Heather Graff

Heather Graff of Kennewick, Wash., was recording her par on the 14th hole at Spencer T. Olin Community Golf Course as her opponent, Lauri Berles of Grandville, Mich., stood over a 15-foot birdie putt that would have extended the match. Graff was so focused, she didn't see the ball stop short and curl away from the edge of the cup. But her cousin and caddie, Matt Van Sistine, leaned over and told her the news.

"You're done," he said simply.

In the stifling, 95-degree heat, her 5-and-4 victory gave the University of Arizona junior the biggest win of her career.

I was ready to go on to the next tee," said Graff, who played No. 2 on the Wildcat team that won the 1996 NCAA title. "I was writing on my scorecard, and I knew I was 5 up, but I wan't even thinking about winning."

Graff, was similarly focused throughout her semifinal match that morning. She beat close friend, Jody Neimann, 3 and 2, to advance to finals.

Berles had an easier time in her simefinal match against Carolyn Klecker. She made the turn 6 up and eventually beat Klecker, 6 and 5.

The tables turned, however, in the championship match, which was played in humid conditions where the heat index reached into triple digits.

The steady Graff, who hit 13 of 14 greens in the title pairing, gained the upper hand early. She won the first five holes - two by birdies and three as the result of Berles's bogeys.

"It just wasn't there," said Berles, assessing the difference in her play between the morning and afternoon matches.

Berles did manage to make a brief run, sinking a five-foot-birdie putt on the seventh hole and draining a 20-footer at No. 8. Energized, the 21-year-old unleashed a massive drive on the par-4 ninth.

Berles's ball caught the slope of the hill on the sharp dogleg left and settled at its base. But she was unable to capitalize, chunking her approach onto the mounds that extend from the elevated green, and missing a six-footer to save par.

As a result, Graff made the turn, at 4 up.

At the 11th hole Berles rolled in a 22-footer for birdie only to see Graff counter with an eight-footer of her own to halve. Berles then bogeyed No. 12 to fall 5-down.

"I tried to find a way to get back into it," Berles said. "But when she's playing so consistently, it's hard to find a place where you can get back up."

Graff had played in two previous WAPLs, but she had never advanced past the quarterfinal round of match play.

Elise Kimm of Valley Village, Calif., set the pace in the 36-hole qualifying. She shot matching 71s to lead 32 players into match play, but then was ousted, 1 up, by Neimann in the second round.