PAR AND YARDAGE – The Championship will be conducted over the Meadows Course, which will play at 6,189 yards and a par of 35-36—71. For the championship, Stimpmeter reading of the greens is 10 to 10 ½ inches.  Fairways are mowed at .450 to .475 inches.  The Primary Rough will be 2½ - 3 inches, and intermediate rough is to be mowed to a height of 1 ¼ inch.

ARCHITECT – The Meadows Course was originally designed by Fred Federspiel in 1969-70.  It was completely redesigned by John Fought in 1999.

PAIRINGS AND STARTING TIMES – Pairings and starting times will be distributed to the media the week of June 18^th.  They will also be posted on the USGA Internet site at www.usga.org.

USGA TOLL-FREE INTERVIEW HOTLINE – A broadcast quality interview with the 2002 W.A.P.L. champion will be available for media use following the championship.  Call (888) 321-USGA.  The interviews are about three minutes in length.

WWW.USGA.ORG  -- Log on to the USGA Internet site (www.usga.org) for the latest U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links information during the championship.

DEFENDING CHAMPION – Candie Kung, 19, of Chinese Taipei, won the 2001 Championship.  Kung defeated Missy Farr-Kaye, 33, of Scottsdale, Ariz., in the final, 2 up.  Kung is now a professional and ineligible to compete. Kung was also medalist with 71-70—141 in the qualifying rounds. 

OREGON AND THE USGA – This will be the 23^rd USGA championship to be conducted in Oregon.  The first was the 1933 U.S. Amateur Public Links at Eastmoreland G.C., in Portland.  The last was the 2000 U.S. Women’s Amateur at Waverley C.C., in Portland.

THE FIELD – A total of 702 contestants have entered the championship.  This is 34 more entries than the 668 in 2001, but does not match the record of 1,085 in 1986.

 EXEMPT PLAYERS – Because of their performances in this and other past USGA championships, the following players are exempt into the field of the 2002 Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship: Becky Lucidi, Erica Blasberg, Nicco Brown, Aimee Cho, Jeanne Cho, Yvonne Choe, Allyson Harvie, Candy Herrera, Jennifer Hong, Allison Johnson, Kelli Kamimura, Virada Nirapathpongporn, Amber Prange, Walailak Satarak, Karla Schuldt, Thuhashini Selvaratnam, Karyn Stordahl, Kimberly Welch and Lindsey Wright.

SCHEDULE OF PLAY –

Tuesday, June 18^th – Qualifying, 18 holes, stroke play

Wednesday, June 19^th – Qualifying, 18 holes, stroke play, (field reduced to the lowest 64 players, who advance to match play). 

Thursday, June 20^th – First and second round, 18 holes, match play.  

Friday, June 21^st – Third round and quarterfinals, 18 holes, match play.

Saturday, June 22^nd – Semifinals, 18 holes, match play.

Sunday, June 23^rd – Final, 36 holes, match play.

ADMISSION – Admission is free.  Tickets are not needed for this USGA championship, and spectators are encouraged to attend.

JUNIOR DAY – The USGA will conduct “Junior Day” at the Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship on Sunday, June 23^rd, at the Sunriver Resort from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m.  Junior golfers and new junior golfers will receive free USGA and championship mementos.  All interested children are encouraged to attend. 

THE GOLF COURSE – Designed by golf architect Fred Federspiel, of Lake Oswego, Oregon, in 1969, the Meadows Course was completely re-designed by golf architect John Fought, a past U.S. Amateur Champion, in 1999.  With towering Mt. Bachelor as its backdrop, Meadows winds along the beautiful Sun River and through stands of Ponderosa and Lodge Pole Pines.  This long, scenic course demands accurate approach shots to elevated, mounded greens.  The Meadows Course rewards accurate hitters and those who are good at reading its fast, challenging greens.

FOR THE WINNER – The champion receives:

• A gold medal and custody of the Robert F. Dwyer Trophy for one year.
• A 10-year exemption from sectional qualifying for the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links Championships
• A two-year exemption from sectional qualifying for the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship.
• A one-year exemption from sectional qualifying for the next U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship.

WHO CAN PLAY – Entries closed May 1, 2002. The championship is open to women amateur golfers who, since Jan. 1, 2002, have been bona fide public course players and have not held privileges at any course that does not expend playing privileges to the general public, or privileges of any private club maintaining its own course.  A bona fide public course player may hold incidental privileges of a course not open to the public when such privileges are provided by (1) an educational institution at which she is a student, or (2) a federal armed service of which she is a member, or (3) an industry by which she is employed.

NEXT YEAR – The 2003 U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship will be played at Ocean Hammock Golf Club, Palm Coast, Fla., June 17-22.  The course was designed by Jack Nicklaus.  This will be the first U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship hosted by the State of Florida.

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS – The Women’s Amateur Public Links Champion has been decided on the 18^th hole on seven occasions.  Kelly Fuiks (1977), Kelli Antolock (1983), Tracy Hanson (1991), Connie Masterson (1993) and Jody Niemann (1999) all won their final matches by a 1-up margin.  In 1979, Lori Castillo won her final match, 2 up, and in 2001 Candie Kung won her final match, 2 up.  The final match has never been decided in extra holes.

TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP – The 2001 W.A.P.L. Team Championship was won by the Honolulu, Hawaii, team of Leah Whiting, Chin Huei Hung, and Michelle Wie.  Their 72-hole total (best two out of three qualifying scores each of the two qualifying days) was 302, edging the second-place team from Phoenix, Ariz., by 1 stroke.  Thirty-two teams participated.

HISTORY – In June 1977, when the deadline for entries to the very first U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship were tallied, this championship had attracted a field of 686 players – more than the combined fields of the 1977 Women’s Amateur, Women’s Open, Senior Women’s Amateur and Girls’ Junior.  The total was amazing for several reasons. First, this was a new championship that would need time to build interest.  Secondly, some states didn’t even have organizations to assist women public course players, conduct sectional qualifying, or raise funds.  The 686 entries were drawn from only 24 states.  There were 858 entries in the 1999 WAPL.

The 1977 Championship was played at Yahara Hills Golf Course (East Course) in Madison, Wisc.  Kelly Fuiks, 19, of Phoenix, Ariz., was the first champion.  Fuiks won again in 1978 and was selected for the 1980 U.S. Curtis Cup team before turning professional.

Pearl Sinn accomplished a unique double in 1988 when she won the Women’s Amateur as well as the W.A.P.L.  When she repeated as WAPL Champion in 1989, she and Curtis Strange, who won the U.S. Open, were the only two to repeat as USGA champions that year.  

PAST CHAMPIONS – Former W.A.P.L. winners who have gone on to professional careers include Danielle Ammaccapane, Heather Farr, Lori Castillo, Tracy Kerdyk, Pearl Sinn, Tracy Hanson, Jill McGill, Jo Jo Robertson, Amy Spooner, Jody Niemann, Catherine Cartwright, and Candie Kung.  Former W.A.P.L. runners-up include Lauri Merten and Vicki Goetze.

USGA CHAMPIONSHIP STAFF – The USGA’s director of the championship is Stephanie Parel, who can be reached at (541) 318-4747.  Sue Ewart, of the USGA Women’s Committee, is in charge of the championship.

MEDIA CENTER – Rhonda Glenn is the USGA Media Contact on site. Prior to the championship she can be reached at (561) 964-5151.  The Media Center telephone number during the championship is (541) 593-3748.  The Media Center is open to all accredited media representatives.