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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Sunday, August 13, 2006

Kim gains U.S. Amateur final

Advertiser Staff and News Services

Kimberly Kim, who defeated Lindy Duncan, 1-up, will face 26-year-old Katharina Schallenberg in today's final of the 106th U.S. Women's Amateur

DON RYAN | Associated Press

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Kimberly Kim hits her approach off the 13th fairway at the par-71 Witch Hollow Course.

DON RYAN | Associated Press

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NORTH PLAINS, Ore. — Fourteen-year-old Kimberly Kim, who says her hobby is sleeping, finally woke up to the realization she's involved in something big.

Kim, a former Hilo resident now living in Arizona, will face Katharina Schallenberg, a 26-year-old former bank clerk from Germany, in today's 36-hole championship match of the 106th U.S. Women's Amateur.

"I didn't know it was that big of a tournament until last night, when there was a commercial on the Golf Channel, and I thought, 'It has its own commercial,' " Kim said laughing. "I don't even watch golf, I was just looking for myself."

Kim defeated 15-year-old Lindy Duncan of Plantation, Fla., 1-up in yesterday's semifinals at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club to become the youngest golfer to reach the U.S. Women's Amateur final.

Schallenberg faced 21-year old Texan Stacy Lewis and won with a 4-foot putt for par on the 19th hole on the 6,380-yard, par-71 Witch Hollow Course.

The final today will feature two very different players: Kim is a carefree teenager, while Schallenberg is consistent and steady.

"I have to stick to my routine and my strategy," Schallenberg said. "But I'm curious to see how she handles everything because I didn't play big tournaments at that age."

The match between Duncan and Kim was close throughout. Kim took a 2-up lead after four holes, but Duncan rallied and evened the match on the seventh hole.

Duncan never led, but Kim never took more than a 1-up lead the rest of the way.

Duncan holed in from the bunker on the par-3 No. 15 to even the match.

But Kim, who moved to Mesa, Ariz. earlier this year to pursue more golf opportunities, birdied the par-4 No. 16 to go 1 up.

At the par-5 18th, Duncan hit a lob wedge to 8 feet of the hole on her third shot. Kim was just short of the green in two strokes and chipped to 3 1/2 feet. Duncan made the birdie putt, putting the pressure back on Kim.

"Oh my gosh, she made her putt. It was like, 'I can do it. I can do it,' " Kim said.

And she did, sinking the birdie putt to secure the victory.

"I was so nervous over every one of my shots," Kim said. "Yesterday I didn't care. I had fun. Today I felt the pressure."

Duncan was gracious in the loss.

"On two holes, I just kind of gave it to her, and you just can't do that against a player like her," she said. "She deserved to win. I hope she goes all the way."

Kim, who signs her autograph "Kim Kim," is no stranger to the finals of a United States Golf Association tournament.

She was the runner-up to Tiffany Joh of San Diego at the U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links Championship in June. Kim lost to Joh, 6 and 5, in the final.

Schallenberg briefly played at the University of Oregon in 2000 but quit because she had a fear of flying. She returned to Germany, where she apprenticed to be a bank clerk but found it "too boring," and is now studying international business.

She won the 2005 and 2006 International German Amateur Championships, but has played infrequently in the United States.

"I learned I'm a lot better match player than I thought," Schallenberg said. "I struggled with it in the past, but it's pretty fun."

The youngest to win the U.S. Women's Amateur was Laura Baugh, who was 16 years, 2 months, 21 days when she won in 1971.

Kim turns 15 on Wednesday.

Despite Kim's claim that she didn't realize the prestige of the tournament, her caddie said he believes otherwise.

"Everybody knows how big this tournament is," 20-year-old Frank Nau said. "It just didn't hit her until (Friday night). She knows. Trust me."

Information from The Associated Press and the United States Golf Association was used in this report.