Teenagers Take Charge in Women's Open Sectional Qualifying
By David Shefter, USGA
The theme for this year's U.S. Women's Open at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club
July 3-6 should probably be young and younger.
At least that's the trend following the first two sectional qualifiers
in Florida and California. Of the 12 available spots, seven went to
players 18 years of age and under, including three who have yet to obtain
a driver's license.
 |
| Michelle Wie of Honolulu, Hawaii,
will be competing in her second women's professional major July
3-6 at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club in North Plains, Ore. The 13-year-old
amateur finished in the top 10 at the Nabisco Championships earlier
this year. She needed a birdie on the first playoff hole to secure
one of the final two spots at her sectional qualifier June 9 in
Florida.(USGA Photo Archives) |
That list is headlined by 13-year-old Michelle Wie of Honolulu, Hawaii,
who has garnered national attention for her booming drives and equally
huge expectations. Wie, a 6-foot rising ninth-grader at Hawaii's prestigious
Punahou School, someday wants to play in the Masters and has already
accepted sponsor's invitations to play in two professional male tournaments
later this summer - one on the Nationwide Tour and the other on the
Canadian Tour.
Wie earned a spot in the Women's Open by surviving a 3-for-2 playoff
at the Country Club of Heathrow just outside of Orlando, Fla. She recovered
from her disappointing morning-round 76 with a 71 over her final 18
holes to get into the playoff. Earlier this year, Wie received a sponsor's
exemption into the Nabisco Championship, one of the professional women's
golf's four majors, and eventually played in the final pairing on Sunday
with Annika Sorenstam, the world's No. 1 women's player, and eventual
champion Patricia Meunier-Lebouc.
Three years ago, Wie became the youngest competitor to qualify for
a USGA women's amateur championship when she competed at the 2000 Women's
Amateur Public Links. Wie, then 10, qualified for match play, but lost
in the first round to Cindy Lee of Malaysia, 3 and 2.
Across the country at Lake Merced Golf Club in Daly City, Calif., Sydney
Burlison, a 13-year-old seventh-grader from Salinas, Calif., was making
similar news. Burlison one-upped Wie by sharing medalist honors with
three others by posting a 36-hole total of 152.
"I've seen her play better," Burlison's caddie, Paul Alioto
told The Oregonian. "But under the circumstances, she doesn't realize
how well she did."
The day began cold and gray, but the sun came out in the afternoon
as did the wind. "I scored well," Burlison said. "(But)
I left a lot of putts out there."
The other teens to advance out of the California site were 18-year-old
Alice Kim of Los Angeles and Irene Cho of La Habra.
Burlison, too, has been in the spotlight, having been featured in a
Sports Illustrated article last May with her close friend and fellow
13-year-old Mina Harigae. Harigae failed to advance out of local qualifying
for the Women's Open, but the two have met in the finals of the California
Women's Amateur the past two years, with Harigae winning both meetings
by the same 3-and-2 margin.
In Florida, Aree Song Wongluekiet of Bradenton, Fla., who at 13 became
the youngest champion in USGA history when she captured the 1999 U.S.
Girls' Junior, was the medalist at 143 (71-72). Last year, she shared
low-amateur honors at the Women's Open with USA Curtis Cupper Angela
Jerman. At the 2000 Women's Open, Aree's twin sister, Naree, who will
attempt to qualify for the Open next week in Ohio, was the low amateur
at The Merit Club outside of Chicago.
The two other teens to qualify in Florida were Paula Creamer and Morgan
Pressel. Pressel, as most people will remember, qualified for the Open
in 2001 as a 12-year-old, becoming the youngest to do so. She turned
13 prior to the championship proper. Now 15, Pressel needed to make
a par at the second playoff hole to garner the final qualifying spot
away from Elisabeth Esterl of Germany.
Creamer, 16, of Pleasanton, Calif., is one of the country's top juniors.
She was paired with the long-hitting Wie and posted a pair of 1-over-par
72s to beat the Hawaiian phenom by three strokes.
"I did outdrive her a couple of times," Creamer told the
Orlando Sentinel. "It only made me want to work harder. There are
a lot of really good juniors out there."
Sectional qualifying for the 2003 U.S. Women's Open runs through June
17th. The championship is scheduled for July 3-6 at Pumpkin Ridge Golf
Club in North Plains, Ore.
David Shefter is a writer for the USGA. E-mail him at dshefter@usga.org
with questions or comments.
