Kempter Early Leader For Medalist Honors At 2008 WAPL

Erin, Wis. – Katie Kempter, 21, of Albuquerque, N.M., climbed her way into contention for stroke-play medalist honors Tuesday at the 2008 U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links, carding a 2-under-par 71 for a 36-hole total of 144 (two under) on the 6,158-yard Erin Hills Golf Course.

Three of the four first-rounds leaders, Kelly Fuchik, Lizette Salas and May Tomimbang, had afternoon starting times. A fourth first-round co-leader, Stacey Kim of Columbus, Ga., shot a 6-over 79 after opening with a 71. Kim struggled over her final nine holes, registering four birdies, but will easily qualify for match play.

After Tuesday’s second round concludes, the field will be cut to the low 64 scorers for match play, which begins Wednesday at 8:30 a.m. CDT.  The 36-hole championship match is scheduled for Saturday.

“The 47th ranked person or the first person can win this tournament so medalist would be fine,” said Kempter, competing in her fourth WAPL and sixth USGA competition overall. “But there’s still half the field out there playing golf.”

Candie Kung of Chinese Taipei, the 2001 champion at Kemper Lakes in Long Grove, Ill., remains the last medalist to win the WAPL.

Under sunny, but breezy conditions, Kempter managed four birdies and two bogeys. For the second consecutive day, she birdied the par-5 18th.

“The first four, five holes was not bad,” said Kempter of the windy conditions that picked up as the morning progressed. “I just kept telling myself just stick it out and you might make yourself a bogey [and] that’s fine. I was just playing the course and enjoying myself.”

After three tours around Erin Hills, Kempter, a senior-to-be at Denver University, is starting to get a better feel of the course from a strategic point of view.

“I am still figuring out the greens, but I really like the greens a lot,” she said. “They are rolling really smooth.”

One golfer who definitely had things rolling Tuesday was Kate Ackerson, 21, of Allen, Texas, who rebounded from a disappointing 77 on Monday with the lowest round of the championship, a 4-under 69. She broke 70 by holing a 6-foot birdie putt on her final hole, the par-3 ninth, where she hit a pitching wedge into the green. The round was her best in USGA competition and just two off her career low.

Starting on No. 10, Ackerson birdied holes 14, 15, three, four and nine, with her lone bogey coming at the par-3 sixth.

“[The key] was definitely putting and hitting my iron shots,” said Ackerson.  “I was able to hit some close to have a putt for birdie.”

Ackerson, a rising senior at Southern Methodist University and competing in her third WAPL, missed virtually the entire spring schedule after injuring her right wrist at a tournament in Florida in February. She did not pick up a club again until mid-May and her WAPL qualifier was her first competitive event. Because of the wrist, she only played one practice round at Erin Hills.

“Ever since then, it’s been inflamed,” said Ackerson. “It hurts really bad. I’m taking painkillers and trying to get through it. I dislocated a couple of bones in February. [The doctors] think it might be tendonitis.”

Ha-Na Jang, 16, of Korea, who competed in the 2007 U.S. Women’s Open and has qualified for next week’s Open at Interlachen C.C., was the only other player from the morning wave to break par. Jang shot a 1-under 72 for a 36-hole total of 1-over 147.

Story written by Kent Zakour, USGA Media Relations summer intern. Contact him at kzakour@usga.org with any questions or comments.