Wie youngest to win USGA adult event
By Doug Ferguson
Associated Press
PALM COAST, Fla. — The walls in Michelle Wie's bedroom are plastered with pictures of Tiger Woods. She copied his Sunday wardrobe, changing into a red shirt between rounds because her mother wanted her to wear a strong color.
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Even some of the shots were familiar.
Michelle Wie, 13, won the 36-hole final 1-up to become the youngest U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links champion.
None was more spectacular than a 5-iron out of the bunker, over the water and right at the pin on the par-5 sixth hole to make birdie at a critical juncture in her comeback to win the U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links Championship.
Everyone knew the 13-year-old player from Honolulu had unlimited talent.
Now she has a trophy.
"I've never won a national title," Wie said. "Pretty cool."
Wie outlasted former NCAA champion Virada Nirapathpongporn for a 1-up victory in the 36-hole final at Ocean Hammock to become the youngest winner in the 27-year history of the Women's Amateur Public Links.
"I'm happy out of my mind," said Wie, who starts the ninth grade at Punahou School later this summer, taking courses like geometry, Chinese, biology and English.
"I like beating a lot of people. I'm glad I survived all those matches."
It wasn't easy for the 6-foot girl, whom Tom Lehman once dubbed the "Big Wiesy" because her swing reminds so many of Ernie Els.
She was 1-down and standing in a waste bunker on No. 6 in the afternoon round, listening to her father and caddie, BJ Wie, hesitate over her club selection.
"He was like, 'Uh, uh ...' and I was like, 'I'm going for it,' " Wie said.
The ball shot out of the sand and went straight for the flag, stopping just over the green for a birdie, part of a three-hole stretch when she took control of the match.
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That's not all.
Michelle Wie chips on to the seventh green on the 25th hole of play during the final match against Virada Nirapathpongporn.
Wie blasted a 314-yard drive on the 14th hole that left her only a 6-iron into the par 5, which she hit over the water into 25 feet for eagle and the lead.
She gave it back with a drive into the water hazard on the 16th, but took advantage when Nirapathpongporn faltered.
The 21-year-old Thai, a senior-to-be at Duke, missed a 3-foot par putt on the 17th hole to fall one behind. It was only her third bogey of the 36-hole final, but she ran out of holes to overcome the mistake.
Nirapathpongporn missed a 20-foot birdie on the final hole. "In the afternoon, I just didn't make any putts," Nirapathpongporn said.
Wie tapped in her 2-foot par putt on the 18th green and raised her right arm to celebrate her first victory outside Hawai'i, becoming the youngest player to win any adult USGA title. Catherine Cartwright was 17 when she won the Women's Public Links in 2000. Laura Baugh was 16 when she won the U.S. Women's Amateur in 1971.
"It means a lot. Publinx is my first time for everything," said Wie, who was 10 when she first qualified for this tournament, losing in the first round.
Yesterday's championship completed the longest week of her career — 36 holes of qualifying, followed by five 18-hole matches to reach the finals, and 36 holes against Nirapathpongporn.
Wie is scheduled to play in the ShopRite LPGA Classic at Marriott Seaview Resort (Bay Course) in New Jersey starting Friday.
Nirapathpongporn took a 4-up lead after eight holes, nearly holing out from the third fairway and sticking her approaches inside 10 feet.
"I was about to give up," Wie said. "She didn't give me a chance to make birdie."
Wie got back into the match with her awesome length, pounding drives that at times put her some 80 yards ahead of her opponent. She tied the match with an 8-foot birdie on the 14th, and they headed to the final 18 holes.
Wie rallied again, going from 2-down to 1-up over three straight holes, although it eventually came down to the final two holes with the tension mounting.
"I was pretty scared," Wie said.
On the par-3 17th, Nirapathpongporn chipped up the slope to 3 feet, while Wie's putt from the back collar of the green stopped 3 feet short.
Wie calmly sank her par putt. Nirapathpongporn hit a quick stroke and it raced by the right side. She trudged to the 18th, knowing she needed a birdie for any chance.
In the end, Nirapathpongporn knew what some 800 people watching already figured out.
"Michelle has got a pretty bright future," she said.
