Lizette Salas Shoots 68 For First-Round WAPL Lead

Devens, Mass. – Lizette Salas, 19, of Azusa, Calif., fired a 4-under-par 68 to take a one-stroke lead after the first round of stroke-play qualifying at the 2009 U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship at the 6,267-yard, par-72 Red Tail Golf Club.

Alice Kim, 19, of Walnut, Calif., Sara-Maude Juneau, 21, of Canada, Cydney Clanton, 19, of Concord, N.C., and Kristen Hill, 19, of Weston, Fla., are one stroke behind at 69.

Alice Kim was one of four players to post a 69 during the first round of stroke-play qualifying at the 2009 WAPL. (USGA Museum)

Good scoring was possible despite bad weather on a day of steady drizzle with temperatures in the low 60s and winds gusting to 25 mph.

“In California, we hardly ever get rain,” said Salas, a junior at the University of Southern California. “When I saw the weather this morning, I knew I would just have to prepare myself mentally.”

Added Juneau: “I was expecting way worse. I tried to keep my hands dry and be more patient.”

Hill was so focused on her game that she was oblivious to the conditions.

“I actually didn’t even notice the bad weather, I was playing so well,” said Hill, a sophomore at the University of Akron.

Salas kick-started her back nine when she made three consecutive birdies starting at the 11th hole. Her first birdie came on a rambling 40-foot putt. She then made a 5-footer on No. 12 and a 3-footer on the 13th to go to three under par. She capped her round by holing a 3-foot birdie putt at 16.

“I was a little iffy on how I was going to play because I’ve been out for more than a week with a lower back sprain, so I’m sort of limping through,” said Salas, who tied for medalist honors at the 2008 WAPL. “But I’ve got a new putter that really suits me and I really like this golf course.”

Kim started on the back nine, where she made birdies on four of her last six holes. Hitting short irons into the greens, she made birdie putts ranging from 4 to 40 feet to shoot 4-under-par 32. When she birdied the fourth and sixth holes she was six under par and on a record pace, but a one-stroke penalty for an unplayable lie resulted in a triple-bogey 7 on the eighth hole.

Kim, who will be a junior at the University of California-Davis, said her game has shown marked improvement since she qualified last month for the 2009 U.S. Women’s Open.

“I knew that I’d have to practice after I qualified for the Women’s Open and I’ve worked hard on my short game,” Kim said. “I think it paid off.”

Juneau, a junior at the University of Louisville, enjoyed two good breaks in her run of five birdies. She drove into trees lining the fourth fairway but her ball bounced into light rough and she eventually holed a 15-foot birdie putt. At the 15th hole, she holed a chip out of a divot for a birdie.

Hill, playing in the afternoon wave, finished in near darkness. She was one under par after making a double-bogey 7 at the fourth hole, but recovered quickly a hole later with a birdie. Four of her birdie putts were in the 4- to 8-foot range, however, she converted a 20-footer at No. 11 for a birdie. She later chipped in from 25 feet for a birdie at the 16th hole.

Clanton holed four birdie putts ranging from 2 to 15 feet. The Auburn University junior, who qualified for the 2008 U.S. Women’s Open, made only one bogey in her 3-under-par round.

Local favorite Brittany Altomare, 18, of Shrewsbury, Mass., was just three strokes behind the leader with a 71. Altomare, who tied for second in the 2009 Women’s Eastern Amateur Championship and has qualified for next month’s U.S. Women’s Open at Saucon Valley Country Club, had five birdies against four bogeys in her 1-under-par round.

After Tuesday’s second stroke-play qualifying round, the low 64 scorers will advance to match play beginning on Wednesday. A 36-hole final is slated for Saturday.

The U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links, for public course players, is one of 13 national championships conducted annually by the United States Golf Association, 10 of which are strictly for amateurs.

Devens, Mass. – Results from the first round of stroke-play qualifying in the 2009 U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship at the 6,267-yard, par-72 Red Tail Golf Club:

Lizette Salas, Azusa, Calif. 36-32--68

Alice Kim, Walnut, Calif. 37-32--69

Cydney Clanton, Concord, N.C. 36-33--69

Kristen Hill, Weston, Fla. 37-32--69

Sara-Maude Juneau, Canada 33-36--69

Annie Park, Levittown, N.Y. 37-33--70

Joanna Coe, Mays Landing, N.J. 36-34--70

Stephanie Kono, Honolulu, Hawaii 34-36--70

Brittany Altomare, Shrewsbury, Mass. 33-38--71

Jennifer Song, La Canada, Calif. 35-36--71

Leanne Bowditch, Australia 37-34--71

Whitney Neuhauser, Charlottesville, Va. 33-38--71

Caroline Kim, Canada 36-36--72

Kristina Merkle, Honolulu, Hawaii 35-37--72

Nikki Koller, Lewisburg, Ky. 35-37--72

Sara Grantham, Wilsonville, Ala. 36-36--72

Victoria Park, Korea 34-38--72

Gianna Misenhelter, Overland Park, Kan. 36-37--73

Glory Jooyoung Yang, Korea 36-37--73

Junthima Gulyanamitta, West Lafayette, Ind. 38-35--73

Kamryn Ruffin, Pryor, Okla. 39-34--73

Karen Chung, Livingston, N.J. 37-36--73

Kristin Paulson, Ottumwa, Iowa 36-37--73

Mallory Fraiche, Metairie, La. 37-36--73

Martina Gavier, Argentina 36-37--73

Simone Hoey, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. 37-36--73

Stefanie Kenoyer, Lighthouse Point, Fla. 36-37--73

Aimee Neff, Carmel, Ind. 37-37--74

Alexandra Stewart, Peoria, Ariz. 39-35--74

Angela Villela, Pacoima, Calif. 39-35--74

Briana Mao, Folsom, Calif. 39-35--74

Candace Schepperle, Birmingham, Ala. 38-36--74

Casie Cathrea, Livermore, Calif. 37-37--74

Cassie Boles, Lakeland, Fla. 37-37--74

Emily Powers, Quincy, Ill. 36-38--74

Kayla Mortellaro, Phoenix, Ariz. 38-36--74

Kim Kaufman, Clark, S.D. 36-38--74

Michelle Mathwick, Greenfield, Wis. 38-36--74

Seo Hee Moon, Mukilteo, Wash. 37-37--74

Stacey Kim, Columbus, Ga. 36-38--74

Sun Gyoung Park, Vail, Ariz. 36-38--74

Taylor Barrett, York, S.C. 35-39--74

Becca Huffer, Denver, Colo. 37-38--75

Caroline Powers, Bowling Green, Ohio 36-39--75

Ellen Mueller, Bartlesville, Okla. 37-38--75

Kate Ackerson, Allen, Texas 36-39--75

Madison Pressel, Boca Raton, Fla. 37-38--75

Mari Chun, Pearl City, Hawaii 36-39--75

Mary Mattson, Ijamsville, Md. 37-38--75

Pennapa Pulsawath, Thailand 37-38--75

Sydnee Michaels, Temecula, Calif. 37-38--75

Carly Werwie, Kenosha, Wis. 39-37--76

Ember Schuldt, Sterling, Ill. 38-38--76

Gennifer Mendez, North Port, Fla. 38-38--76

Gianna Digrazia, Addison, Ill. 41-35--76

Janine Fellows, Houston, Texas 39-37--76

Kristina Nhim, Buena Park, Calif. 40-36--76

Lynn Simmons, Phoenix, Ariz. 38-38--76

Natalie Brehm, Mt Pleasant, Mich. 36-40--76

Sarah Whitney, Hingham, Mass. 41-35--76

Ashley Medders, Alma, Ga. 37-40--77

Katie Burnett, Brunswick, Ga. 40-37--77

Kendra Hanson, Forest City, Iowa 38-39--77

Kimberly Kim, Hilo, Hawaii 41-36--77

Kristen Schelling, Mesa, Ariz. 38-39--77

Miki Ueoka, Lihue, Hawaii 38-39--77

Paula Reto, South Africa 37-40--77

Sarah Bradley, New Zealand 39-38--77

Taylor Schmidt, Canada 38-39--77

Tiffany Lim, San Jose, Calif. 38-39--77

Yueer Cindy Feng, Orlando, Fla. 36-41--77

Alexa Kim, Canada 39-39--78

Allyssa Ferrell, Edgerton, Wis. 37-41--78

Amy Otteson, Wilson, N.C. 41-37--78

Christy Fogerty, San Diego, Calif. 40-38--78

Cyd Okino, Honolulu, Hawaii 37-41--78

Daria Cummings, Monroe, Conn. 38-40--78

Lynda Kwon, North Wales, Pa. 37-41--78

Martine De Gannes, Trinidad and Tobago 37-41--78

Nicole Morales, South Salem, N.Y. 40-38--78

Samantha Sommers, Minneapolis, Minn. 38-40--78

Shannon Yocum, Palos Verdes, Calif. 39-39--78

Thuhashini Selvaratnam, Sri Lanka 39-39--78

Tiffany Lua, Rowland Heights, Calif. 40-38--78

Ashley Smith, Plymouth, Mich. 41-38--79

Casey Kennedy, Venice, Fla. 41-38--79

Courtney Gunter, Matthews, N.C. 38-41--79

Erika Oldenkamp, Hinsdale, Ill. 38-41--79

Hannah Suh, San Jose, Calif. 36-43--79

Jennifer Hahn, Henderson, Nev. 38-41--79

Kay Hoey, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. 38-41--79

Kelly Fuchik, Tulsa, Okla. 38-41--79

Margaux Sheehan, Anchorage, Alaska 43-36--79

McKenzie Jackson, Uniontown, Ohio 39-40--79

Stephanie Arcala, Oceanside, Calif. 42-37--79

Sydney Cox, Edmond, Okla. 40-39--79

Colleen Estes, Cary, N.C. 42-38--80

Deborah Martinez, Mexico 38-42--80

Hanule Seo, St Louis, Mo. 37-43--80

Jessica Alexander, Riverview, Fla. 40-40--80

Jisoo Park, Korea 36-44--80

Katrina Hegge, Seattle, Wash. 40-40--80

Kristin Tan, Seattle, Wash. 39-41--80

Marion Maney-Mcinerney, Dedham, Mass. 41-39--80

Michelle Piyapattra, Corona, Calif. 42-38--80

Nicole Scola, Westerly, R.I. 41-39--80

Rachel Blum, Jacksonville, Fla. 38-42--80

Sarah Brown, Lopatcong Township, N.J. 41-39--80

Amanda Henry, Russell Springs, Ky. 41-40--81

Jill Hardy, Canada 41-40--81

Kelsey Vines, Saint George, Utah 43-38--81

Kimberly Johnson, San Diego, Calif. 38-43--81

Kristtini Cain, Marion, Ind. 39-42--81

Mary Carmody, Cortland, N.Y. 39-42--81

Alexandria Buelow, Palm City, Fla. 41-41--82

Anna Kim, Canada 38-44--82

Ashley Cox, Oxford, Ala. 40-42--82

Brittany Weddell, Buzzards Bay, Mass. 40-42--82

Jennifer Gartin, Port St Lucie, Fla. 41-41--82

Lisanne Schmidt, Grantham, N.H. 43-39--82

Samantha Stewart, Peoria, Ariz. 41-41--82

Sharon Shin, West Linn, Ore. 46-36--82

Amber Ward, Westminster, Colo. 42-41--83

Maggie Weder, Greenville, N.C. 40-43--83

Samantha Formeck, Northern Cambria, Pa. 43-40--83

Sarah Almond, Albemarle, N.C. 41-42--83

Stephanie Hwang, Rockwall, Texas 39-44--83

Victoria Choi, Canada 39-44--83

Victoria Kidder, Boston, Mass. 40-43--83

Brittany Bomar, Anchorage, Alaska 42-42--84

Echo Thatcher, Salt Lake City, Utah 42-42--84

Jennifer Delgadillo, El Paso, Texas 42-42--84

Laura Deleonardis, Flower Mound, Texas 44-40--84

Lindsay Danielson, Osceola, Wis. 39-45--84

Reiko Fujii, Honolulu, Hawaii 40-44--84

Sadie Palmer, Stansbury Park, Utah 41-43--84

Tiffany Robbins, Fort Mill, S.C. 40-44--84

Whitney Whaley, Bloomington, Ind. 45-39--84

Christine Meier, Rochester Hills, Mich. 40-45--85

Marina Karamanis, Barrington, Ill. 44-41--85

Shannon Abarra, Wailuku, Hawaii 40-45--85

Kara Spence, Hampton, Va. 44-42--86

Jade Bollinger, Wellington, Fla. 38-49--87

Kalea Heu, Wailuku, Hawaii 44-43--87

Paige Osterloo, Rapid City, S.D. 42-45--87

Bethany Leclair, Scottsdale, Ariz. 43-45--88

Sammi Smith, Louisville, Ky. 43-45--88

Whitney Rhodes, Staunton, Va. 44-44--88

Leigh Klasse, St Anthony, Minn. 41-48--89

Amanda Vogt, Des Moines, Iowa 46-44--90

Hannah Bachman, Springfield, Ill. 38-53--91

Rynae Baca, Wasilla, Alaska 47-44--91

Kaitlyn Mardeusz, Novi, Mich. 46-48--94

Meghan Martinek, Tempe, Ariz. 51-43--94

Jamie Yam, San Diego, Calif. 49-47--96

Natalie Guidry, Temecula, Calif. 51-47--98

Story written by Rhonda Glenn, manager of communications for the USGA. E-mail her with questions or comments at rglenn@usga.org.