai'i quarterfinal had the excellence Wie's early match did not, and attracted a crowd of nearly 100. It featured two of Hawai'i's most precocious players.

In the past six weeks, Wilson, 14, has won the Hawai'i All-Star High School Invitational and come in second at the state high school championship and Jennie K. Invitational. Wie, 12, won two of the three women's majors last year and has played in two LPGA tournaments this year.

Wilson birdied the second hole to go 1-up and give Wie her first deficit of the week. She squared the match with birdie at No. 5. Wilson went back ahead with birdie at the next hole, but Wie came back with another birdie at No. 7.

Wie's bogey gave Wilson the advantage on the next hole. Wie tied it at the turn with another birdie.

They both parred the next six holes. Wilson won the 16th with par, but Wie tied it again with her fourth birdie, at No. 17. Both parred the 18th to send the match to extra holes.

Wie nearly drove the 19th (357-yard, par-4 No. 1) while Wilson was 100 yards out. Wie's pitch from 30 yards landed on the fringe, 35 feet from the cup. She made the breaking putt. Wilson hit her approach to 15 feet, but missed to end it.

"If I was going to read one putt right," said Wie, "it had to be this one. What the heck."

Wie plays Hwanhee Lee of Long Beach in one semifinal. Annie Thurman of Utah will face Californian Yvonne Choe in the other. The 36-hole final is tomorrow.