Michelle Wie Wins 2003 U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links Championship

Palm Coast , Florida – Michelle Wie , 13, became the youngest champion in the 108-year history of United States Golf Association adult championships when she won the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links at the par-72, 6,068-yard course at Ocean Hammock Golf Club.

Wie and Nirapathpongporn in Final of 2003 United States Women's Amateur Public Links

Palm Coast, Fla. – Thirteen-year-old Michelle Wie, of Honolulu , Hawaii , and Virada Nirapathpongporn , 21, of Thailand , square off in Sunday’s 36-hole final of the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links at the par-72, 6,068-yard course at Ocean Hammock Golf Club.

Wie. Nirapathpongporn, Allen and Cho in WAPL Semifinals

Palm Coast , Fla. – Thirteen-year-old Michelle Wie advanced to the semifinals of the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship

Saturday morning at the par-72, 6,068-yard course at Ocean Hammock Golf Club. Wie defeated U.S. Women’s Amateur Champion Becky Lucidi in the quarterfinals, 6 and 5.

Wie, Nirapathpongporn, Thurman, Lucidi Advance to WAPL's Third Round

Palm Coast, Fla. – Thirteen-year-old Michelle Wie, of Honolulu, Hawaii, led the favorites of the 2003 United States Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship into the third round at the 6,086-yard, par-72 course at Ocean Hammock Golf Club.

Nirapathpongporn, Thurman, Wie, Lucidi Advance in 2003 United States Women's Amateur Public Links

Palm Coast , Fla. – Medalist Virada Nirapathpongporn , of Bangkock , Thailand , and defending champion Annie Thurman , of Highland , Utah , won their first-round matches in the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship at the par-72, 6,068-yard course at Ocean Hammock Golf Club.

Time Right for Wedding Day

Palm Coast , Fla. – It should have been a time for celebration. Instead, it became a time for tears. For Gabrielle Wedding , the 2002 Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship morphed from sweet to bittersweet.

WAPL Notebook

Palm Coast , Fla. – Take away the humidity, add some elevation to the coastline and Beth Allen would feel right at home this week. Ocean Hammock Golf Club is a continent away from Torrey Pines in San Diego , Calif. , but the ocean-side resort offers some of the same breathtaking beauty and windy conditions.

Nirapathpongporn is WAPL Medalist

Palm Coast, Fla. – Virada Nirapathpongporn, 21, of Bangkok, Thailand, was the medalist in stroke-play qualifying in the United States Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship with a 36-hole total of 141 on the par-72, 6068-yard course at Ocean Hammock Golf Club.

 Harigae, Other 13 Year Old, Making Noise at WAPL

Palm Coast, Fla. – The headliners at this year’s Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship at Ocean Hammock Golf Club include the defending champion (Annie Thurman), the reigning Women’s Amateur champion (Becky Lucidi) and a 13 year old who drives the ball into the stratosphere.

Five Women's Open Qualifiers In WAPL Field

Not only will the 27th U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links Championship at Ocean Hammock Golf Club in Palm Coast, Fla., feature two reigning USGA champions (Annie Thurman and Becky Lucidi), but five players in this year's field of 144 competitors have qualified for the U.S. Women's Open. Besides Lucidi, who earned an exemption into the Women's Open by virtue of her victory at the 2002 Women's Amateur, Thurman, the defending WAPL champion, Michelle Wie, Allison Fouch and Virada Nirapathpongporn secured an invitation to Pumpkin Ridge through sectional qualifying.

U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links Player Pairings

Far Hill, N.J. - Pairings and starting times for the first two rounds of the U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links Championship, Tuesday (June 17) and Wednesday (June 18) at the par 36-36-72, 6,068-yard Ocean Hammock Golf Club in Palm Coast, Fla.

U.S. WOMEN'S AMATEUR PUBLIC LINKS FACT SHEET

PAR AND YARDAGE - The Championship will be conducted over the Ocean Hammock course, which will play at 6,068 yards and a par of 36-36-72. For the championship, Stimpmeter reading of the greens is 10 inches. Fairways and tees are of 419 Bermuda and the greens are Tif-Dwarf. The Primary Rough will be 2 - 2½ inches, and intermediate rough is to be mowed to a height of 1 - 1 ½ inches.

ARCHITECT - Jack Nicklaus designed the golf course, which opened in 2000.

PAIRINGS AND STARTING TIMES - Pairings and starting times will be distributed to the media the week of June 17th. 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 2003 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.