Posted at 3:43 p.m., Thursday, June 24, 2004
Kono, Wie, Wise advance in Public Links match play
Advertiser Staff
Hawai'i golfing teens Stephanie Kono, Michelle Wie, and Lehua Wise all won their opening match play rounds today at 28th annual U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links Championships in Williamsburg, Va.Kono, 14, defeated Stephanie Godare of Houston, 5 and 3. Wie, 14, beat Brooke Goodwin of North Carolina, 3 and 1. Wise, 18, downed Hoi Ning Eva Yoe of China, 3 and 2.
Wise, a 2003 Kaua'i High graduate who won the Big West Conference title as a New Mexico State freshman, was the only one from Hawai'i to defeat a higher-seeded golfer.
After yesterday's second round of stroke play, the top 64 golfers advanced to match-play competition. Kono finished fourth in stroke play; Wie tied for sixth while Wise tied for 43rd.
Wise rallied from 2-down after four holes to advance. Wise used three birdies to win five of six holes (fifth to 10th) to assume control.
Kono and Wie, both of Punahou School, never trailed.
Kono, a ninth-grader, led from the first hole on when Godare bogeyed the 377-yard par-4 hole.
Wie, a 10th-grader, took a 1-up lead on the 498-yard par-5 fifth hole with a birdie.
Two rounds of match play, where only the winners advance, will take place tomorrow. The quarterfinals and semifinals will be Saturday. The 36-hole championship will be held Sunday.
