Wie and Creamer Lead Field at U.S. Girls’ Junior

 

Fairfield, Conn. – Michelle Wie and Paula Creamer, fellow competitors at the

2003 U.S. Women’s Open, are vying for medalist honors at the 2003 U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship after both shot 2-under-par 69 to lead the field by one at the end of the first round of stroke play.

 

Wie, 13, of Honolulu, Hawaii, tallied four birdies and two bogeys at the 6,303-yard, par-71 Brooklawn Country Club. The teenage phenom who won the 2003 U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Lin is attempting to become the first person to

win that event and the U.S. Girls’ Junior in the same season.

 

Flanked by a gallery in excess of 300 people, Wie wowed the crowds with her length off the tee and precision with her irons, hitting 15 of 18 greens in regulation. She posted a 3-under 33 on the front nine, but cooled to a 1-over

36 on the back – with her putter the major difference in a round where she

could have gone even lower. Wie missed a four-footer for birdie on 16 and

failed to convert a 35-foot par-saving putt on the last hole.

 

“I think I should have played better,” Wie said. “I easily could have shot 67 today.”

 

Following a successful performance at the 2003 U.S. Women’s Open at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club in North Plains, Ore., where she made the cut and finished tied for 39 th, Wie has faced a torrent of media interest in preparation for this championship. Yet she seems to take all the outside distractions in stride.

 

“I don’t think of it as pressure because I’m the person who puts the pressure

on myself,” she said. “I go out there and try my best. If I play good I’m happy, but if I don’t, I tried my hardest.”

 

Creamer, 16, of Pleasanton, Calif., in the last grouping of the day, fought the oncoming darkness to finish with five birdies and three bogeys – a fairly

average round by her standards. She recorded 1-under scores on each nine,

35-34, to finish even with Wie.

 

“I didn’t know quite what to expect,” said Creamer. “I was pretty confident

with my game so I knew I’d just have to hit the middle of the greens and eventually I would make putts out there, and that’s all I did. I hit fairways and greens, and I think that’s the main key.”

 

It stands to reason that Creamer’s fairways and greens mentality came from

her experience at this year’s U.S. Women’s Open, where she shot 75-80 – 155 and missed the cut. For a 16 year-old, Creamer has a great deal of maturity

and world experience, having played on the 2002 U.S. Junior Solheim Cup team and competed at the 2002 British Junior Open. Creamer won the last three tournaments she entered coming into the U.S. Girls’ Junior and will take that experience into the second round of stroke play.

 

“I’d take 18 pars tomorrow,” said Creamer. “You don’t have to win the tournament, just put yourself in a good position. Match play is totally different than stroke play.”

 

Meanwhile, defending champion In-Bee Park made a statement with her play

that she was not to be overlooked. After recording three birdies to two bogeys, including a two-putt birdie at the par-5 eighth, Park was happy to be sitting

one shot back of Wie and Creamer.

 

“I just played my game,” said the Korean-born Park. “I drove very well today,

my irons were working, and I just made two-putts. I had no three-putts

today.”

 

Park is in the somewhat enviable position of being the defending champion, but does not have to withstand the tremendous attention that usually comes with that distinction.

 

“I have a lot less pressure than Michelle,” Park said.

 

Joining Park at 1-under-par 70 is Sukjin Lee Wuesthoff, 16, of Korea, who lives

in Toms River, N.J. Westhoff was exempt into the championship by virtue of her previous play in the 2002 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship.

 

Still in the hunt for medalist honors after shooting even-par 71 is 17-year-old Brittany Lang, of McKinney, Texas. Lang, headed to Duke University this fall, is riding a hot streak coming into this championship, having won two prestigious amateur tournaments this year, the Women’s Western Amateur and the North/South Amateur.

Morgan Pressel, 15, of Boca Raton, Fla., is one of seven players in the field

who also competed in the 2003 U.S. Women’s Open. Like Wie, Pressel made

the cut at Pumpkin Ridge and stands three shots behind after shooting a

1-over-par 72.

 

Note: The start of the first round of stroke play was delayed by 50 minutes

due to lightning strikes in the area.

 

The U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship is one of 13 championships conducted annually by the United States Golf Association, 10 of which are strictly for amateurs. The U.S. Girls’ Junior is open to female amateur golfers who have not reached their 18 th birthday prior to the end of the championship and have a USGA Handicap Index of 18.4 or better.

 

 

  Fairfield, Conn. – Results following the first day of stroke play Monday at the U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship at the 6,303-yard, par-71 Brooklawn Country Club:

 

  Michelle Wie, Honolulu, Hawaii, 33-36--69

   Paula Creamer, Pleasanton, Calif., 35-34--69

   In-Bee Park, Eustis, Fla., 36-34--70

   Sukjin-Lee Wuesthoff, Toms River, N.J., 36-34--70

   Brittany Lang, McKinney, Texas, 37-34--71

   Esther Choe, La Quinta, Calif., 36-36--72

   Morgan Pressel, Boca Raton, Fla., 35-37--72

   Laura Luethke, Clovis, Calif., 37-35--72

   Grace Woo, Burbank, Calif., 36-37--73

   Amie Cochran, Torrance, Calif., 37-36--73

   Jane Park, Oak Valley, Calif., 38-35--73

   Amanda Blumenherst, Scottsdale, Ariz., 37-36--73

   Mina Harigae, Monterey, Calif., 36-38--74

   Julieta Granada, Paraguay, 38-36--74

   Alexandra Bodemann, Palm City, Fla., 39-35--74

   Juli Wightman, Chicopee, Mass., 36-38--74

   Kelley Louth, Victoria, Texas, 38-36--74

   Valerie Tan, Malaysia, 38-36--74

   Songyi Yi, San Diego, Calif., 38-36--74

   Stephanie Kono, Honolulu, Hawaii, 37-38--75

   Naree Song, Korea, 38-37--75

   Tiffany Chudy, Miramar, Fla., 39-36--75

   Ki-Shui Liao, Alameda, Calif., 39-36--75

   Hsiao-Ching Lu, Chinese Tapei, 38-37--75

   Catherine Matranga, Fort Worth, Texas, 38-37--75

   Whitney Frykman, Acworth, Ga., 37-38--75

   Whitney Wade, Glasgow, Ky., 38-37--75

   Catalina Marin, Colombia, 38-37--75

   Jennifer Hong, Windermere, Fla., 39-37--76

   Blair Lamb, Flat Rock, N.C., 37-39--76

   Marika Lendl, Goshen, Conn., 37-39--76

   Laura Caniff, Russell, Ky., 38-38--76

   Sydney Burlison, Salinas, Calif., 42-34--76

   Amanda Wilson, Hilo, Hawaii, 38-38--76

   Mallory Hetzel, Summerville, S.C., 38-38--76

   Selanee Henderson, Apple Valley, Calif., 37-39--76

   Rebecca Kuhn, Miami, Fla., 37-39--76

   Jill Stupiansky, Lakewood, Ohio, 38-39--77

   Ashley Freeman, Belleville, Ill., 38-39—77

   Taylor Bunnell, Germantown, Tenn., 41-36--77

   Lauren Mielbrecht, Gulf Stream, Fla., 37-40--77

   Catherina Wang, Sarasota, Fla., 37-40--77

   Inah Park, Canada, 40-37--77

   Taylor Leon, Dallas, Texas, 40-37--77

   Jessica Potter, Canada, 45-32--77

   Sommer Scholl, Riverside, Calif., 36-41--77

   Marina Choi, Los Angeles, Calif., 39-38--77

   Jennifer Osborn, Huntington Beach, Calif., 39-38--77

   Kendra Little, Eugene, Ore., 38-39--77

   Kimberly Meck, Austin, Texas, 36-42--78

   Lauren Huhnerkoch, Burnsville, Minn., 35-43--78

   Kimberly Donovan, Hopkinton, Mass., 38-40--78

   Da Sol Chung, Korea, 37-41--78

   Kayla Mortellaro, Phoenix, Ariz., 39-39--78

   Allison Martin, Bakersfield, Calif., 39-39--78

   Michaela Cavener, Ponca City, Okla., 41-38--79

   Ashley Bickerton, Canada, 40-39--79

   Kim Shin, Shoreline, Wash., 40-39--79

   Blythe Worley, Greenville, N.C., 43-36--79

   Elizabeth Dotson, White Bluff, Tenn., 40-39--79

   Kandy Carland, Etowah, N.C., 39-40--79

   Tessa Teachman, Webster, N.Y., 40-39--79

   Kelly Jacques, Longmont, Colo., 36-43--79

   Angela Park, Brazil, 38-41--79

   Kate Ackerson, Allen, Texas, 39-41--80

   Taryn Durham, Glasgow, Ky., 41-39--80

   Sara Hurwitch, Potomac Falls, Va., 41-39--80

   Julianna Uhrik, Modesto, Calif., 42-38--80

   Elizabeth Alger, Palm Beach, Fla., 39-41--80

   Julia Huh, Pasadena, Md., 39-41--80

   Kristine Cook, Fishers, Ind., 40-40--80

   Britney Choy, Wahiawa, Hawaii, 39-41--80

   Mandy Fricton, Merritt Island, Fla., 40-40--80

   Angela King, Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., 40-40--80

   Becca Huffer, Denver, Colo., 40-40--80

   Carling Coffing, Middletown, Ohio, 42-38--80

   Brooke Todare, Paradise Valley, Ariz., 39-41--80

   Sara Lester, Walnut Creek, Calif., 42-38--80

   Jenna Pearson, Wheaton, Ill., 41-39--80

   Sara Brown, Tucson, Ariz., 43-37--80

   Megan Grehan, Mamaroneck, N.Y., 41-39--80

   Nicole Hage, Coral Springs, Fla., 42-38--80

   Casey North, Mishawaka, Ind., 40-40--80

   Courtney Sullivan, Gresham, Ore., 39-41--80

   Carly Truitt, Marysville, Ohio, 40-40--80

   Pamela Ontiveros, Mexico, 42-39--81

   Susannah Aboff, Huntington, N.Y., 43-38--81

   Blair Ressler, Bellingham, Wash., 43-38--81

   Lucy Nunn, Lawton, Okla., 41-40--81

   Lindsay Hong, Honolulu, Hawaii, 41-40--81

   Lala Anai, Lexington, Mass., 41-40--81

   Ellie Brophy, Spokane, Wash., 42-39--81

   Kali Quick, Nampa, Idaho, 37-44--81

   Andrea Ratigan, Tucson, Ariz., 42-39--81

   Joanne Lee, San Carlos, Calif., 42-39--81

   Kathryn Detlefsen, Eagan, Minn., 43-38--81

   Haley Brown, Austin, Texas, 40-41--81

   Christi Athas, Eldora, Iowa, 38-43--81

   Amber Jean Kuss, Koontz Lake, Ind., 42-39--81

   Mercede Lupinacci, Sandy, Utah, 41-40--81

   Laura Ormson, South Bend, Ind., 41-40--81

   Theresa Paik, Silver Spring, Md., 40-41--81

   Jacqui Concolino, Orlando, Fla., 42-40--82

   Lauren Johnson, The Woodlands, Texas, 41-41--82

   Caney Hines, San Antonio, Texas, 41-41--82

   Katie Myos, Faribault, Minn., 46-36--82

   Stephanie Connelly, Pasadena, Md., 43-39--82

   Jenna Winokur, Wall Township, N.J., 38-44--82

   Kellie Marshall, North Vernon, Ind., 44-38--82

   Ashley Tait, Littleton, Colo., 44-39--83

   Jenelle Gomez, San Jose, Calif., 41-42--83

   Lisa Kajihara, Makawao, Hawaii, 45-38--83

   Brittany Fisher, Easton, Pa., 42-41--83

   Alexandra Caffrey, Rumford, R.I., 40-43--83

   Laura Mengelkamp, Dover, Pa., 40-43--83

   Ko-Chen Yeh, Chinese Tapei, 41-42--83

   Laura Goodwin, Birmingham, Ala., 44-39--83

   Jordyn Wells, Bethel Park, Pa., 42-41--83

   So-Hyun Park, Bradenton, Fla., 40-43--83

   Lauren Hunt, Little River, S.C., 44-39--83

   Dawn Shockley, Estes Park, Colo., 42-41--83

   Abigale Schepperle, Birmingham, Ala., 45-39--84

   Sara Hunt, Columbia, Tenn., 41-43--84

   Stefanie Page, The Woodlands, Texas, 45-39--84

   Christine Yum, Bradenton, Fla., 41-43--84

   Leigh Sutton, Lincoln, Neb., 43-41--84

   Isabelle Gendreau, Canada, 43-42--85

   Alexis Edwards, Oakley, Calif., 46-39--85

   Martha Burkard, Alameda, Calif., 40-45--85

   Whitney Sylvan, Columbia, S.C., 41-44--85

   Amy Eneroth, Colbert, Wash., 43-42--85

   Lorie Warren, Hendersonville, Tenn., 39-46--85

   Emma Lee, Lake Oswego, Ore., 44-41--85

   Justina Yu, Las Vegas, Nev., 47-39--86

   Taylor Siebert, Selma, Calif., 43-43--86

   Bonnie Howard, Carrollton, Texas, 45-41--86

   Jessica Gibson, Tulsa, Okla., 44-42--86

   Jordan Hardy, Sylacauga, Ala., 43-43--86

   Lindsay Salsburg, Navarre, Ohio, 41-46--87

   Kristin Vincent, Burlington, N.C., 44-43--87

   Patricia Kim, Midland, Ga., 44-43--87

   Kathleen Ekey, Brunswick, Ohio, 43-44--87

   Hannah Summerhays, Carmichael, Calif., 46-41--87

   Casey Burden, Lake Bluff, Ill., 44-44--88

   Christine Herzog, Detroit Lakes, Minn., 43-45--88

   Annika Welander, Winnetka, Ill., 44-44--88

   Darah Newell, Helena, Mont., 47-42--89

   Amber Littman, Stoney Creek, N.C., 46-43--89

   Courtney Tincher, Greenwich, Conn., 44-45--89

   Chelsea Schriewer, St. Charles, Mo., 45-45--90

   Jennifer Adyorough, Atlanta, Ga., 44-46--90

   Emily Pavesich, Baltimore, Md., 43-48--91

   Kristen Schelling, Mesa, Ariz., 47-45--92

   Nicole McGirr, Henderson, Nev., 48-46--94

   Leigh Wilkins, Murfreesboro, Tenn., 50-47--97

   Ashley Kaufman, Clark, S.D., 46-53--99