Thursday, June 21, 2001

Kung takes medal,
3 locals make cut

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Staff and wire reports

LONG GROVE, Ill. >> Candie Kung, a 19-year-old native of Taiwan who plays at Southern California, shot a 2-under-par 70 yesterday to claim medalist honors by three strokes at the U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links Championship.

Kung finished with a 36-hole total of 3-under 141 at the 6,110-yard Kemper Lakes Golf Club course.

Hilary Homeyer, a member of the U.S. Curtis Cup team, was at 144 after a second-round 70.

The 22-year-old Homeyer, of Edina, Minn., graduated from Stanford on Sunday, flew home on Monday, then drove to Long Grove for Tuesday's opening round.

"My dad walked the course Tuesday morning while I was sleeping," Homeyer said of her father, Bill, who served as her caddie.

Among the 64 qualifiers for match play was 11-year-old Michelle Wie of Honolulu, the youngest competitor in any women's amateur championship conducted by the U.S. Golf Association.

After opening with an 84, Wie had a 36-hole total of 160, five strokes above the cut line. Six players played off for the final three spots.

Wie still found herself chasing Hilo's Leah Whiting. Whiting carded a 79 to finish 15th with a 156.

The local pair was joined in qualifying by Lisa Kajihara of Maui, who shot an 80 to finish the day with a 162.

Whiting's performance over the two days earned her a first round match with California's Meghan Ingalls, who shot a 162 in qualifying.

Wie will open up against Kathi Eutzler of Atlanta, Ga. while Kajihara puts her 162 score against Jennifer Tannehill's 156.

Six Hawaii golfers failed to qualify for the field of 64, with Kiilani Matsuyoshi of Wailua coming the closest. Matsuyoshi had an even better turnoaround than Wie, shooting a second round 78 but falling four strokes short of erasing her first round of 90.

Rose Pagan of Kula heads the list of other golfers on their way home, shooting a 175 followed by Whitney Ueno of Hilo (177), and Lihue girls Jennie Pleas (179), Kimberly Yama (179) and Shelcie Takenouchi (180). Christine Kim of Hilo shot a 83 to finish with a 170.

The championship is one of 13 conducted by the USGA and winds up Sunday with an 18-hole final.