Posted at 11:59 a.m., Sunday, June 22, 2003
Wie wins, makes history at U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links
Advertiser Staff
Honolulu's Michelle Wie became the youngest golfer to win the U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links Championship Sunday at Ocean Hammock Golf Club in Palm Coast, Fla.The 13-year-old Wie defeated Virada Nirapathpongporn, 21, of Thailand, 1-up, in the 36-hole final of the 27th annual event. Before Wie, who turns 14 in October, the youngest Public Links champion was Catherine Cartwright, who was 17 when she won in 2000.
Wie was down four after just eight holes, but she squared the match at hole No. 14. Wie fell behind by two holes after the 22nd hole, but successive birdies (on par-4 344-yarder and par-5 479-yarder) tied the match again.
Wie went 2-up with a par on the 25th hole of competition and a birdie on the par-4 365-yard hole 27th.
Four holes later, the match was all square again.
Wie went 1-up on the 32nd hole with an eagle -- Nirapathpongporn birdied the hole -- on the par-5 487-yard hole, but fell back into a tie on the 34th hole with a bogey on the par-4, 352-yard hole.
Wie assumed the lead on the 35th hole when Nirapathpongpron bogeyed the par-3, 135-yard hole. Wie closed out Nirapathpongpron with a matching par 4 on the 370-yard 36th hole.
The United States Golf Association contributed to this report.
