Jody Niemann

Jody Niemann, 22, of Rigby, Idaho, lost the first three holes but rebounded to defeat Sue Billek Nyhus, 36, of West Valley City, Utah, 1 up, to capture the U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links Championship at the 6,453-yard, par-71 Santa Ana (N.M.) Golf Club.

Niemann, an Arizona State graduate, had not won an individual title since she was a junior golfer, although she played on the college team that won the 1997 NCAA Championship.

Niemann and Nyhus were all square at the tee of the par-4 18th hole when Nyhus drove into an unplayalbe lie to the right of the fairway. After a one-stroke penalty, she slashed here ball to the back of the green, 45 feet from the hole.

Niemann drove safely, then hit a towering 8-iron to within eight feet of the hole.

"I was really comfortable over the shot," said Niemann. "I just wanted to have good tempo and solid contact."

Nyhus missed her long par putt and Niemann lagged to within a foot of the hole to make a par, win the hole, and capture the national championship.

In the other semifinal, Wong rallied to defeat Stacy Prammanasudh, 18, of Enid, Okla., in 19 holes by making back-to-back birdies from 20 feet downhill. She played the last 10 holes in the equivalent of 2-under par.

"I just put my best stroke on them and didn't look up until I knew it had reached the hole," said Wong of her winning putts. "It takes the pressure off when you don't look and worry if it's going to go in. But I'm sure glad I chose to leave the flagstick in on that last putt (from the back fringe). It was rolling pretty fast."

"What can I do?," said Prammanasudh, who had led since the third hole. "She made everything. She must just save it up for the end."

But Spooner saved just a little bit more.

Elisha Au of Waikoloa, Hawaii was the qualifying medalist with a two-round total of 6-over-par 148. She and Bessie Phillips of Lantana, Fla. shared the individual best round of 1-over 72 on the second day of stroke play.

Wong defeated Au in one quarterfinal match that went 19 holes. Spooner ousted the long-hitting Phillips in another quarterfinal match, 2 and 1. Spooner's first two matches went 20 and 19 holes.

Au had upset defending champion JoJo Robertson of Roswell, N.M. in the second round, 3 and 2. Au was one of 18 Hawaiians in the starting field of 132. Seven Hawaiians were among the 32 to advance to match play, but only Au made it past the first round.

Andrea Meeker of Milton, Wis., scored the first hole-in-one in the 22-year history of this championship. It came during the second day of stroke play on the 17th hole, but Meeker failed to advance to match play. The cut for match play came at 17-over 159, with a 9-for-7 playoff to determine the final places.

Bessie Phillips (79-72) of Lantana, Fla., Colleen Cashman (74-79) of Plantation, Fla., and Barbara Lilley (79-80) of West Palm Beach, Fla., won the team portion of the championship representing the Miami area. In counting the best two scores for each day of stroke play, they had a total of 304, two ahead of the second-place team from the Spanaway, Wash., area. Thirty-four teams were entered.

The USGA accepted 1,075 entries for this championship. The WAPL will grow to a match play field of 64 in 1999.