Women's Am Champ Misses Cut


June 7, 2008

By Andrew Blair

Havre de Grace, Md. – You'll have to forgive reigning U.S. Women's Amateur champion Maria Jose Uribe if she was waxing philosophical, memorizing Nietzsche and feeling superstitious at this week's McDonald's LPGA Championship.

Those who know her understand that Uribe is always doing something, and this week she's experienced a form of continuing education by playing in her second major of the year.

After opening with 1-under 71 at Bulle Rock, she fired a second-round 74 to miss the cut by a shot. In addition to traversing the demanding Bulle Rock layout this week, Uribe, a psychology major, has been writing papers in preparation for two exams when she returns to campus next week.  

"I'm writing essays and studying," said Uribe, adding that she pulled a couple of all-nighters earlier in the week after her practice rounds were finished. "Right now, I'm studying for philosophy, sociology and physics. It's bad."

More tests, albeit ones that she'll likely find more welcoming, await for the Colombian, who will compete in the final two majors of the season, the U.S. Women's Open and the RICOH Women's British Open.

"This is what it is this year – I'm playing the four majors, so it's really cool to be in it," Uribe said. "I just want to do the best I can and get experience." 

The Women's British ends a day prior to the start of this summer's Women's Am, so she won't be defending at the USGA championship, set for Aug. 4-10 at Eugene Country Club in Eugene, Ore.

"It's hard. It's really hard, but it's hard to get in the British even when you're a pro, so this will be the first chance," said Uribe, who upset two-time NCAA champion Amanda Blumehurst 1-up in last year's Women's Am finals at Crooked Stick Golf Club in Carmel, Ind. "I've been thinking about it since last year. I've been looking at the schedules and they didn't really fit this year."

Uribe began her second round inauspiciously, making bogey-double to drop to two over. Self-described as superstitious by nature, she started Friday's morning session with a ball without the UCLA trademark cursive logo on it, but hooked her tee shot into a creek at No. 2 and immediately switched to a ball bearing the Bruins' trademark insignia.

The result on the very next hole?

Why, she blasted a mid-iron to 4 feet at the par 3 and made birdie with the UCLA pellet to start .

The early struggles might've also been attributed to wearing a similar outfit that she played poorly in during an afternoon round.

Nah.

"Today's the morning so I can play [in] it," Uribe pointed out.

After three-putting for bogey at the par-4 fifth, she knocked in a 15-footer for birdie at No. 8 to turn in one over for the event. Uribe then made bogeys at Nos. 10 and 12, and rightly believing she needed three birdies to make the cut, posted back-to-back birdies on Nos. 13 and 14 to ultimately finish one shot shy of making the weekend.

All's was not lost on day two, however.  

"Better than being in school," joked the ever-affable and imminently quotable Uribe.

Describing Uribe's style as ready golf to the max might be something of an understatement. The time it takes for her to get to pre-shot to swing, which is growing longer by the day for most players, can be counted on one hand or even with three fingers.

Her follow through and act of picking up her tee occur seemingly in the same motion, that is, after her left hand nearly touches her right ear on her aggressive through motion.

Uribe, whose powerful swing is supported by a strong physique, orders the ball around immediately off the clubhead and commands its course like an overanxious cop directing traffic on a fifth cup of coffee.

Uribe's clearly a player on the move - literally and figuratively. As a freshman on the UCLA golf team, she tied for medalist honors at the NCAA Central Regional and helped the Bruins to a second at NCAAs this spring in Albuquerque.

Fittingly assigned, she's one of the players responsible for helping with team morale through the rigors of a long college season.

"If you do well in the fall, it doesn't really matter. You start over. It's not like the tour where you can play 12 months year," said Uribe.

Constant motion and energy, a yawn, perhaps the first of the week or maybe her life, was noticeable off the first tee during an overcast, muggy morning at Bulle Rock on Friday.

"Really?" said Uribe when told of the yawn. "I'm not a morning person. Maybe the weather – it's really humid. Coming from L.A., I'm not used to it."

Check.

But she's made her share of history, becoming the first Colombian to win a USGA championship with last year's Women's Am triumph. Memories of the news spreading through her native land, normally addicted to soccer, remain with Uribe, who said she had media requests through last Christmas.

"It became a big deal."

Other memories endure for Uribe, who recalled meeting Ochoa at the U.S Women's Open two years ago at Cherry Hills. Uribe was struck by the golf icon's genuine nature, something she also exemplifies.

"She's really nice. Met her two years ago at the Open and I was nobody then. She's a better person than a golfer, so that says a lot about her."

And Uribe likes Ochoa's chances at winning the Grand Slam.

"She's just an awesome player; I think she'll do it. She's my pick."

AndrewBlair is a Virginia-based freelance writer whose work has previously appeared on usga.org.