Posted on 07/14/2005 12:44:34 PM PDT by So Cal Rocket
LEBANON, Ohio -- Michelle Wie played through a persistent drizzle Thursday to easily advance in her second match at the men's Amateur Public Links.
The 15-year-old high school junior-to-be, the first female to qualify for a men's U.S. Golf Association championship, rolled to a 6-and-5 victory over C.D. Hockersmith of Richmond, Ind.
Wie advances to play Jim Renner of Plainville, Mass., in her afternoon match Thursday. Renner defeated Arizona sophomore Tyler Neal, 3 and 2.
Every year since 1989, the winner of the APL has gotten an invitation to the Masters. Wie went through APL qualifying in hopes of earning a spot at Augusta National.
Wie won the first hole with a birdie, hitting a 3-foot putt, and never trailed against Hockersmith. She birdied three of the first four holes -- winning them all -- and then parred the par-3 5th for a 5-up lead.
Hockersmith finally won a hole after hitting his approach to 5 feet at the par-3 8th. He also won the 10th hole with a par, but the early deficit was too much to overcome. Wie closed him out on the 13th green.
To win the APL, she still must win her third round match Thursday, quarterfinal and semifinal matches on Friday -- and the 36-hole final Saturday.
After shooting rounds of 76 and 72 during medal play, she defeated Auburn's Will Claxton 1-up with a 15-foot birdie putt on the final hole in her first-round match Wednesday.
Renner, 21, plays at Johnson & Wales University in Miami, where he was the medalist at the NAIA tournament this year. He lost in the first round of APL match play a year ago.
(If what I just wrote makes you sad or angry,
6 and 5? An annihilation. She's leaving a trail of (perhaps permanently) bruised egos in her wake.
She's now only 1 up with 6 holes to play in Round 3.
U.S.Womens Open,final round pressure,last week,making the cut pressure,now,getting into the Masters pressure.
2 up with 4 to play.
There's no shame in losing to a player who consistently bangs it 300 yeard off the tee. Even if that player is a fifteen-year-old girl! Before she's done she'll be beating men on the PGA Tour.
If she is, she earned it. Fine by me.
She already has. (Her score after two rounds in the John Deere Classic last week was better than the scores of over 50 PGA regulars, some of them fairly big names).
She just hasn't made the cut yet. ....but she will.
Me too,I do not like the invites for ratings though.
Me either, it puts the blue collar golfers trying to make a living on the back of the bus but I understand how business works, a necessary evil.
2up, 3 to go
Tough final three holes,for me anyway.
She's Dormie 2!
She Wins! 3 and 1
Dormie
3 & 1 winner
congrats to Wie, I think she belongs
Friday, July 15 – Quarterfinals and semifinals, 18 holes, match play.
Saturday, July 16 – Final, 36 holes, match play.
Hope this 15 year old can handle the pressure,she has extreme talent.
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