[GOLF]

Wie needs extra hole
to advance

The 12-year-old moves on to
the Publinx semifinals

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From staff and wire reports

SUNRIVER, Ore. >> Honolulu's Michelle Wie defeated Hilo's Amanda Wilson yesterday in dramatic fashion to advance to today's semifinals of the U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links Championship.

The 12-year-old Wie needed an extra hole in match play to beat the 14-year-old Wilson at the 6,189-yard, par-71 Meadows Course at the Sunriver Resort.

Down one at the 449-yard, par-5 17th, Wie pushed her drive into the right rough. Safely in the fairway Wilson hit her approach shot into a greenside bunker. Wie hit a towering 7-iron 160 yards over some trees, but her ball took two bounces and rolled over the green. She chipped within 3 feet of the hole and made the birdie to even the match when Wilson made a par.

They halved 18, both missing birdie putts of less than 10 feet. Downwind, Wie nearly drove the green on the first extra hole, a 357-yard par-4, and faced a pitch of about 30 yards. Wilson also hit a big drive. From some 100 yards from the green, Wilson hit her approach shot within 15 feet.

Wie then made her only long putt of the day, a 35-footer from the fringe with a big break to the left. When Wilson missed, Wie won the match.

"If I was going to read one putt right, it had to be this one," said Wie, who putted poorly in the match.

Wie joins three college sophomores in the semifinals. She will face Hwanhee Lee, 19, of Long Beach, Calif., today for a spot in tomorrow's 36-hole final. The other semi pits Annie Thurman, 19, of Highland, Utah, against Yvonne Choe, 19, of Temple City, Calif.

Lee didn't seem impressed with Wie, who has received a lot of publicity in recent years because of her age and driving distance.

"I don't care who she is," Lee said. "I just want to play well on this golf course."