Wie ousted from U.S. Girls' Junior tournament

Advertiser Staff and News Services

Honolulu's 13-year-old golfing phenom Michelle Wie was eliminated today in the U.S. Girls' Junior Championship by Morgan Pressel, who earlier in the day ousted Wie's fellow Punahou School student Stephanie Kono.

Wie, who earlier this year became the youngest to win the U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links, lost 3 and 2, to Pressel, a 15-year-old from Boca Raton, Fla.

Wie lost three of the first six holes and never could catch up at the Brooklawn Country Club in Fairfield, Conn.

Wie lost the first hole with a bogey on the 404-yard, par-4 hole.

She was down two when Pressel birdied the 161-yard, par-3 fifth.

Wie dropped another hole with a bogey on the 375-yard, par-4 sixth.

She was down four holes through 11 but won the 13th and 14th holes to close the deficit to two holes.

Wie fell to 3-down with a bogey on the 128-yard, par-3 15th and was closed out on the 16th hole.

Earlier in the day, Wie became the only Hawai'i golfer to advance to the third round.

She defeated Blair Lamb, 5 and 4, as the two other Hawai'i golfers — Kono and Amanda Wilson — were eliminated.

Kono, 13, was beaten by Pressel, 4 and 2.

Wilson, a Waiakea High junior-to-be, was ousted by Amie Cochran of Torrance, Calif., 4 and 3, in a second-round match earlier today.

Six Hawai'i golfers competed in the tournament.

Wie, Kono and Wilson advanced by finishing in the top 64 after two rounds of medal play.

Three other golfers from Hawai'i — Britney Choy, Lindsay Hong and Lisa Kajihara failed to make the 160 qualifying cut.