36th Hole - 372 yards, par 4
Dodd drove into the left bunker, and her laser-like second shot went through the green. It used a mound behind the green to roll back a bit. Do hit a chip shot to the front edge and watched it hop through an opening in the surrounding mounds to 15 feet from the hole. Dodd putted 14 feet past the hole, but Do left her an opening when she missed her birdie attempt. Dodd conceded the par putt, and then just missed her 10 footer to the left.
Do didn't lead most of the match, but she sure led the one that mattered. Brianna Do wins the 2011 U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links, 1 up.
Do, 1 up
35th Hole - 515 yards, par 5
As usual, both Do and Dodd hit the fairway off the tee. Both approaches were within 3 yards of each other and 70 yards short of the hole. Dodd hit first and brought a roar with her close shot, which ran 6 feet past the hole. Do was even inside that on her third shot. Dodd just missed the left edge, while Do drained a 4-footer for birdie. The match is all square, going to 18.
All square
34th Hole - 408 yards, par 4
Do sent her drive into the left fescue, while Dodd was in the left of the fairway. Both had to navigate around a huge mound that stands sentinel to the green and creates a blind shot. Both players climbed to the top to scope out the situation. Do's second hybrid shot pulled left. Dodd hit an iron that faded nicely onto the green. Do ended up in a bunker high and left of the green, with about 50 yards to the hole. She escaped the bunker, but still had about 45 feet for par. Dodd made the right-front of the green in regulation, but her aggressive 50-footer went 10 feet past the hole. Both players ended up with two putts for bogey to halve the hole.
Dodd, 1 up
33rd Hole - 490 yards, par 5
It's starting to sound like a broken record that both players found the fairway off the tee. Do was first up and found the rough to the left, while Dodd's second came up 115 yards from the hole. Do's third shot was about 30 yards uphill to the hole. Dodd found the green in three. Do missed her 8-foot birdie putt off the right edge. Her dad leaned back on the slope and groaned. Dodd made her par putt, and promptly asked the Rules official if she can take a bobby pin from a friend for her hair.
Dodd, 1 up
32nd Hole - 297 yards, par 4
Both players were about the same distance off the tee. Dodd was in the right side of the fairway, while Do was off the side. Do's approach went into a back bunker, but she executed a nice out onto a downhill lie to inside 10 feet. Dodd, however, made a 15-foot putt for birdie. Dodd made a fist pump after draining the putt, which elicited a small roar from Team Dodd.
Dodd, 1 up
31st Hole - 319 yards, par 4
Dodd hit the center of the fairway with her drive to 80 yards, while Do was a bit farther but to the left. Dodd's approach barely cleared the front-right bunker and she putted downhill about 20 feet. Do missed a 7-foot birdie attempt, and did not concede Dodd's 2-foot par putt.
It's clearly getting to crunch time for Do and Dodd. Both players are markedly more reserved than earlier in the match. The wind has picked up significantly, and this morning's overcast skies have broken to abundant sunshine.
All square
30th Hole - 157 yards, par 3
Both Do and Dodd sent their tee shots through the green on this short par 3. Dodd pitched from 85 feet at the back of the hole to 6 feet, while Do, from just inside Dodd's mark, pitched to 15 feet. But Do's pitch ran past the hole, and Dodd's par won the hole.
All square
29th Hole - 394 yards, par 4
Dodd's drive found the left side of the fairway, 208 yards to go. Do had a rare fairway miss, sending her shot just into the left rough. Her second shot came up just short of the green, and she chipped to 8 feet. Dodd's second came up just left of a leftside pot bunker, and she had a delicate chip from 12 feet to also make the green in three. Do drained her par putt from 13 feet, while Dodd just missed her attempt. This gives Do just her second lead of the match.
Do, 1 up
28th Hole - 383 yards, par 4
Do sent her tee shot down the fairway with 100 yards to go and made the green in two. Dodd was slightly farther off the tee, but ended up in the right rough. On her second shot, Dodd, who on Friday put her ball on the back of the adjacent fifth green, saw her approach hit the false front and roll back. Dodd sent her 30-yard third shot to within 8 feet, but missed her par putt. Do's birdie attempt from 48 feet was shy by 5 feet, but she converted her par putt to win the hole and square the match.
All square
27th Hole - 350 yards, par 4
Do ended up in a bunker after her drive, and her second shot ended up just left of the green. She chipped up to about 10 feet past the whole and two-putted for a bogey. Dodd was to the left of the fairway off the tee. Her second shot ended up 8 feet to the left of the hole and she two-putted for par.
Dodd, 1 up
26th Hole - 152 yards, par 3
Do and Dodd both hit the green on their first shot, Dodd to 20 feet and Do to 12. Both ladies two-putted for par to halve the hole.
All square
25th Hole - 345 yards, par 4
Again, both Dodd and Do found the fairway, with drives inside of 135 yards. Do's approach went to the center of the green, but was a good 35 feet away from the hole. Dodd got on within 18 feet, but there was no way to stop the downhill roll. Do, who was away on the par putt, drained a 7 footer, while Dodd missed her par attempt and lost her 3-hole lead.
All square
24th Hole - 520 yards, par 5
Do put her drive into the right rough in an area of short grass, while Dodd found the fairway off the tee. Their second shots were placed with 150 yards, short left of a massive, 40-yard-wide fairway bunker. Dodd's third shot went 10 yards behind the green, and then she hit 8 feet past the hole on her fourth shot. With two putts from there, she conceded a par putt to Do, who had started 18 feet past and had putted back to 3 feet. Do continues to keep Dodd from getting too far ahead, taking back another hole. Dodd struggled with maintaining leads this week, particularly in her third-round match. There, she had a dormie-5 lead and ended up winning 2 up on the 18th green.
Dodd, 1 up
23rd Hole - 134 yards, par 3
Both tee shots hit the false front of the green and rolled back into the short rough. Dodd chipped to 15 feet past the hole, and her slightly downhill putt came up a foot short. Do sent her second to within 8 feet and won the hole with a par, chipping one hole off Dodd's lead.
Dodd, 2 up
22nd Hole - 441 yards, par 4
Again, both players found the fairway off the tee, with both players going to the left. Dodd outdrove Do by 40 yards, giving her 125 yards to the hole location. Dodd is making the best of the wind, which has picked up significantly. She admits to enjoying the wind, which often has to play through at home in Texas. Do's second shot went 17 yards off the back of the green, similar to Dodd's shot on the same hole this morning. Dodd's approach came in 18 feet shy of the hole, and she fired her third shot through the green and into the rough grass shielding the front-left bunker. Do proceeded to chip off the green, and conceded Dodd's birdie putt with a fair amount of frustration.
Dodd, 3 up
21st Hole - 345 yards, par 4
With the wind and an aggressive line, Dodd sent a mammoth drive to just feet off the green. Do was shy of the rightside bunker and hit an 80-yard approach to 12 feet short. Dodd putted from off the green, 50 feet uphill and put it within 5 feet to the right of the hole. She lipped her birdie putt in from the left corner, and Do missed her birdie attempt, giving the hole to Dodd
Dodd, 2 up
20th Hole - 149 yards, par 3
Dodd's tee shot into the wind flew 60 feet beyond the green, and her second shot blitzed 20 yards through the green. She finally made it onto the green in three. Do's tee shot was spot on, hitting the green within 24 feet of the hole. After Dodd missed her bogey attempt, she conceded Do's 6-foot par putt.
Dodd, 1 up
19th Hole - 304 yards, par 4
Both players send their drives down the middle of the fairway. Do's approach when just right of the green, and her chip was hot and over the green to the left. She left her fourth shot very short, and conceded Dodd's 10-foot birdie putt.
Dodd, 2 up
Lunch Break Thoughts
Brianna Do took to Twitter over the lunch break, saying, "Alright. 18 holes down. 18 more to go. Nice lunch then its take down mode! Don't stop won't stop."
With that, Brianna and her opponent, Marissa Dodd, have returned to Old Macdonald for another 18 holes. In the past hour, the clouds have finally broken, revealing the same bright-blue Oregon sky we enjoyed yesterday afternoon. The winds are not expected to be as high, with gusts up to 20 mph.
A quick statistical look at the first 18 holes: Given the usual match-play concessions, each player shot a 4-over 75. Do hit 12 fairways, 15 greens in regulation and made 38 putts, compared to Dodd's eight fairways, 11 greens and 33 putts.
There are two more familiar faces in the gallery - 2010 champion Emily Tubert and her father Marcelo. A good-sized crowd following the ladies off the first tee, including Dodd's mother and sister, who arrived from Texas this morning.
18th Hole - 372 yards, par 4
Dodd's tee shot went to the right side of the fairway, and Do drove into the left bunker. Do's second shot went hot through the green, coming to rest just off the back. Dodd's second came to rest on a mound fronting the green, about 25 yards to the left of the hole. Dodd was successfully up and down from the mound for par. Do labored from about 35 yards off the back of the green for bogey. Dodd goes into the lunch break with a 1-up lead.
Play will resume at noon PDT.
Dodd, 1 up at the lunch break
17th Hole - 515 yards, par 5
Do drove into the right fairway bunker, while Dodd hit the left side of the fairway with 277 yards to the hole. Do's second shot went into the second fairway bunker, about 150 yards short of the green. Her third shot unfortunately hit the lip and caromed high right to about the same location as Dodd's second shot. Dodd's third went to 20 feet short and right of the hole, while Do's fourth came to 12 feet. Dodd converts a tap-in par, while Do missed her par putt by inches to lose the hole.
The weather conditions are starting to brighten and warm up, allowing Do to shed her outerwear jacket. Dodd's spirits are still high, eliciting this comment from the gallery: "How can she be so happy and still be 1 down?"
All square
16th Hole - 408 yards, par 4
Dodd sent her tee shot into the right fairway bunker. Given the expanse of the fairway, Dodd has been a bit loose throughout the match. Do made the fairway, which has a unique, blind second shot. Dodd's second shot from the bunker advanced only slightly and she was left with 125 yards to the hole. Do's second went hole high, 65 feet to the left, with a left-to-right putt over a slight mound. Her birdie attempt came to within 3 feet and par was conceded. Dodd's third shot from the fairway bunker went into yet another bunker to the front of the green. Her par chip ran by the hole, giving Do her first lead of the championship match.
Do, 1 up
15th Hole - 490 yards, par 5
The similarities between Do and Dodd's drives are almost eerie. Dodd outdrove Do at the 15th by 2 yards right and 1 yard left. Both players were on the green in two and three-putted for conceded par putts to remain all square.
The length of the championship has started sinking in for Dodd, who told her father, "I feel like we've been estranged from our real lives for a long time." That estrangement, however, surely is impressing Captain Cornett, who commented that her Curtis Cup watch list has grown as she watches Do and Dodd.
All square
14th Hole - 297 yards, par 4
Both players were in the fairway off the tee and at the same 100 yards to the hole location. They had to ask the Rules official to determine who was away. Do made the green in two, a solid 60 feet short. Dodd was hole high. Both players converted par putts. Given the usual match-play concessions, Dodd has made 22 putts and Do 27 through the first 13 holes.
All square.
13th Hole - 319 yards, par 4
Do drove to the left of the fairway and Dodd into the left rough. Do made it into the green in two and missed an aggressive 25 footer for birdie. Dodd's birdie try from 15 feet was 3 feet shy.
A gallery is starting to grow around this final match. An interesting gallery member - Dr. Patricia Cornett, the captain of the 2012 USA Curtis Cup Team. Both Brianna and Marissa are eligible to represent the United States at the 2012 Match, which will be conducted at Nairn Golf Club in Scotland.
All square
12th Hole - 157 yards, par 3
Dodd hit to short left and putted to the back of the green. She two-putted for bogey. Do came in hole high. Her birdie putt was missed from 15 feet, and her par was conceded to even the match.
All square
11th Hole - 394 yards, par 4
The ladies are certainly keeping their pace up, as it look less than two hours to play the first 10 holes. Once again, Do and Dodd hit nearly identical drives in distance, though Dodd found the rough and Do stayed in the fairway. Dodd left her second shot off the back of the green, and her comebacker barely left the top of the ridge. Do made the green in regulation inside 6 feet. Dodd missed her par attempt and she conceded Do's birdie to allow Do to gain back a hole.
What Stuart has deemed "Team Dodd" has arrived, a group of supporters 10 people strong. The group includes her neighbor, who served as her caddie at last year's Girls' Junior.
Dodd, 1 up
10th Hole - 383 yards, par 4
Do and Dodd again had twin drives that landed roughly 130 yards from the hole, with approaches on the same line. Dodd asked Do to move her marker. Dodd had a birdie attempt from 50 feet that went 1 1/2 feet past the hole. Her par was conceded. Do left her birdie putt from 40 feet about 3 feet shy, and converted her par putt.
Dodd, 2 up
Ninth Hole - 350 yards, par 4
Both players have played this hole at 1 over this week. Dodd hooked her tee shot to the left, but kept it in the fairway, within about 110 yards. Do bombed a fairway drive and was left with 38 feet to the green. Her approach hit shy of the hole and rolled 15 feet to the base of a ridge. Her dad yelled, "Get back, get back," but the ball just didn't listen. Dodd two-putted from 20 feet for par, while Do's birdie putt stopped about three inches from the hole.
Dodd is certainly excited to be on the course, as she ran down the hill coming off the eighth tee. Her dad, Mark, did counsel her to walk, saying, "We don't need a turned ankle."
Dodd, 2 up
Eighth Hole - 152 yards, par 3
Dodd played hole high on her tee shot, coming to about 30 feet. Do ended up in the bunker to the left. Her second with a sand wedge went 10 feet past the hole. Dodd's birdie attempt was short by 4 feet. Both players converted two-putt pars.
Dodd, 2 up
Seventh Hole - 345 yards, par 4
These stubborn clouds just don't want to give way, so the conditions are still fairly cold. Both players hit the fairway off the tee, with Dodd's drive about 20 yards further than Do's. Dodd's second shot hit stiff, and her birdie was conceded. Do hit the green in regulation, but failed to convert her birdie putt.
An interesting note about Do - her father/caddie owns a Philly cheesesteak restaurant in southern California.
Dodd, 2 up
Sixth Hole - 520 yards, par 5
Do hit the right side of the fairway, while Dodd was in the right rough. Both players had approximately the same driving distances to the hole. Dodd's second shot was a bit stifled out of the rough, and she was left with 160 yards on her third approach shot. Do was on the green in regulation, 20 feet past the hole. Dodd chipped to close range, which is about a foot shorter than it seems this week. Do was left with 3 feet for par to halve the hole.
Dodd, 1 up
Fifth Hole - 134 yards, par 3
The wind is stiff enough to keep the flags at attention. Both players hit the green in regulation, Dodd on a tier above the hole. She left her birdie putt about 4 feet short. Do had two putts for par, with her second from 2 1/2 feet conceded.
Dodd, 1 up
Fourth Hole - 441 yards, par 4
Both drives were less than 10 yards apart in the fairway to 273 yards, downhill and downwind. Dodd's second shot went off the sloping back of the green. Her dad's thought was to hit a "screaming" uphill putt. Do hit the green in regulation, about 90 feet away, but she left a good 25 yards for par. Dodd and her father had a lot of discussion about her birdie attempt, which went 15 feet past the hole. Do's par putt came up inches short. Both players took a bogey.
Dodd, 1 up
Third Hole - 345 yards, par 4
Do sent her drive into the right bunker, while Dodd came up just short of the same hazard, in the fairway. Dodd's second shot from 86 yards landed next to the hole, but rolled 35 feet past. Considering the steep bunker lip that Do was forced to content with, her shot was a beauty, but it was still 60 feet away. Dodd's birdie attempt went 3 feet left of the hole and she converted her par, while Do three-putted for bogey.
An aside - the Dodds are very chatty this morning, while the Dos are rather quiet.
Dodd, 1 up
Second Hole - 149 yards, par 3
This hole has been a struggle for Dodd throughout the week, as she is three strokes over par, given the usual match-play concessions. Do is even for the week on the second hole. Dodd's tee shot did not draw as she wishes, and landed short of the green. She putted from off the green and left it 10 feet short. Do, who also has her father on the bag, made it to the back of the green and ran her birdie attempt just past the hole. Her par was conceded.
All square
First Hole - 304 yards, par 4
Both ladies hit the left side of the fairway with their drives. Dodd's 7-iron second shot to 10 feet elicited an "I like it" comment from her father and caddie, Mark, who gave his daughter their signature Explosion fist pump. Do's 60-foot birdie putt came up 12 feet short, and she needed two more putts for an early bogey. Dodd's two-putt par gave her the first hole.
Dodd, 1 up
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Good morning from a cool and overcast Bandon Dunes. While the skies are grey now, we’re expecting the clouds to break around 9:30 a.m. local time and for the sun to dominate the sky for the rest of the day. The winds shouldn’t be as whipping today as they were yesterday, when 30 mile-per-hour winds played havoc with the players.
We should have a good WAPL final match-up today between seasoned USGA veteran Brianna Do and relative newcomer Marissa Dodd. Do, a UCLA student who was a quarterfinalist at the 2010 WAPL, is smartly decked out in Bruin dark blue, while Wake Forest commit Dodd has gone with her standard black. Dodd is in only her second USGA championship, having competed in the 2010 U.S. Girls' Junior.
Stuart Hall and I will keep you informed with a live blog of the championship action. The ladies have just teed off, so keep hitting your refresh button…