Kimberly Kim, a former Big Island resident who lives in Arizona, faces Amanda Blumenherst, 20, of Scottsdale, Ariz., in the semifinals of the U.S. Women's Amateur at Carmel, Ind. PGA of America | July 2007

Kim, the tournament's defending champion, stopped Jennifer Song with a 25-foot birdie putt on the 21st hole in match play to advance to tomorrow's semifinals at Crooked Stick Golf Club.

"The whole way I thought it was too low, but then it went in, and I was like, thank God," Kim said about the winning putt in a story at the tournament's Web site.

Kim, the 15-year-old former Big Island resident who lives in Arizona, faces Amanda Blumenherst, 20, of Scottsdale, Ariz., who beat Jennie Lee, 5 and 4, in another quarterfinal.

In the other semifinal, Maria Jose Uribe, 17, of Colombia faces Ha Na Jang of South Korea. The 36-hole final is tomorrow.

Kim covered her head with a towel during the match to keep cool in the near-90 degree heat. She lost the first two holes, but was able to square the match on No. 5.

Neither player took more than a 1-up lead with Kim taking her only lead of the match, winning the No. 10 with a birdie. Song took her final lead, winning No. 15, but Kim squared it with a par on No. 16.

The match remained all-squared until Kim's birdie on the 21st hole.

Uribe, 17, beat Mina Harigae, 15, of Monterey, Calif., 5 and 4, while Jang, 15, ousted Alexis Thompson, 12, of Coral Springs, Fla., 5 and 4.

Last year, Kim became the youngest U.S. Women's Amateur champion at 14.