Wie, 13, won two matches at the Ocean Hammock Golf Club in Palm Coast, Fla., to earn a berth in today's 36-hole final. The incoming Punahou School freshman will face Virada Nirapathpongporn, 21, of Thailand.

Catherine Cartwright holds the record as the youngest Public Links champion. She was 17 when she won in 2000.

Today's final will match Wie's tremendous length against Nirapathpongporn's consistency.

"I'm just going to enjoy it because I advanced further this year," said Wie, who lost to Hwanhee Lee of Cerritos, Calif., in last year's semifinals. "Even if I get one hole down, I'm not going to give up because I came back from two holes down against Hwanhee Lee on Friday and that gave me a lot of confidence."

In her quarterfinal match yesterday, Wie needed just three hours to eliminate defending U.S. Amateur champion Becky Lucidi, 6 and 5. Wie won three of the first six holes and won the match when Lucidi missed a 6-foot par putt on the No. 13 hole.

In the semifinals, Wie eagled the second hole when she chipped in from 25 feet and won five of the first six holes en route to a 5-and-4 victory over Aimee Cho.

Wie consistently out-drove Cho, but used her driver on only the four par-5 holes. "My dad and I decided it was better to use my fairway wood and keep the ball in play," Wie said.

Nirapathpongporn beat D'Rae Ward, 4 and 3, in the quarterfinals and eliminated Beth Allen, 5 and 4, in the semifinals.