WAILUA — Kelli Oride overcame a two-stroke penalty at the No. 1 hole to finish with a two-under-par 70, earning low medalist honors at the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links qualifier Sunday at the Wailua Golf Course. “She and Cyd
WAILUA — Kelli Oride overcame a two-stroke penalty at the No. 1 hole to finish with a two-under-par 70, earning low medalist honors at the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links qualifier Sunday at the Wailua Golf Course.
“She and Cyd (Okino) took a two-stroke penalty at the box because the starter said they were late,” said Dr. Michael Oride, Kelli’s dad. “The ball was supposed to be in the air at noon, not them being in the box.”
Kelli and Okino were both assessed the penalty, but Kelli overcame that handicap to finish strong under the brisk northeast trades that had the flags flapping through most of the day.
With 13 qualifiers listed on the Wailua card, two were selected to advance to the 2010 U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship at Warren Golf Course at Notre Dame, Indiana, June 21-26.
Joining Oride and recently finishing the Hawai‘i High School Athletic Association/David Ishii Foundation state golf championships as No. 2, will be Kristina Merkle of Honolulu. One spectator described her as the four-time winner of the Jennie K tournament at the Mid Pacific Country Club.
Merkle finished the Wailua course at even-par 72, two strokes back of Oride.
Okino finished just out of the running a stroke back at one-over-par 73.
Daezsa Tomas and Taylor Viquelia, both contenders in the 54-hole Chica Ishii tournament which followed the qualifiers, finished fifth and seventh, respectively. Tomas fired a 77 and Viquelia ended with an 81.
Nani Yanagi of Hilo finished fourth at 76, Ciera Min of Hilo finished sixth at 78.
Other participants in the field included Sharron Weber (83), Eun Kwon (89), Cindy Oda (93), Pearl Ferguson (93) and Carol Pratt (97).
