Wie advances in U.S. Publinx championship
Advertiser Staff and News Services
Honolulu's Michelle Wie shot a 1-under-par 71 yesterday and finished in third place after the rain-plagued second round of qualifying at the U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links Championship in Palm Coast, Fla.
Wie, an incoming Punahou School freshman, finished at even-par 144 to lead three other Hawai'i golfers into today's scheduled start of match play.
Wie's two-round total trailed only Virada Nirapathpongporn of Thailand, who shot 69—141, and Aimee Cho of Orlando, Fla., who shot 68—142.
Play was delayed early in the day because of rain and then suspended because of darkness with 30 players still on the course. Players will finish the second round of stroke play this morning. The top 64 in the 143-player field qualify for match play.
Honolulu's Stephanie Kono, Hilo's Amanda Wilson and Pearl City's Mari Chun will join Wie in match play.
Kono, an incoming eighth-grader at Punahou, shot 74—150 and Wilson, who will be a junior at Waiakea High, shot 77—150. They are in a tie for 18th. Chun, a junior-to-be at Kamehameha Schools, shot 79—151 and is in a six-way tie for 25th.
Hawai'i golfers who failed to qualify were: Hilo's Kira-Ann Murashige (83—161), Wailuku's Desiree Ting (77—163), Lihu'e's Jennie Pleas (76—165), Kula's Jayna Shimomura (85—167), Hilo's Kimberly Kim (84—167) and Kapa'a's Meilin Poai (89—180).
Wie had two birdies on the front nine, making the turn at 34. Four penalty strokes hurt the 13-year-old on the back nine, where she made two birdies but bogeyed No. 13, 15 and 16.
Before the storms hit, Wie enjoyed a gallery of nearly 200 spectators. When play resumed, however, just a handful remained.
"It was kind of strange," she said. "All of the people were noisy and alive, and after the rain everything seemed so dead."
Wie, who is playing in her fourth Public Links Championship, beat Wilson in the quarterfinals last year before losing to Hwanhee Lee of Cerritos, Calif., in the semifinals.
Lee qualified for match play after shooting 77—153, good for a tie for 35th.
Defending champion Annie Thurman of Highland, Utah, was in fourth after shooting 72—145.
