Cindy Ha, 15, of Demarest, N.J., and Lakareber Abe, 16, of Angleton, Texas, fired rounds of 4-under-par 68 to lead stroke-play qualifying at the 2012 U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links at the 6,221-yard, par-72 Neshanic Valley Golf Course.
Kristina Merkle, 20, of Honolulu, Hawaii, Victoria Fallgren, 20, of Lakewood, Calif., and Brittany Altomare, 21, of Shrewsbury, Mass., had rounds of 3-under-par 69. Thirteen players finished at 2-under-par 70, including Lisa McCloskey of Houston, Texas, a 2012 USA Curtis Cup player and runner-up in the 2012 WAPL championship.
Ha and Abe used sharp iron play and consistent putting to good advantage in their sub-par rounds.
Starting play on the back nine, Ha made putts ranging from one-to-30 feet to birdie the 12th, 13th, 16th and 18th holes. She started her second nine with a 3-foot birdie putt on the first hole, made a 5-footer for a birdie on the second and knocked her wedge to within a foot of the hole on the fourth for another birdie. A 15-footer at the sixth hole gave her eight birdies on the day.
Ha made four bogeys when she missed four greens on her approach shots.
Ha was admittedly keyed up on her opening holes. "During practice, I wasn’t hitting it that well but once I got onto my back nine I got a lot steadier, Ha said. I knew there are a lot of good players, so I tried to go low."
Local knowledge helped her efforts. Ha lives in Demarest, N.J. 60 miles from the Neshanic Valley course and played it several times before the championship began.
Abe managed five birdies against one bogey. Her only mishap was an approach shot into a bunker on the third hole, which resulted in her lone bogey.
Also starting play on the second nine, Abe birdied the 12th, 16th and 18th holes. On the 503-yard, par-5 fourth hole, she hit the green with a 3-wood second shot and two-putted from 60 feet for a birdie. Her final birdie came on the par-5 ninth.
"I just tried to stay patient," Abe said. "Sometimes I get ahead of myself but I didn’t today. It’s so important to hit the fairway on this course."
Ha’s 68 is her lowest score in a USGA competition. The high school junior is playing in her fourth USGA national championship. In 2011, Ha made it to the round of 16 in the U.S. Women’s Amateur before losing to Danielle Kang, the eventual champion. A native of South Korea, Ha became a U.S. citizen last year.
Abe attends the Jim McLean Golf Academy in Fort Worth, Texas, where she is home schooled with on-line studies. Mothers of the students rotate supervisory roles at the Academy houses. Abe’s father, Daudi, a chemical engineer, is her caddie this week.
After the conclusion of stroke-play qualifying on Tuesday, the low 64 scorers advance to match play. Matches begin on Wednesday and the championship concludes with a 36-hole final on Saturday.
The U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links is one of 13 national championships conducted by the United States Golf Association. Ten are strictly for amateurs.
Rhonda Glenn is a manager of communications for the USGA. Email her at rglenn@usga.org.
Neshanic Station, N.J. – Results from Monday’s first round of stroke-play qualifying in the 2012 U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship at the 6,221-yard, par-72 Neshanic Valley Golf Course.Lakareber Abe, Angleton, Texas, 35-33—68
Cindy Ha, Demarest, N.J., 34-34—68
Brittany Altomare, Shrewsbury, Mass., 34-35—69
Kristina Merkle, Honolulu, Hawaii, 35-34—69
Victoria Fallgren, Lakewood, Calif., 33-36—69
Karen Chung, Livingston, N.J., 34-36—70
Emilie Burger, Hoschton, Ga., 36-34—70
Chirapat Jao-Javanil, Thailand, 33-37—70
Demi Frances Runas, Torrance, Calif., 35-35—70
Isabella Lambert, Big Bend, Wis., 35-35—70
Steffi Neisen, New Prague, Minn., 33-37—70
Pailin Ruttanasupagid, Thailand, 34-36—70
Lisa McCloskey, Houston, Texas ,37-33—70
Mai Dechathipat, Howey In The Hills, Fla., 35-35—70
Alice Chen, Princeton, N.J., 36-34—70
Annie Park, Levittown, N.Y., 36-34—70
Dana Finkelstein, Chandler, Ariz., 35-35—70
Gianna Misenhelter, Overland Park, Kan., 34-36—70
Rachel Morris, Carlsbad, Calif., 34-37—71
Kelsey Vines, San Antonio, Texas, 34-37—71
Alice Jeong, Gardena, Calif., 35-36—71
Sarah Bae, Cary, N.C., 37-34—71
Yi Chen Liu, Taiwan, 37-34—71
Kristine Odaiyar, Ocala, Fla., 34-37—71
Ashlan Ramsey, Milledgeville, Ga., 36-35—71
Kelsey Chugg, Salt Lake City, Utah, 37-35—72
Doris Chen, Bradenton, Fla., 36-36—72
Christina Miller, Bradenton, Fla., 38-34—72
Caroline Inglis, Eugene, Ore., 36-36—72
Kelly Shon, Flushing, N.Y., 35-37—72
Kim Kaufman, Clark, S.D., 36-36—72
Faith Hardison, Jamesville, N.C., 35-37—72
Brooke Baker, Edmond, Okla., 35-37—72
Lauren Stratton, Spring Hill, Tenn., 37-35—72
Lee Lopez, Whittier, Calif., 37-35—72
Jennifer Yang, Korea, 39-34—73
Victoria Trapani, Hollywood, Fla., 36-37—73
Emily Tubert, Burbank, Calif., 36-37—73
Kyung Kim, Chandler, Ariz., 36-37—73
Caitlin Bliss, Katy, Texas, 36-37—73
Alisa White, Hereford, Texas, 36-37—73
Gabi Oubre', Mobile, Ala. , 36-37—73
Elisabeth Bernabe, Anaheim Hills, Calif., 36-37—73
Vivian Tsui, Canada, 37-36—73
Lea Garner, Washington Terrace, Utah, 36-37—73
Sarah Burnham, Maple Grove, Minn., 35-38—73
Annie Songeun Lee, Canada, 35-38—73
Katelyn Wright, Incline Village, Nev., 37-36—73
Ani Gulugian, Irvine, Calif., 36-37—73
Allyssa Ferrell, Edgerton, Wis., 36-37—73
Lauren Diaz-Yi, Thousand Oaks, Calif., 38-35—73
Cherokee Kim, DuPont, Wash., 38-35—73
Krista Puisite, Latvia, 36-37—73
Danielle Nicholson, Geneva, Ohio, 37-36—73
Rose Huang, Honolulu, Hawaii, 38-36—74
Natalie Mitchell, Germantown, Tenn., 38-36—74
Nicole Budnik, The Woodlands, Texas, 36-38—74
Candice Wiley, Shelbyville, Ky., 38-36—74
T. J. Kliebphipat, Panorama City, Calif., 38-36—74
Allisen Corpuz, Honolulu, Hawaii, 38-36—74
Gabriella Dominguez, Chilton, Texas, 38-36—74
Kaitlin Park, Tustin, Calif., 37-37—74
Julie Shutler, Manteca, Calif., 39-35—74
Lilia Kha-Tu Vu, Fountain Valley, Calif., 37-37—74
Abbey Carlson, Lake Mary, Fla., 35-39—74
Michelle Yang, Los Angeles, Calif., 37-37—74
Hillary Wood, Sugar Land, Texas, 39-35—74
Chieh Peng, Taiwan, 38-36—74
Haley Stephens, Greer, S.C., 36-38—74
Tiffany Lua, Rowland Heights, Calif., 38-36—74
Sally Watson, Scotland, 35-39—74
Julie Yang, Apache Junction, Ariz., 40-34—74
Abby Newton, Katy, Texas, 35-39—74
Brittany Mai, Poway, Calif., 38-37—75
Kaylee Imel, Bluffton, Ind., 38-37—75
Josee Doyon, Canada, 39-36—75
Amelia Ek, Cypress, Calif., 37-38—75
Hanule Sky Seo, Korea, 38-37—75
Marissa Dodd, Allen, Texas, 40-35—75
Harin Lee, Bayside, N.Y., 39-36—75
Amanda Keith, Burbank, Calif., 37-38—75
Ashley Holder, Orlando, Fla., 40-36—76
Catherine Dolan, Ballwin, Mo., 37-39—76
Hana Ku, Basking Ridge, N.J., 40-36—76
Ellen Mueller, Bartlesville, Okla., 39-37—76
Grace Na, Alameda, Calif., 37-39—76
Kristen Schelling, Mesa, Ariz., 37-39—76
Hannah Suh, San Jose, Calif., 36-40—76
Caroline Powers, Bowling Green, Ohio, 39-37—76
Taylor Schmidt, Canada, 37-39—76
Jamie Millard, Peoria, Ariz., 38-38—76
Ashley Haggard, Savannah, Tenn., 38-38—76
August Kim, St Augustine, Fla., 36-40—76
Yugene Lee, Athens, Ga., 37-40—77
Karisa Akin, Elizabethtown, Ky., 39-38—77
Jessica Chulya, Thailand, 36-41—77
Samantha Gotcher, Clarksville, Tenn., 39-38—77
Ashley Mooney, Port St Lucie, Fla., 38-39—77
Kacey Dalpes, Alamogordo, N.M., 39-38—77
Leilanie Kim, Canada, 37-40—77
Britney Yada, Hilo, Hawaii, 38-39—77
Margo Dionisio, Whittier, Calif., 41-36—77
Audrey Nelson, Sunbury, Ohio, 39-38—77
Naomi Ko, Canada, 39-38—77
Hannah Basalone, Brea, Calif., 41-36—77
Jocelyn Chia, La Crescenta, Calif., 36-41—77
Maggie Yuan, Ppls Rep. of China, 38-39—77
Kayla Riede, Dixon, Calif., 41-37—78
Darian Zachek, Deming, N.M., 40-38—78
Alexia Gariepy, Murrieta, Calif., 38-40—78
Emily Rohanna, Waynesburg, Pa., 42-36—78
Mallory Viera, Howey In The Hills, Fla., 37-41—78
Lauren Archer, Boise, Idaho, 41-37—78
Kimberly Johnson, San Diego, Calif., 41-37—78
Nicole Quinn, Windermere, Fla., 38-40—78
Katie Rose Higgins, Charleston, S.C., 38-40—78
Erin Ahern, Hinsdale, Ill., 40-38—78
Alex Neal, Baird, Texas, 40-38—78
Divya Manthena, Camarillo, Calif., 40-39—79
Kelli Oride, Lihue, Hawaii, 40-39—79
Briana Mao, Folsom, Calif., 40-39—79
Trish Gibbens, Caldwell, Idaho, 41-38—79
Lauren Carter, West End, N.C., 41-38—79
Rachel Lee, Woodstock, Md., 40-39—79
Blair Lewis, La Mesa, Calif., 39-40—79
Stephanie Kim, Tempe, Ariz., 39-40—79
JC Weaver, Grand Island, Neb., 39-40—79
Brittany Weddell, Buzzards Bay, Mass., 41-39—80
Alyssa Shimel, Perrysburg, Ohio, 42-38—80
Zoey Akagi-Bustin, Wahiawa, Hawaii, 38-42—80
Harley Dubsky, Valparaiso, Ind., 40-40—80
Kelsey Ulep, Rocklin, Calif., 38-42—80
Lindsay McGetrick, Spartanburg, S.C., 43-37—80
Stephanie St-Jean, Findlay, Ohio, 42-38—80
Minjoo Lee, Clarkston, Mich., 40-41—81
Rachel Powers, Quincy, Ill., 37-44—81
Mary Snode, Alliance, Ohio, 42-39—81
Jordan Essman, Angola, Ind., 41-40—81
Louise Yi, Cinnaminson, N.J., 38-43—81
Hunter Pate, Las Vegas, Nev., 42-40—82
Madison Wolff, Kansas City, Mo., 41-41—82
Sarah Roering, Glenwood, Minn., 42-40—82
Alexis Biedrzycki, New Lenox, Ill., 40-42—82
Abby Portyrata, Midlothian, Va., 39-44—83
Deanne Stolarik, Zion, Ill., 41-42—83
Karolyne Shieh, Carlisle, Mass., 46-37—83
Flower Castillo, San Antonio, Texas, 42-42—84
Cortney Tilley, Plaistow, N.H., 39-45—84
Hansol Koo, Honolulu, Hawaii, 44-41—85
Alison Eleey, Quincy, Mass., 44-41—85
Lin McMillan, Palm Coast, Fla., 44-41—85
Terri McAngus, Eagle River, Alaska, 47-41—88
Karen Cash, Allendale, N.J., 48-41—89
Morgan Sahm, Centennial, Colo., 51-43—94
Pamela Chesla, Anchorage, Alaska, 53-50—103
Susan Gatewood, Anchorage, Alaska, 51-56—107