By Alex Miceli

Newport, R.I. - Hilary Lunke is not one of the longest hitters on tour.  She’s averaging just 237 yards off the tee so far in 2006 on the LPGA Tour, ranking her 157^th.

It has never been about length for the 27-year-old Lunke, who averaged 229 off the tee at Pumpkin Ridge to win the 2003 U.S. Women’s Open in a playoff over Angela Stanford and Kelly Robbins.

Morgan Pressel battled her putter all day, specifically on her back nine, shooting a 5-over 76. (John Mummert/USGA)

When she approached Newport Country Club this week, Lunke knew she didn’t have what it took in her bag to make a serious bid at her second major so some tinkering was required as she worked with her fairway woods all week.

"I dropped my 7-iron and picked up a 5-wood," said Lunke, 1-over 72 after the first round. "Kind of have to re-evaluate that for tomorrow. I needed my 7-iron out there a few times."

Lunke usually carries a driver, 4-wood, 7-wood, 9-wood and 11-wood, but because she was finding situations where the 4-wood was too much, and 7-wood was not enough, she put the new wood in the bag.

However, Lunke’s bread and butter is her putter.  At Pumpkin Ridge in 2003 she had a 1.5 putting average over the four rounds, much lower than her 1.87 on the LPGA Tour this year, which currently ranks her T138. On Friday, she recorded a 1.5 putt average on bumpy Newport greens.

The immediate success in Lunke’s putting is due to a combination of changes from last year when she hit putting woes.

A couple of weeks ago, Lunke changed back to the putter she won the U.S. Women’s Open with, but that change only provided limited success. She decided to visit her coach, Chuck Cook, for some answers that produced a T-22 last week at Wegman’s, which was only her second made cut of 2006 and her best finish since a T-21 at the Mitchell Company LPGA Tournament of Champions in the middle of 2003.

"I took a putting lesson last time I was home, and really instead of working on the mechanics of my stroke, I was concentrating on trying to roll my ball down the intended line versus thinking about where the putter is when I take it back," said Lunke. "I think the reason I wasn’t hitting it on the line I intended [is because] I was so worried about if I was taking it inside or outside or am I looping it. So I don’t even think about that anymore. I’m just looking at a spot in front of me and trying to roll the ball over that."

Amateur Report

Jane Park and Amanda Blumenherst were the two amateurs that shined in the first round.  Park, a sophomore at UCLA, is playing in her fourth Women’s Open, making the cut in her first try in 2003 when she finished T-30. But the 2004 Curtis Cup player missed the cut in the next two.

Blumenherst, 19, coming off a her freshman season where she won the ACC Championship and was also part of Duke’s run to a national championship, was recently named to the Curtis Cup team with Park.

"I definitely had the first tee butterflies," said Blumenherst after shooting a 1-over 70. "After that I calmed down and was able to play.  I had a great drive and it was a par 5, so I stuck my shot pretty close and made the putt."

Coming off T-17 at last week’s Wegman’s, where she received a sponsor’s exemption, Blumenherst found all 14 fairways and hit 13 of 18 greens Friday to record her fourth round of 70 or lower in her last five rounds.

"It was an amazing experience," said Blumenherst of her first U.S. Women’s Open round. "I had my family here and I saw them on the sidelines and clapping.  It was a great all-around experience."  

Park, 19, hasn’t played in a professional event since last years Women’s Open at Cherry Hills.

"I love the atmosphere here," said Park. "It’s great to be out here again, seeing all these people and the people I look up to.  It inspires me to play my best and be my best."

Tough Hole

The wet Newport Country Club course presented all types of struggles for the 156 that braved its fairways, but the ninth hole was by far the most difficult with only one birdie and 84 bogeys. The 436-yard monster was a round-changer for many of the players. 

Only 21.8 percent of the field hit the elevated green in regulation, which produced a stroke average of 4.782. It was the hardest hole on the course in round one.

Wie Watchers

Michelle Wie is used to being gawked at. Wherever she goes these days, she’s noticed. And it’s not hard, considering that her 6’0 frame stands out.

Less surprising is that she attracts the larger galleries wherever she plays. Friday was no exception at Newport Country Club.

"I’m pretty used to it by now," she said afterward. "I’m pretty used to everyone trying to figure me out. I think it’s pretty cool."

No Quitting

Speaking of galleries, perhaps no one in the field had as much support from their hometown as Lorena Ochoa. Seems that a large group from Guadalajara, Mexico, has settled in Newport temporarily. They cheered loudly whenever they could, all the way to the end of Ochoa’s even-par 71 that left her two shots off the lead.

"I tried to give it a good chance and I will fight all the way until Sunday," said Ochoa.

Ken Klavon of the USGA contributed.