WAILUA — Miki Ueoka of Lihu‘e fired a 5-under par 67 to lead the sectional qualifiers for the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links Sectional Qualifier, Sunday at the Wailua Golf Course. Christina Merkle, earning the top spot for the U.S.
WAILUA — Miki Ueoka of Lihu‘e fired a 5-under par 67 to lead the sectional qualifiers for the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links Sectional Qualifier, Sunday at the Wailua Golf Course.
Christina Merkle, earning the top spot for the U.S. Women’s Open Sectional Qualifying, Saturday, finished even par 72, five strokes off the pace for the second slot.
This is a reversal of Saturday’s qualifier where Merkle toughed through Wailua Golf Course to earn the top spot in the U.S. Women’s Open Sectional Qualifying with a 69, and Ueoka finished that round at an even par 72.
Earlier in the year, Ueoka, a sophomore at Santa Clara University, became the first-ever Santa Clara women’s golfer to qualify for the NCAA Division I Women’s Golf Championships Regionals.
Following the leaders, Reiko Fujii of Honolulu, Kelli Oride of Lihu‘e, and Allisen Corpuz of Honolulu finished in a three-way tie at 1-over par 73.
That resulted in a hole-by-hole playoff won by Fujii on the second hole.
Oride, the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation female individualist for 2009, earned the first alternate slot followed by Corpuz as the second alternate.
Sharron Weber of Lihu‘e, the only other Kaua‘i entry in the 12-player field, finished with a 94.
The top three spots advance to the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship at Red Tail Golf Club in Devens, MA, June 22-27.
The Women’s Amateur Public Links is one of 13 national championships conducted annually by the United States Golf Association, 10 of which are strictly for amateurs.
•Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@kauaipubco.com
