Posted on: Sunday, June 23, 2002

Wie loses in Publinks semifinals

Advertiser News Services

SUNRIVER, Ore. — Annie Thurman, of Highland, Utah, and Hwanhee Lee, of Cerritos, Calif., both 19, meet in today's 36-hole final of the 2002 U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links Championship at the 6,189-yard, par 71 Meadows Course of the Sunriver Resort.

Yesterday, Thurman rallied to defeat Yvonne Choe, 19, of Temple City, Calif., 2 and 1. Lee never trailed in her match against gallery favorite Michelle Wie, a 12-year-old from Honolulu, with Lee winning, 3 and 2.

Lee's victory ended the surprising march by Wie, the youngest semifinalist in the history of any women's amateur championship conducted by the United States Golf Association.

Lee, while some 60-70 yards shorter off the tee than Wie, played steadily and seldom missed a fairway or green. Wie took a 1-up advantage at the third hole with a birdie, but lost the fifth to Lee's par. The match was even at the turn. Lee birdied the 11th hole while Wie missed a six-foot birdie putt.

Lee went 2 up at the 15th hole, a startling development because Wie had hit her tee shot into the green-side bunker on the 326-yard hole, a drive of some 315 yards.

"She's a really good player," Lee said of Wie. "Outhitting me doesn't matter to me. I just play my game. To me, hitting the ball straight is important. That's how you win."

With the 702 entries to this championship now whittled down to two, it will be a battle between college sophomores. Thurman goes to Oklahoma State while Lee attends the University of Nevada-Las Vegas.

Both players have been all-around athletes, with Lee a former competitor in swimming and speed skating. Thurman was a point guard in basketball.