Storylines From 2008 U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links

The average age of the 156 competitors in the 2008 U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links is 19.38 years old.

There are five countries represented in the field: Canada, Chinese Taipei, Korea, Thailand and the USA.

There are 73 players competing in their first U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links, and 58 playing in their first USGA championship.

There are three USGA champions in the field led by defending Women’s Amateur Public Links winner Mina Harigae, 18, of Monterey, Calif. Joining Harigae are 2006 U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links winner Tiffany Joh, 21, of San Diego, Calif., and 2006 U.S. Women’s Amateur champion Kimberly Kim, 16, of Hilo, Hawaii.

All three of those players were on the USA Curtis Cup team that recently won the Match on the Old Course at St. Andrews. They were joined on the USA squad by Jennie Lee and 2007 U.S. Women’s Amateur runner-up Amanda Blumenherst, both of whom also played on the victorious 2006 USA Curtis Cup team.

There are 15 players in the field who have competed in a U.S. Women’s Open or are scheduled to play in the 2008 championship, led by Harigae (2007, 2008), Blumenherst (2006, 2007, 2008), Kim (2006, 2007, 2008) and Lee (2004, 2006, 2007, 2008). They are joined by: Lauren Doughtie, 21, of Suffolk, Va. (2008); Selanee Henderson, 21, of Apple Valley, Calif. (2007); Ha Na Jang, 16, of Korea (2007, 2008); Stacey Kim, 17, of Columbus, Ga. (2006); Stephanie Kono, 18, of Honolulu, Hawaii (2006); Tiffany Lua, 17, of Rowland Heights, Calif. (2007, 2008); Sydnee Michaels, 20, of Temecula, Calif.; Angela Oh, 19, of Maple Shade, N.J. (2008): Cyd Okino, 14, of Honolulu, Hawaii (2008); Emily Powers, 20, of Quincy, Ill. (2008); and Jennifer Song, 18, of Korea (2007, 2008).

Harigae is trying to become the first repeat winner since Pearl Sinn in 1988-89. Kelly Fuiks, who won the first two WAPL Championships in 1977-78, and Lori Castillo, who won in 1979-80, are the only others to win consecutive Women’s Amateur Public Links titles. Jo Jo Robertson won in 1995 and 1997.

There are two sets of sisters in the field: Erin (18) and Kelly (19) Fuchik of Tulsa, Okla., and Sebin (17) and Sehee (19) Kim of Canada.

There is also the sister of a USGA champion in the field – Madison Pressel, 17, of Boca Raton, is the younger sister of 2005 U.S. Women’s Amateur champion Morgan Pressel.

The youngest player in the field is 10-year-old Allisen Corpuz of Kapolei, Hawaii. Corpuz, at 10 years, three months and nine days old, becomes the youngest to ever qualify for a USGA championship, besting the previous record of Michelle Wie set at the 2000 championship.

There are two 12-year-olds in the field: Gabriella Then of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., and Julie Yang of Phoenix, Ariz. There are also three 13-year-olds: Rynae Baca of Wasilla, Alaska; Lauren Diaz-Yi of Thousand Oaks, Calif.; and Annie Park of Howey in the Hills, Fla.

The elder stateswoman in the field is 48-year-old Catherine Allen of Bellingham, Wash.

Other interesting storylines to follow at the 2007 U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship:

Brittany Bomar, 20, of Anchorage, Alaska, has a unique putting style.  She uses the side-saddle technique she learned from her father, Billy, who is also her caddie and golf professional. Bomar is also an excellent all-around athlete, being the MVP of her high school basketball team.

Sarah Brown, 16, of Lopatcong, N.J., is one of 10 children.

Alexandria Buelow, 17, of Palm City, Fla., has a couple of odd superstitions.  She always wears two different colored socks and carries a dollar worth of change in her pockets.

Alexandra Casi, 23, of Columbiana Ohio, is an animal activist.  She has five dogs, five cats, two hamsters and two guinea pigs at her house.  When not playing golf, Cari is active trying get into the U.S Women’s Top 50 rankings for table tennis.

Sabrina Danielson, 20, of Cedar Falls, Iowa, is a second-degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do.

Gianna DiGrazia, 16, of Addison, Ill., is a talented overall athlete, excelling in golf and basketball. She earned 2007-08 All-Conference honors on the boys’ golf team at Driscoll Catholic High as well as advancing to the Illinois state 3-point shooting contest in 2007 and 2008.

Megan Dowdy, 22, of Leander, Tex., has her grandmother, Johnnie Dowdy, on her bag this week.

Janine Fellows, 18, of Houston, Tex., owns the men’s course record at Timber Creek Golf Club with a score of 63.

Stephany Fleet, 21, of Lansing, Mich., finished runner-up to Mina Harigae at the 2007 WAPL.

Jaye Green, 14, of Boca Raton, Fla., was the 2006 and 2007 South Florida PGA Player of the Year and a five-time Overall Winner of the Girls Junior Players Tour.

Ani Gulugian, 16, of Irvine, Calif., was volunteering as a standard bearer during the 2005 Samsung Invitational, and was a first-hand witness to the controversial drop that resulted in Michelle Wie’s disqualification from her first professional event.

Cheyenne Hickle, 17, of Gilbert, Ariz., was a 2006-07 FCWT Second Team All American.

Heather Holte, 33, of Walterville, Ore., has been an assistant golf coach at the University of Oregon and Washington State University.  She graduated from Oregon in 1997 where she was a standout member of the women’s golf and softball teams.

Emily Houtz, 18, of Manhattan, Kan., has a twin sister who plays on the golf team with her at Kansas State.

Tiffany Joh, 21, of San Diego, Calif., was the runner-up at the 2008 NCAA Division I Women’s National Championship held at the University of New Mexico Golf Course and was the 2007 Pac-10 Champion and Conference Player of the Year.

Jennie Lee, 21, of Henderson, Nev., finished 15th at the 2008 NCAA Women’s Golf National Championship at the University of New Mexico Golf Course and was runner-up at the 2006 NCAA Championship.

Kim Lorenzana, 21, of Long Beach, Calif., won the 2008 Big West Championship as a member of the University of California-Irvine women’s golf team.

Laura Luethke, 21, of Clovis, Calif., is a childhood cancer survivor.

Gennifer Mendez, 20, of North Port, Fla., is in the process of organizing her first golf tournament to benefit a new church pre-school in Florida.

Sydnee Michaels, 20, of Temecula, Calif., may have two reasons to celebrate this week if she can win the 2008 WAPL. She turned 20 on Sunday, June 15.

Seo Hee Moon, 16, of Mukilteo, Wash., won the 2007 Washington High School State Championship and finished tied for second in 2008.

Erica Moston, 21, of San Jose, Calif., won the 2007 Western Athletic Conference Women’s Golf Championship and was the WAC Player of the Year at San Jose State University.

Cyd Okino, 14, of Honolulu, Hawaii, was the youngest golfer ever to win the Hawaii State Women’s Amateur Match Play Tournament at age 11 in 2005.

Kristi Pipenbrink, 22, of Greenwood, Ind., was the 2006 NCAA Division II Freshman of the Year and a 2006 and 2008 All-American while at the University of Indianapolis.

Despite being predominately left-handed, Emily Powers, 20, of Quincy, Ill., plays golf right-handed.

Lizette Salas, 18, of Azusa, Calif., had a phenomenal 2008 season at the University of Southern California by earning 2008 Pac-10 All-Conference honors, Pac-10 Freshman of the Year, a NGCA Second Team All-American and being a member of the 2008 NCAA Women’s Golf National Championship team at USC.  She was also the 2007 ESPN High School Female Athlete of the Year.

Jennifer Song, 18, of Korea, finished 39th at the 2007 U.S. Women’s Open, earning her a share of low-amateur honors.

Joy Trotter, 17, of Chino Hills, Calif., will turn 18 during the WAPL on June 19.

Mellssa Volz, 24, of San Antonio, Tex., picked up a golf club for the first time only 18 months ago and played in her first tournament after a short nine months and scored a 72.  Volz has scrapped her law school plans and is pursuing a golf career.

Carly Werwie, 19, of Kenosha, Wis., and Beth Weinstein, 20, of Highland Park, Ill., are teammates at the University of Wisconsin.

Storylines compiled by Kent Zakour and Beth Murrison