Notre Dame, Ind. – Past U.S. Women’s’ Amateur champion Kimberly Kim, 18, of Pahoa, Hawaii, fired a 5-under-par 66 on Monday to lead the first round of stroke-play qualifying at the 2010 U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship being contested on the 6,092-yard, par-71 Warren Golf Club.
Kim, who in 2006 at the age of 14 became the youngest Women’s Amateur winner in history, has a one-stroke lead over her 2010 USA Curtis Cup teammate, Stephanie Kono, 20, of Honolulu, Hawaii, and Lizette Salas, 20, Azusa, Calif., both of whom posted 67s.
I haven’t shot under par forever, said Kim. It feels like a long time.
In 2009, Kim was twice a runner-up in USGA championships, including the WAPL at Red Tail Golf Club in Devens, Mass., where she lost to 2010 USA Curtis Cup teammate Jennifer Song, who turned pro last week. She also fell to Amy Anderson in the U.S. Girls’ Junior final. The year Kim won her Women’s Amateur title, she lost to Tiffany Joh in the WAPL championship match at Walking Stick Golf Course in Pueblo, Colo.
Kim got things going quickly with a birdie on the first hole.
That’s supposed to be a jinx, but it was good for me, said Kim. She made the turn two under par, and then finished with birdies at holes, 12, 14 and 17. Her 15-footer on the seventh was the only birdie putt longer than 10 feet.
Kim said this round, along with the USA’s Curtis Cup victory earlier in the month at Essex County Club, was a good way to start the summer. It gives you a sense of accomplishment, she said, a warm feeling.
Kono, a junior-to-be at UCLA where she has been an All-American the past two seasons, had five birdies and a lone bogey in her round.
I just tried to keep it simple, hit fairways, hit greens and make good putts, said Kono, a WAPL semifinalist in 2008 at Erin Hills and the qualifying medalist last year at Red Tail G.C. I tried to play smart.
Salas, a senior-to-be at the University of Southern California, attributed her round to a mix of ball-striking and a good short game. She had four birdies and no bogeys. But I made great up-and-downs on the third, fourth and eighth holes to save my score, said Salas, who was the stroke-play co-medalist at the 2008 WAPL.
Eleven players broke par for the round, which was suspended for 90 minutes due to weather. Two of the three leaders, Kim and Kono, finished in the mid-evening but took advantage of rain-softened greens.
Among early finishers, Ariya Jutanugarn, 14, of Thailand, competing here with her 15-year-old sister, Moriya, had a 3-under-par 68, while Moriya shot 70. Brittany Altomare, 19, of Shrewsbury, Mass., and Martina Gavier, 21, of Kent, Ohio, each shot 69.
Following Tuesday’s second stroke-play round, the low 64 scorers will advance into match play. The championship concludes Saturday with a scheduled 36-hole final.
Notre Dame, Ind. – Results of Monday’s first round of stroke-play qualifying in the 2010 U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship at the 6,092-yard, par-71 Warren Golf Course.
Kimberly Kim, Hilo, Hawaii - 33-33--66
Lizette Salas, Azusa, Calif. - 33-34--67
Stephanie Kono, Honolulu, Hawaii - 32-35--67
Ariya Jutanugarn, Thailand - 34-34--68
Brittany Altomare, Shrewsbury, Mass. - 34-35--69
Martina Gavier, Kent, Ohio - 32-37--69
Candace Schepperle, Birmingham, Ala. - 34-36--70
Emily Tubert, Burbank, Calif. - 35-35--70
Moriya Jutanugarn, Thailand - 32-38--70
Ellen Mueller, Bartlesville, Okla. - 34-36--70
Mercedes Germino, Argentina - 34-36--70
Nicole Zhang, Canada - 35-36--71
Aimee Neff, Carmel, Ind. - 36-35--71
Kaylee Imel, Bluffton, Ind. - 35-36--71
Cydney Clanton, Concord, N.C. - 36-35--71
Lisa McCloskey, Houston, Texas - 37-34--71
Janine Fellows, Houston, Texas - 35-36--71
Sun Gyoung Park, Vail, Ariz. - 35-36--71
Alexandria Buelow, Palm City, Fla. - 32-39--71
Kristina Wong, Vestal, N.Y. - 34-37--71
Rebecca Hellbom, Sweden - 37-34--71
Joy Trotter, Chino Hills, Calif. - 34-38--72
Karen Chung, Livingston, N.J. - 37-35--72
Shamira Marshall, Macedonia, Ohio - 37-35--72
Samantha Morrell, North Kingstown, R.I. - 34-38--72
Tiffany Lua, Rowland Heights, Calif. - 35-37--72
Allie White, Lancaster, Ohio - 35-37--72
Anna Kim, Canada - 35-37--72
Joanna Coe, Mays Landing, N.J. - 36-36--72
Alex Stewart, Peoria, Ariz. - 36-36--72
Rachel Rohanna, Waynesburg, Pa. - 37-35--72
Kristi Cardwell, Kokomo, Ind. - 35-38--73
Suzie Lee, Long Island, N.Y. - 34-39--73
Lindsay Danielson, Osceola, Wis. - 37-36--73
Kelly Fuchik, Tulsa, Okla. - 37-36--73
Samantha Formeck, Northern Cambria, Pa. - 37-36--73
Allisen Corpuz, Honolulu, Hawaii - 37-36--73
Maggie Yuan, Ppls Rep. of China - 36-37--73
Gyeol Park, Korea - 38-35--73
Kuriko Tsukiyama, Bogota, N.J. - 36-37--73
Becca Huffer, Denver, Colo. - 38-36--74
Sara Grantham, Wilsonville, Ala. - 34-40--74
Karlin Beck, Pike Road, Ala. - 33-41--74
Aurora Kan, Boothwyn, Pa. - 36-38--74
Jaye Marie Green, Boca Raton, Fla. - 37-37--74
Jessica Wallace, Canada - 35-39--74
Kathryn Rogner, Hartford, Ohio - 36-38--74
Augusta James, Canada - 37-37--74
Kelsey Vines, San Antonio, Texas - 37-37--74
Tiffany Lim, San Jose, Calif. - 37-37--74
Alice Kim, Walnut, Calif. - 38-37--75
Kyndall Ardoin, Gibsland, La. - 36-39--75
Victoria Trapani, Hollywood, Fla. - 36-39--75
Mary Mattson, Ijamsville, Md. - 39-36--75
Ember Schuldt, Sterling, Ill. - 36-39--75
Seohee Moon, Mukilteo, Wash. - 35-40--75
Brooke Beeler, Butler, Ill. - 36-39--75
Hayley Hammond, Mooresville, N.C. - 38-37--75
Kelli Oride, Lihue, Hawaii - 36-39--75
Jamie Yam, San Diego, Calif. - 36-39--75
Michelle Mathwick, Greenfield, Wis. - 37-38--75
Caroline Powers, Bowling Green, Ohio - 37-38--75
Kristin Paulson, Ottumwa, Iowa - 40-35--75
Brianna Do, Vietnam - 39-36--75
Alyssa Shimel, Pemberville, Ohio - 37-38--75
Victoria Sungmin Park, Irvine, Calif. - 37-38--75
Grace Na, Oakland, Calif. - 39-37--76
Lakareber Abe, Angleton, Texas - 36-40--76
Hana Lee, Hacienda Heights, Calif. - 37-39--76
Diana Davis, Pembroke Pines, Fla. - 40-36--76
Jaqueline Smith, Magnolia, Texas - 36-40--76
Madison Opfer, Plant City, Fla. - 38-38--76
Jessica Tarbet, Corryton, Tenn. - 37-39--76
Annie Park, Levittown, N.Y. - 35-41--76
Kyung Kim, Chandler, Ariz. - 36-40--76
Angel Yin, Arcadia, Calif. - 40-36--76
Kris Yoo, Schaumburg, Ill. - 37-39--76
Amelia Ek, Cypress, Calif. - 36-40--76
Szu-Han Chen, Chinese Taipei - 37-39--76
Laura Murray, Tipp City, Ohio - 40-37--77
Simone Hoey, Long Beach, Calif. - 38-39--77
Jessie Jordan, Urbana, Ohio - 39-38--77
Seungha Choi, Aurora, Colo. - 38-39--77
Allie Johnston, Castle Rock, Colo. - 38-39--77
Abbie Horan, Antioch, Ill. - 39-38--77
Victoria Fallgren, Lakewood, Calif. - 37-40--77
Alexa Kim, Canada - 39-38--77
Emilie Burger, Hoschton, Ga. - 37-40--77
Petra Cole, San Diego, Calif. - 36-41--77
Christine Meier, Rochester Hills, Mich. - 40-38--78
Bethany Wu, Diamond Bar, Calif. - 38-40--78
Shannon Warner, Livonia, Mich. - 41-37--78
Mo Gronning, Aurora, Colo. - 38-40--78
Alleman Zech, Indian Wells, Calif. - 41-37--78
Bonnie Hu, Fremont, Calif. - 39-39--78
Amy Otteson, Garner, N.C. - 37-41--78
Samantha Sommers, St Cloud, Minn. - 40-38--78
Paige Stalcup, Thomasville, N.C. - 39-39--78
Jenny Hahn, Henderson, Nev. - 35-43--78
Kayla Riede, Dixon, Calif. - 40-39--79
Kimberly Johnson, San Diego, Calif. - 38-41--79
Rachel Uremovich, Hilton Head, S.C. - 38-41--79
Katelynn Hogenson, Muscatine, Iowa - 39-40--79
Stani Schiavone, Bangor, Pa. - 36-43--79
Katrina Hegge, Seattle, Wash. - 44-35--79
Ashley Smith, Plymouth, Mich. - 41-38--79
Dayana Marquez, Venezuela - 39-40--79
Maggie Boberg, Littleton, Colo. - 41-38--79
Kathleen Rojas, Turlock, Calif. - 39-41--80
Mieke Canan, Tacna, Ariz. - 42-38--80
Victoria Choi, Canada - 40-40--80
Anna Jang, Aiea, Hawaii - 39-41--80
Gianna Misenhelter, Overland Park, Kan. - 41-39--80
Lauren Cate, St Augustine, Fla. - 41-39--80
Hanule Seo, St Louis, Mo. - 39-41--80
Chelsey Cothran, Springdale, Ark. - 39-41--80
Alisha Matthews, St Louis, Mo. - 39-41--80
Stephanie Liu, St Albans, Mo. - 37-43--80
Belen Hernandez, Merced, Calif. - 40-40--80
Kristina Merkle, Honolulu, Hawaii - 36-45--81
Michelle Bowles, Howell, Mich. - 42-39--81
Elizabeth Doty, Palos Verdes Estates, Calif. - 38-43--81
Katelynn Mannix, Plattsburgh, N.Y. - 42-39--81
Shang-Fan Huang, Sugar Land, Texas - 42-39--81
Emily Houtz, Manhattan, Kan. - 42-39--81
Christy Fogerty, San Diego, Calif. - 41-40--81
Kathy Sterling, Mokena, Ill. - 41-40--81
Michelle Caporusso, Mount Prospect, Ill. - 40-41--81
Meaghan Kari, Windsor, Calif. - 39-42--81
Kayla Cline, Socorro, N.M. - 42-40--82
Whitney Neuhauser, Charlottesville, Va. - 40-42--82
Teresa Puga, Spain - 42-40--82
Leigh Klasse, St Anthony, Minn. - 41-41--82
Maria Ronderos, Colombia - 41-41--82
Erica Creed, Kernersville, N.C. - 41-41--82
Genavive Dodge, Post Falls, Idaho - 43-39--82
Mallory Viera, Howey In the Hills, Fla. - 43-39--82
Kimbra Benson, Leonardtown, Md. - 41-41--82
Paige Osterloo, Rapid City, S.D. - 42-41--83
Frederique Bruell, Shaker Heights, Ohio - 44-39--83
Ericka Schneider, Bradenton, Fla. - 39-44--83
Emily Podlesny, Green River, Wyo. - 42-41--83
Sarah Whitney, Hingham, Mass. - 42-41--83
Alyssa Randolph, Knoxville, Tenn. - 40-43--83
Allyssa Ferrell, Edgerton, Wis. - 41-42--83
Stephanie Frankian, Watertown, Mass. - 41-43--84
Whitney French, Laguna Niguel, Calif. - 40-44--84
Nancy Kromar, Austin, Texas - 39-45--84
Brittany Bomar, Anchorage, Alaska - 41-43--84
Erica Pressley, Selma, Texas - 41-43--84
Kelly Krusoe, Northfield, Ohio - 38-46--84
Sue Nyhus, Orem, Utah - 42-43--85
Brittany Atterbury, Rockton, Ill. - 43-42--85
Jessica Ngui, Richardson, Texas - 45-42--87
Melanie Audette, Lakeland, Fla. - 40-48--88
Rynae Baca, Wasilla, Alaska - 43-45--88