North Plains, Ore. (August 7, 2006) -- – Local favorite Paige Mackenzie, 23, of Yakima, Wash., Margaret Shirley, 20, of Roswell, Ga., and Mi Jung Hur, 16, of Korea, fired first rounds of 69 to take the lead in stroke-play qualifying Monday for the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship at the 6,380-yard, par-71 Witch Hollow Course of Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club.
Kimberly Kim, 14, of Pahoa, Hawaii, Mari Chun, 18, of Pearl City, Hawaii, 2005 U.S. Girls’ Junior Champion In Kyung Kim, 18, of Korea, and Ya-Ni Tseng, 17, of Chinese Taipei, trailed by one stroke.
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| Margaret Shirley, at the 2004 Women's Amateur, missed the cut last year. (USGA Photo Archives) |
Mackenzie used the momentum from her recent strong play as a member of the winning USA Curtis Cup team to carry her to the two-under-par round. Playing in front of local fans, Mackenzie said, helped her. “I’ve done well at home,” she said. “We hosted junior and college regionals and nationals and I felt really excited about coming home.”
Mackenzie struggled a bit off the tee but managed five birdies on the day, sinking four putts in the 11-20-foot range. “I putted very well at the Curtis Cup too, and I have a lot more confidence,” MacKenzie said. “It’s the kind of mind-set of being relaxed and trusting the line.”
Shirley, who made the round of 16 in match play in 2004, said she made just one mistake, a double bogey at the 14th after missing the green and taking three putts. She made up for the miscue with four birdies.
Encouraged by her tie for the lead, Shirley referred to her finish in the 2005 Women’s Amateur in Atlanta, saying, “It’s better than the championship being a 6-iron from my house and missing the cut.”
Hur is playing in her first U.S. Women’s Amateur and is visiting the USA for just the third time. She came over previously to work with instructor David Leadbetter, and then went through sectional qualifying before arriving in Oregon for this championship.
Tseng is an overwhelmingly long hitter who hit her tee shot into the greenside bunker of the 387-yard, par-4 13th hole and made a birdie, one of five on the day. Tseng, the 2004 U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links champion, said, “During the summer I’ve played four or five tournaments and this is the final one, so I’m ready for it.”
Tseng sported a bandage on her right forearm as a precaution against injury after hitting a bunker shot from a buried lie on the 15th hole.
Chun’s mother, Lani Chun, was her caddie and kept her daughter relaxed. “She’s a comedienne and she tells funny jokes while I play,” said Mari. Co-medalist in the 2004 U.S. Girls’ Junior and 2005 U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links, Chun says she’s not surprised at how adept she is at stroke play. “It’s just that I really try to prepare my best and try to make sure that I qualify for match play,” she said. “This year I got a new instructor, Sean Lanyi, and basically I’ve been camping out at the golf course.”
In-Kyung Kim double-bogeyed the fourth hole but bounced back with birdies at the fifth, eighth and 18th holes. “I played pretty well,” said Kim, “but I had some mistakes and some bad breaks.”
Qualifying continues with the second stroke-play round Tuesday. The low 64 qualifiers advance to match play with a 36-hole scheduled final on Sunday. The U.S. Women’s Amateur is one of 13 national championships conducted by the United States Golf Association. Ten are strictly for amateurs.
Story written by Rhonda Glenn, Manager of USGA Communications. E-mail her with questions or comments at rglenn@usga.org.
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North Plains, Ore. – Results from the first round of stroke-play qualifying at the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship at the 6,380-yard, par-71 Witch Hollow Course of Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club.
Margaret Shirley, Roswell, Ga., 35-34--69
Mi Jung Hur, Korea, 37-32--69
Paige Mackenzie, Yakima, Wash., 33-36--69
In Kyung Kim, Korea, 34-36--70
Kimberly Kim, Hilo, Hawaii, 35-35--70
Mari Chun, Pearl City, Hawaii, 34-36--70
Ya-Ni Tseng, Chinese Taipei, 35-35--70
Alison Walshe, Westford, Mass., 36-35--71
Ashley Knoll, The Woodlands, Texas, 37-34--71
Ayaka Kaneko, Honolulu, Hawaii, 38-33--71
Lauren Johnson, The Woodlands, Texas, 39-32--71
Lauren Mielbrecht, Gulf Stream, Fla., 38-33--71
Stacey Kim, Columbus, Ga., 37-34--71
Alison Whitaker, Australia, 34-38--72
Esther Choe, Scottsdale, Ariz., 34-38--72
Jane Park, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., 37-35--72
Jennie Lee, Huntington Beach, Calif., 38-34--72
Joanne Lee, San Carlos, Calif., 35-37--72
Katharina Schallenberg, Germany, 34-38--72
Leah Wigger, Louisville, Ky., 37-35--72
Pei-Lin Yu, Chinese Taipei, 35-37--72
Susannah Aboff, Huntington, N.Y., 36-36--72
Amanda Blumenherst, Scottsdale, Ariz., 36-37--73
Diane Lang, Weston, Fla., 37-36--73
Hunter Ross, Manakin Sabot, Va., 37-36--73
Isabelle Lendl, Bradenton, Fla., 38-35--73
Jane Rah, Torrance, Calif., 37-36--73
Jenny Shin, Torrance, Calif., 37-36--73
Kiran Matharu, England, 37-36--73
Martina Gillen, Ireland, 36-37--73
Megan Grehan, Mamaroneck, N.Y., 37-36--73
Melissa Reid, England, 35-38--73
Onnarin Sattayabanphot, Thailand, 36-37--73
Sydnee Michaels, Temecula, Calif., 37-36--73
Taylore Karle, Scottsdale, Ariz., 39-34--73
Tiffany Joh, San Diego, Calif., 37-36--73
Candace Schepperle, Birmingham, Ala., 39-35--74
Carlota Ciganda, Spain, 36-38--74
Christine Song, Fullerton, Calif., 36-38--74
Dewi Claire Schreefel, Netherlands, 38-36--74
Hana Jang, Korea, 37-37--74
Irene Cho, La Habra, Calif., 37-37--74
Maggie Simons, Raleigh, N.C., 39-35--74
Nannette Hill, Pelham Manor, N.Y., 39-35--74
Ryann O'Toole, San Clemente, Calif., 36-38--74
Cydney Clanton, Concord, N.C., 38-37--75
Diane Kwon, Fremont, Calif., 37-38--75
Eileen Vargas, Colombia, 39-36--75
Hannah Jun, San Diego, Calif., 38-37--75
Jennie Arseneault, Grinnell, Iowa, 39-36--75
Jennifer Osborn, Huntington Beach, Calif., 38-37--75
Jenny Suh, Fairfax, Va., 37-38--75
Kristina Wong, Bradenton, Fla., 40-35--75
Lara Tennant, Portland, Ore., 41-34--75
Lauren Espinosa, Hickory Creek, Texas, 39-36--75
Lindy Duncan, Plantation, Fla., 37-38--75
Mina Harigae, Monterey, Calif., 35-40--75
Mindy Kim, Diamond Bar, Calif., 36-39--75
Naomi Edwards, England, 37-38--75
Rachel Newren, Salt Lake City, Utah, 38-37--75
Stephanie Kono, Honolulu, Hawaii, 37-38--75
Taylor Leon, Dallas, Texas, 38-37--75
Annie Giangrosso, Overland Park, Kan., 38-38--76
Brittany Smith, Petrolia, Texas, 38-38--76
Charlotte Campbell, Heathrow, Fla., 39-37--76
Jessie Vincent, Burlington, N.C., 37-39--76
Jill Marcum, Clarinda, Iowa, 38-38--76
Julie Tomlinson, Noblesville, Ind., 40-36--76
Kathleen Ekey, Wadsworth, Ohio, 38-38--76
Kristen Svicarovich, Hillsboro, Ore., 37-39--76
Kristie Smith, Australia, 36-40--76
Lauren Hunt, Little River, S.C., 37-39--76
Maria Jose Uribe, Colombia, 40-36--76
Paige Haverty, Greenville, N.C., 39-37--76
Seo-Jae Lee, Korea, 35-41--76
Amanda Costner, Claremore, Okla., 38-39--77
Anna Grzebien, Narragansett, R.I., 40-37--77
Christa Spedding, Granbury, Texas, 39-38--77
Christina Miller, Atlanta, Ga., 40-37--77
Deborah De Villa, Philippines, 37-40--77
Jaclyn Sweeney, Bradenton, Fla., 39-38--77
Jenna Pearson, Wheaton, Ill., 40-37--77
Meaghan LeBlanc, Canada, 38-39--77
Michelle Regan, Prairie Village, Kan., 37-40--77
Michelle Shin, Cape Coral, Fla., 42-35--77
Shannon Rouillard, Eugene, Ore., 40-37--77
Stacy Lewis, The Woodlands, Texas, 40-37--77
Theresa Paik, Silver Spring, Md., 38-39--77
Virginia Grimes, Meridian, Miss., 36-41--77
Alice Kim, Los Angeles, Calif., 41-37--78
Amy Eneroth, Spokane, Wash., 37-41--78
Amy Schmucker, Cold Spring, Minn., 38-40--78
Carol S Thompson, Sewickley, Pa., 40-38--78
Catherine Matranga, Fort Worth, Texas, 39-39--78
Corinna Rees, Pebble Beach, Calif., 41-37--78
Courtney Ellenbogen, Blacksburg, Va., 42-36--78
Jennifer Hong, Windermere, Fla., 41-37--78
Kay Hoey, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., 38-40--78
Laura Luethke, Fresno, Calif., 41-37--78
Lorraine Ballerano, Myrtle Beach, S.C., 41-37--78
Natalie Sheary, West Hartford, Conn., 42-36--78
Sarah Harvey, Forest, Va., 35-43--78
Vicky Hurst, Melbourne, Fla., 41-37--78
Adrienne Millican, Fuquay Varina, N.C., 40-39--79
Emily Childs, Alameda, Calif., 42-37--79
Kate Ackerson, Allen, Texas, 39-40--79
Kerry Postillion, Burr Ridge, Ill., 38-41--79
Angela Daykin, Canada, 43-37--80
Angela Oh, Maple Shade, N.J., 37-43--80
Beth Felts, Chattanooga, Tenn., 40-40--80
Dana Harrity, N Hampton, N.H., 39-41--80
Daphne Vines, St. George, Utah, 40-40--80
Jaclyn Burch, Satellite Beach, Fla., 41-39--80
Justina Yu, Las Vegas, Nev., 42-38--80
Megan McChrystal, Stuart, Fla., 40-40--80
Noriko Nakazaki, Hanover Park, Ill., 38-42--80
Remijin Camping, Hollywood, Fla., 42-38--80
Allison Martin, Bakersfield, Calif., 41-40--81
Emily Johnson, Winona Lake , Ind., 40-41--81
Julianna Uhrik, Modesto, Calif., 40-41--81
Michelle Jarman, Wilmington, N.C., 45-36--81
Miho Murata, Japan, 44-37--81
Nicole Hage, Coral Springs, Fla., 40-41--81
Renee Skidmore, Everett, Wash., 40-41--81
Stacey Tate, New Zealand, 42-39--81
Whitney Frykman, Acworth, Ga., 42-39--81
Amy Loughney, Macungie, Pa., 41-41--82
Chelsea Schriewer, St Charles, Mo., 41-41--82
Claire Coughlan, Ireland, 44-38--82
Elise Brandt, Canada, 39-43--82
Katie Johnson, Lexington, Ky., 41-41--82
Katie Miller, Jeannette, Pa., 40-42--82
Mika Takayama, Alameda, Calif., 43-39--82
Victoria Kidder, Boston, Mass., 42-40--82
Whitney Myers, East Berlin, Pa., 41-41--82
Youn Hee Bae, Centreville, Va., 44-38--82
Brianna Broderick, Richmond, Mo., 44-39--83
Casey Gee, Sacramento, Calif., 43-40--83
Jessica Yam, San Diego, Calif., 41-42--83
Katie Kempter, Albuquerque, N.M., 43-40--83
Mackinzie Kline, Encinitas, Calif., 42-41--83
Rebecca Kim, Tigard, Ore., 44-39--83
Hillery Wilson, Hudson, Ohio, 41-43--84
Sally Shonk, Noblesville, Ind., 47-37--84
Shelley Anderson, Clarksville, Tenn., 42-42--84
Elizabeth Wells, El Dorado, Ark., 43-42--85
Erin Thorne, Canada, 41-44--85
Kate Scarpetta, Crystal Lake, Pa., 43-42--85
Christi Athas, Eldora, Iowa, 42-44--86
Erin White, Conway, S.C., 43-43--86
Kasey Claussen, Fort Collins, Colo., 44-42--86
Tzu-Chi Lin, Chinese Taipei, 40-46--86
Hana Young, Wesley Chapel, Fla., 42-46--88
Tammy Surtees, Waikoloa, Hawaii, 44-46--90
Michelle Piyapattra, Corona, Calif., 45-46--91
Corrie Tayman, Bethesda, Md., 46-49--95