LEBANON, Ohio — Michelle Wie bounced back with a 2-over-par 72 in the final round of stroke play at the U.S. Amateur Public Links yesterday, good enough to secure a spot in the match play portion of the championship.

"Match play is a lot more intense," the 15-year-old from Honolulu said after completing the 36 holes of medal play in 8-over 148.

Wie, the first female to qualify for a men's U.S. Golf Association championship, is playing in the men's APL because the winner is traditionally invited to play at The Masters.

The top 64 in stroke play moved on to today's start of match play, which culminates with a 36-hole final on Saturday.

Wie's score was above the cut line when she finished, but scores went up in the afternoon and she ended up tied for 49th.

Three other golfers from Hawai'i also qualified for match play: Jacob Low shot 76—148 and Sean Maekawa 75—148 to join Wie in the tie for 49th, and Royden Heirakuji shot 73—149 to tie for 58th. Kaua'i's Jonathan Ota missed the cut after shooting 79—154 to tie for 107th.

Wie will play 23-year-old Will Claxton, a quarterfinalist a year ago, in her first-round match this morning at 5:18 Hawai'i time.

"I've obviously seen her play on TV," said Claxton, a recent graduate of Auburn from Swainsboro, Ga. "I'm just going to try to treat her like any other player and things will take care of themselves. I won't be ashamed to lose to her, and I'm not afraid to play her."

For the second day in a row, a huge gallery cheered every one of Wie's shots. About 300 people, including Wie's parents, stuck with her for most of her round. Numerous USGA officials and two deputy sheriffs attempted to clear the way for Wie and her fellow players.

The low medalist was Anthony Kim, who shot rounds of 71 and 65 for a 4-under 136, a dozen shots better than Wie. Kim is a two-time All-American who will be a junior at Oklahoma this fall.

Danny Green, playing in his 13th APL, shot a 65 and was tied for second at 138 with Iowa State junior Rodney Hamblin Jr. (68) and 16-year-old Sihwan Kim (69), the reigning U.S. Junior Amateur champion.

Wie, a junior-to-be at Punahou School, began the day tied for 84th in the 156-player field.

Starting on the 10th tee at Shaker Run Golf Club, she bogeyed three of four holes during one span early in her round.

"I wasn't feeling very good about my game," she said. "I made a couple of stupid errors here and there. I refocused after that."

Wie countered by birdieing three holes in a row at holes 17, 18 and 1. She had played those same holes in 3-over the day before.

"I learned a lot from yesterday," she said. "The back nine was still fresh in my mind when I played this morning, and that helped a lot."

Wie had double-bogeyed the 17th on Monday but birdied it with a two-putt from 60 feet after reaching the par-5 hole with a drive and 4 iron.

"I should get the most improved award from yesterday," she quipped.

But much as she had done the day before, when she was even-par through 10 holes and then played the last eight in 6 over, she made costly mistakes on the final nine.

She was even for the day through 11 holes, but then bogeyed three of the next five holes, barely missing a 9-foot birdie putt on the closing hole.