Wie advances in U.S. Juniors

Advertiser Staff and News Services

Michelle Wie joins Stephanie Kono and Amanda Wilson in the second round. Advertiser library photo

Three other golfers from Hawai'i — Leilehua sophomore-to-be Britney Choy (83—163), incoming Punahou senior Lindsay Hong (83—164) and 2003 King Kekaulike graduate Lisa Kajihara (84—167) — failed to make the 160 qualifying cut in the 156-player field earlier in the day.

Wie, an incoming freshman at Punahou, was 3-up after eight holes before eliminating Blair Ressler of Bellingham, Wash., 3 and 2.

"I played great today," said Wie, who tied for second in qualifying after shooting 72—141. "I hit a lot of shots close to the hole. I just have to putt better next time."

Wie won the second, fourth and eighth holes with birdies, but Ressler refused to fold. She played Wie evenly over the next five holes, then won the 14th with a birdie. Wie finally closed out the match with a par 4 on the 16th.

"It was her day," said Wie, 13. "She was hitting every shot perfect."

Ressler, 16, was playing in her first junior championship and was clearly the favorite of the gallery at Brooklawn Country Club by the time her final par putt slid past the cup on her final hole.

"Everyone was here to see her and they were clapping for me," Ressler said. "I had nothing to lose. I know I can hit good shots. I wish the match could have gone a little further. It was a lot of fun. She's the best person here."

Wie, who made the cut at the 2003 U.S. Women's Open at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club and is hoping to become the first golfer to win both the U.S. Girls' Junior and U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links in the same season, said she draws on both experiences to help this week.

"I like to bring back good memories," Wie said. "Like making a putt when I was supposed to (at the Public Links). It gives me a lot of confidence going into the putt. Also, Pumpkin Ridge was really narrow, so this course seems really wide to me."

She will face Blair Lamb, 16, of Flat Rock, N.C., in the second round.

Kono, who will be an eighth-grader at Punahou in the fall, trounced Sommer Scholl of Riverside, Calif., 6 and 5. Kono, 13, was at even-par (three birdies, three bogeys) through 13 holes while Scholl was 9-over.

Kono, who had qualified with 74—149, will play Morgan Pressel of Boca Raton, Fla., in the second round.

Wilson, who had completed her second round Tuesday before rain postponed play, rallied to defeat Kimberly Donovan of Hopkinton, Mass., 1-up.

Donovan was 3-up after 11 holes. Wilson, 15, won Nos. 12, 14 and 15 to tie the match. A par on No. 17 put her 1-up, and she clinched it by matching Donovan's bogey on the par-4, 395-yard 18th.

Wilson will play Amie Cochran of Torrance, Calif., in the second round.

The second and third rounds will be played today with the quarterfinals and semifinals tomorrow.

The 18-hole final in this tournament for amateurs 18 and younger will be played Saturday.

The Associated Press and United States Golf Association contributed to this report.