Ria Quiazon watched her drive on the first tee during the U.S. Open qualifier at Ko Olina Golf Club yesterday.
Quiazon qualifies
for women’s OpenThe Union City, Calif., golfer
earns a spot in the tournament
by shooting 1 under at Ko Olina
Even as she stormed through the back nine at Ko Olina Golf Club yesterday, Ria Quiazon wouldn't let herself think about playing in the U.S. Women's Open.
"Not until it was official," she said after completing the 36-hole sectional qualifier yesterday.
"Even when that last putt dropped I knew I played great, but I didn't know what happened, if anyone shot lower than me."
The final scores confirmed what those who watched Quiazon play steady golf throughout her two tours around the 6,450-yard course suspected as she posted a 1-under-par 143 to win the first U.S. Women's Open sectional qualifier played in Hawaii.
The 23-year-old from Union City, Calif., finished nine strokes ahead of runner-up Amanda Wilson of Hilo and will play in her first U.S. Open July 1-4 at Orchards Golf Club in South Hadley, Mass.
"I don't think it's hit me yet," Quiazon said after winning one of the Open's nine qualifying tournaments. "It's pretty amazing."
Quiazon, who helped California win the Pac-10 championship in 2003, advanced to the sectional by shooting 74 at a local qualifying tournament at Corral De Tierra Country Club in Salinas, Calif., on May 17.
She had attempted to qualify once before, as a sophomore at Cal, and capitalized on her second try by besting a field that did not include Honolulu's Michelle Wie, who was granted a special exemption to the U.S. Open.
Quiazon shot even-par 72 in yesterday's first round to take a four-stroke lead over Wilson and carded three birdies over the second 18 holes to pull away from the field.
"I wanted steady golf," she said. "I wasn't going to go for pins unless I had a short enough club in my hand. I didn't want to shoot myself out of it right away. I wanted to play smart golf."
Wilson, who will be a senior at Waiakea this year, birdied the first hole of the second round to pull within three strokes, but gave it back with a bogey on No. 2.
"I know she's steady and she won't make big mistakes, so I had to make birdies to catch up, which I didn't do," said Wilson, who shot a 71 in the local qualifying tournament at Ko Olina on May 25.
"I thought I was close. I think I could have done it, but the putts wouldn't drop."
Wilson was still within four strokes before Quiazon took control with a spectacular second shot to set up a birdie on the par-4 ninth hole. Standing about 180 yards from the green, Quiazon took out her 7-wood and fired a shot to within a foot of the cup. Her tap-in put her at even par going into the back nine. Wilson bogeyed the hole to drop to 6-over for the day.
Even with a comfortable lead, Quiazon stayed aggressive and birdied Nos. 15 and 16, but still brushed away thoughts of the U.S. Open.
"On 17, my caddy goes, 'So is this your first U.S. Open?' " she said. "I was like, 'Not yet, let me finish my round.'
"I didn't want to feel safe. I knew one of these holes can just come up and get you, especially No. 18."
She parred No. 17 and safely negotiated her way around the pond fronting the 18th green and closed the round by rolling in a 10-foot putt for par.
"I didn't know what it would take because I came to Hawaii not knowing any of the players I was playing against," Quiazon said. "I don't know if that was good or bad, I just tried to shoot the lowest score I could shoot."
Wilson shot two rounds of 76 to finish at 152. Julie Miyagi, the lone Oahu player in the field, came in third after rounds of 77 and 76.
Hilo's Camie Hoshino had her attempt thwarted when she lost her putter on the eighth hole of her first round.
She had just birdied Nos. 5 and 6 when her putter went missing. She used a 3-wood on the greens the remainder of the first round and borrowed a putter for the second. Players are not allowed to add a club to their bag in the middle of a round.
She had three-putts on three holes en route to a 79 in the first round, but did get a birdie with the wood on No. 13. She finished with a 77 for a total of 156.
"Today was perfect conditions and I was ready for it," Hoshino said. "I was excited to come to this qualifier and everything and it just puts a damper on it."
Still, she was grateful for the chance to qualify for the U.S. Open without leaving the state.
"I think it's a great opportunity," Hoshino said. "It allows us to get into the U.S. Open, that's something Hawaii really hasn't had. They've had local qualifiers here, but then we had to go to California or other places, so not too many people qualified because it's so costly. But this opens avenues."
