| Palm Coast, Fla. -- Beth Allen, 21, an incoming senior
at Cal State Northridge, jumped past some of the favorites to lead
in the first round of stroke-play qualifying at the 2003 U.S. Women's
Amateur Public Links Championship.
Allen, of San Diego, Calif., fired six birdies in a four-under-par
round of 68 on the 6,068-yard, par 72 course at Ocean Hammock Golf
Club.
Tina Miller, 20, of Miami, Fla., shot 70. Jeanne Cho, 21, of France,
Charlotte Mayorkas, 19, of Murrieta, Calif., and Marina Choi, of
Los Angeles, Calif., all shot rounds of 71.
Pre-tournament favorites Becky Lucidi, 22, of Poway, Calif., the
reigning U.S. Women's Amateur Champion, shot 72, while long-hitting
Michelle Wie, 13, of Honolulu, Hawaii, shot a one-over par 73.
Defending champion Annie Thurman, of Highland, Utah, also shot
73. Allen's 68 was her lowest competitive score. She lives a few
miles from Torrey Pines Golf Course, where she sells practice balls.
The course, along with four other city courses, is managed by her
father, Jim Allen, and Beth says she spends most of her time there.
"Right now I'm so immersed in golf," said Allen. "I just want
to get better. I'm really enjoying it right now. I just work, practice
and go to bed."
Allen credited improved putting for six birdies on putts ranging
from 3 inches to 18 feet.
"I spent two to three hours on the practice putting green yesterday,
focusing on trying to hit the ball in the center of the clubface,"
said Allen. "I usually putt aggressively but I just tried to roll
them up there today."
Miller, playing in only her second USGA championship, managed
three birdies in her two-under-par round of 70.
"I just want to stay focused on my game and what I'm doing, not
what others are doing," said Miller.
Wie pounded tee shots of nearly 300 yards and got off to a fast
start at three under par after seven holes, then three-putted the
17th hole (her 8th) to drop a stroke. She drove into the rough on
the 18th hole (her 9th).
After she failed to escape the rough on her second shot, she missed
the green with her third, chipped and two-putted for a double bogey
that dropped her from contention. Lucidi said her 72 was a good
opening round.
"I'm looking for the putts to drop the rest of the week," she
said.
Cindy Skilton, 23, of Paoli, Pa., made a rare double-eagle on her
way to a 72. She was five-over par when she holed a 5-wood from
205 yards on the 487-yard, par-5 14th hole for a two. She quickly
birdied the 17th and 18th to finish the day at even par.
Harigae, of Monterey, Calif., like Wie, is another 13-year-old
to capture the public's imagination. She won the first of two straight
California Women's Amateur Championships last year at the age of
12.
Shooting an opening round of 72 on Tuesday, Harigae said: "I kind
of forget I'm 13. I'm just playing and enjoying golf."
Following Wednesday's second round of stroke play, the low 64
players will advance into match play. Match play continues until
the championship is decided with a 36-hole final on Sunday.
The U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links is one of 13 national championships
conducted by the United States Golf Association, of which 10 are
strictly for amateurs.
First-Round Results
Palm Coast, Fla. - Scores from the first round of stroke-play
qualifying in the 2003 United States Women's Amateur Public Links
Championship at the 6,068-yard, par-72 course at Ocean Hammock Golf
Club.
Beth Allen, San Diego, Calif., 33-35--68
Tina Miller, Miami, Fla., 36-34--70
Jeanne Cho, France, 35-36--71
Charlotte Mayorkas, Chula Vista, Calif., 36-35--71
Marina Choi, Los Angeles, Calif., 35-36--71
Mari Chun, Pearl City, Hawaii, 36-36--72
Virada Nirapathpongporn, Thailand, 34-38--72
Mina Harigae, Monterey, Calif., 36-36--72
Becky Lucidi, Poway, Calif., 36-36--72
Cindy Skilton, Paoli, Pa., 39-33--72
Thuhashini Selvaratnam, Sri Lanka, 35-37--72
Michelle Wie, Honolulu, Hawaii, 37-36--73
Elena Kurokawa, Redondo Beach, Calif., 36-37--73
Brooke Tull, Georgetown, Texas, 35-38--73
Amanda Wilson, Hilo, Hawaii, 36-37--73
Amanda McCurdy, El Dorado, Ark., 35-38--73
Annie Thurman, Highland, Utah, 36-37--73
Aimee Cho, Orlando, Fla., 38-36--74
Tanya Dergal, Mexico, 38-36--74
Kwan-Chih Lu, Chinese Taipei, 38-36--74
Yvonne Choe, Temple City, Calif., 35-39--74
Jessica Castle, Plantation, Fla., 39-36--75
Erin Laplaunt, Elk Grove, Calif., 38-37--75
Sara Brown, Tucson, Ariz., 39-36--75
Christine Yum, Bradenton, Fla., 35-40--75
Hannah Jun, San Diego, Calif., 37-38--75
Leanna Wicks, Brighton, Mich., 37-38--75
Sunny Oh, Las Vegas, Nev., 39-37--76
Melanie Boyles, Tempe, Ariz., 38-38--76
Hwanhee Lee, Los Angeles, Calif., 40-36--76
Ashley Grier, Hagerstown, Md., 37-39--76
Alison Zimmer, Tallahassee, Fla., 40-36--76
Tiffany Prats, Williston, Fla., 38-38--76
Katie Quinney, Tallahassee, Fla., 34-42--76
Annie Kirkland, Seale, Ala., 41-35--76
Terra Petsinger, Arvilla, N.D., 37-39--76
Stephanie Kono, Honolulu, Hawaii, 38-38--76
Leigh Klasse, St Anthony, Minn., 39-38--77
Cathie Williamson, Shelby, Mont., 39-38--77
Brenda Norris, Spring Branch, Texas, 42-35--77
Candy Herrera, Apple Valley, Calif., 38-39--77
Tarah McNaughton, Bradenton, Fla., 35-42--77
Allison Johnson, Amarillo, Texas, 38-39--77
Lora Roberto, Philippines, 40-37--77
Sookhee Baek, Bradenton, Fla., 38-39--77
Kirsten Davis, Eastham, Mass., 38-40--78
Lynsey Myers, Ogden, Utah, 38-40--78
Kira-Ann Murashige, Hilo, Hawaii, 40-38--78
Miranda Smith, Hideaway, Ohio, 41-37--78
Allison Fouch, Grand Rapids, Mich., 39-39--78
Gabby Wedding, Wilmington, Ohio, 39-39--78
Sally Bingham, Spanish Fork, Utah, 41-37--78
Mary Calderon, Mexico, 38-40--78
Hana Kim, Los Angeles, Calif., 41-37--78
Mayumi Motoyama, Littleton, Colo., 41-37--78
Jackie Beers, Midlothian, Va., 40-38--78
Brandy Andersen, Orlando, Fla., 44-34--78
Sarah Bellinger, Superior, Colo., 39-39--78
Tanis Hastmann, Omaha, Neb., 41-37--78
Courtney Pomeranz, Sanford, N.C., 41-37--78
Courtney Clark, Del Rey Oaks, Calif., 39-39--78
Ali Griffin, Edmond, Okla., 39-40--79
Sarah Hollowell, Houston, Texas, 40-39--79
Lydia Sampson, Boca Raton, Fla., 40-39--79
Bolee Kim, Los Angeles, Calif., 40-39--79
Jane Rah, Torrance, Calif., 40-39--79
Kay Loflin, Melbourne, Fla., 37-42--79
Rachel Gavin, Tucson, Ariz., 39-40--79
Carling Cho, San Juan Capistrano, Calif., 41-39--80
Casey Cain, Lumberton, Texas, 41-39--80
Cynthia Bowser, Stewartstown, Pa., 40-40--80
Kate Ackerson, Allen, Texas, 40-40--80
Christine Anast, Littleton, Colo., 41-39--80
Samantha Braschler, Red Wing, Minn., 41-39--80
Julie Bush, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, 42-38--80
Michele Graham, Chesapeake, Va., 42-38--80
D'Rae Ward, Weatherford, Texas, 42-38--80
Erica Gonzalez, Davie, Fla., 39-41--80
Heather Burgner, Lakeland, Fla., 42-38--80
Megan Stoddart, Sacramento, Calif., 39-41--80
Jennifer Gleason, Clearwater, Fla., 41-39--80
Emily Culbertson, Crestview Hills, Ky., 39-41--80
Jennifer Cannon, Big Lake, Minn., 39-41--80
Amber Jean Kuss, Koontz Lake, Ind., 40-40--80
Ginny Burkey, Fircrest, Wash., 40-41--81
Tracy Hancock, Ridgefield, Wash., 42-39--81
Marsha Lutz, Walnut Creek, Calif., 42-39--81
Sarah Tiller, Nampa, Idaho, 41-40--81
Charmaine Erasmus, South Africa, 41-40--81
Tessa Jimenez, El Paso, Texas, 41-40--81
Jessie Malcolm, Scottsdale, Ariz., 39-42--81
Kristen Kyle, Greer, S.C., 37-44--81
Felicia Johnston, Tigard, Ore., 42-39--81
Stefanie Coleman, University Place, Wash., 41-41--82
Erin Simmons, Houston, Texas, 40-42--82
Mikkell Korver, Orange City, Iowa, 40-42--82
Audrey Gale, Clayton, N.C., 40-42--82
Jayna Shimomura, Kula, Hawaii, 40-42--82
Daria Cummings, Monroe, Conn., 42-40--82
Lauren Robinson, Fayetteville, N.C., 42-40--82
Alexandria Buelow, Palm City, Fla., 38-44--82
Claudia Ramirez, San Antonio, Texas, 44-39--83
Allison Long, Coatesville, Pa., 44-39--83
Kimberly Kim, Hilo, Hawaii, 40-43--83
Courtney Mahon, Topeka, Kan., 42-41--83
Andrea Brunackey, Elk Lake, Mich., 42-41--83
Jennifer Ackerson, Allen, Texas, 43-40--83
Karla Murra, Sioux Falls, S.D., 45-38--83
Lynn Simmons, Phoenix, Ariz., 42-42--84
Whitney Bauer, Mitchellville, Iowa, 43-41--84
Anita Venner, Monrovia, Md., 42-42--84
Mayule Tomimbang, Kissimmee, Fla., 41-43--84
Meghan Costello, Akron, Ohio, 42-42--84
Julie Kim, Gardena, Calif., 43-42--85
Lexie Jensen, Rigby, Idaho, 43-42--85
Meggie Fagundes, Atwater, Calif., 42-43--85
Jeannine Mondesando, Mahwah, N.J., 44-41--85
Carrie Sordel, Orlando, Fla., 44-41--85
Mackinzie Kline, Encinitas, Calif., 41-44--85
Paula Pearson-Tucker, Miami, Fla., 41-45--86
Becca Huffer, Denver, Colo., 42-44--86
Karla Kalian, Brush Prairie, Wash., 44-42--86
Taryn Rechlicz, Madison, Wis., 45-41--86
Desiree Ting, Wailuku, Hawaii, 44-42--86
Mari Miezwa, Brooklyn Park, Minn., 46-41--87
Courtney McCracken, Eagle, Idaho, 43-44--87
Courtney Gagnon, Clifton Park, N.Y., 44-43--87
Marissa Cook, Granite, Ill., 40-48--88
Janina Jacobs, St. Clair, Mich., 45-43--88
Arlene Zamora, Havre De Grace, Md., 45-43--88
Jennie Pleas, Lihue, Hawaii, 42-47--89
Emily Klein, Brecksville, Ohio, 43-47--90
Kate MacDonald, Novi, Mich., 48-43--91
Meilin Poai, Kapaa, Hawaii, 46-45--91
Catherine Allen, Bellingham, Wash., 46-45--91
Pat Harrop-Schumacher, Sequim, Wash., 45-46--91
Kelly Harlan, Vancouver, Wash., 42-49--91
Rachael Malenich, Alexandria, Va., 46-48--94
Kristan Bennett, Trenton, Mich., 51-44--95
Beth Weiler, Wadsworth, Ill., 44-51--95
Karla Sauerwein, St Louis, Mo., 51-45--96
Lesan Gouge, Amarillo, Texas, 50-47--97
Becky Mangone, Windham, N.H., 52-48--100
Dana Je, Orlando, Fla., WD
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