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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Kim leads Hawaii qualifiers at U.S. Public Links

Advertiser Staff

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Kimberly Kim

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U.S. WOMEN'S AMATEUR PUBLINX

How Hawai'i golfers fared in the second round at the Kearney Hill Golf Links in Lexington, Ky. Top 64 advance to match play today.

Made cut

2) Kimberly Kim 69-69—138

T11) Mari Chun 72-72—144

T27) Miki Ueoka 72-75—147

T36) Kristina Merkle 75-74—149

T44) Xyra Suyetsugu 73-78—151

Playoff today

T60) Stephanie Kono 77-76—153

T60) Britney Choy 79-74—153

Missed cut

T85) Kyung Kim 76-80—156

T94) Summer Mizusawa 79-78—157

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Kimberly Kim shot a 3-under-par 69 for the second straight day yesterday, finishing second in the qualifying and leading up to six other Hawai'i golfers who could advance to today's match play at the U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links Championship

Kim, a 15-year-old former Big Island resident now living in Arizona, finished one shot behind Tiffany Lua at Kearney Hill Golf Links in Lexington, Ky.

Lua, of Rowland Heights, Calif., followed a career-best 67 with a 70 yesterday.

The match-play cut came at 9-over 153, with eight players — including Hawai'i's Stephanie Kono and Britney Choy — having to come back this morning to play off for the final five spots into the 64-player draw. Kono (77-76) and Choy (79-74) tied for 60th.

Here's how the other Hawai'i qualifiers fared:

  • Pearl City's Mari Chun (72-72—144) tied for 11th;

  • Lihu'e's Miki Ueoka (72-75—147) tied for 27th;

  • Honolulu's Kristina Merkle (75-74—149) tied for 36th;

  • Honolulu's Xyra Suyetsugu (73-78—151) tied for 44th.

    Kahului's Kyung Kim (76-80—156) tied for 85th and Hilo's Summer Mizusawa (79-78—157) tied for 94th.

    Kim had two bogeys and five birdies, the last coming at the 459-yard, par-5 18th hole. Her bogeys came at the par-5, 546-yard seventh hole and at the par-4, 347-yard 16th.

    "I didn't play great or anything," Kim said in an article posted on uswapl.org. "But how I played these two days doesn't matter. That's what match play is all about."

    Kim added the pressure of being the reigning Women's Amateur champion has raised other people's expectations of her.

    "Yeah ... because people just expect me to do good and I don't think they should," said Kim. "I just want to play more consistently. If I lose my first match and I know I played well, then that's fine."

    The first round of match play is today. The second and third rounds will be played tomorrow. The quarterfinals and semifinals will be played Friday with a 36-hole final Saturday.

    Hawai'i golfers have done well in this event.

    Lori Castillo won in 1979 and 1980, capturing 11 consecutive matches before losing in the second round in 1981.

    Michelle Wie, then 13, won in 2003 to become the youngest in the 108-year history of U.S. Golf Association to win an adult USGA event.

    Kim finished second last year.

    www.uswapl.org contributed to this report