Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, August 11, 1994 TAG: 9408120047
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: HOT SPRINGS LENGTH: Medium
On a day of surprises at the 94th U.S. Women's Amateur Championship, McGill pulled her best Houdini act and wriggled off the upset hook cast by Curtis Cup teammate Ellen Port.
With her sizzling putter helping her escape every time Port seemed to have her tied in knots, McGill scored a hard-earned 3-and-2 victory to advance to today's third round of match play at the The Homestead's Cascades Course.
``We're good friends and I hated to do that to her,'' said an apologetic McGill. ``I think it's the first time I've ever felt bad after winning a match.''
Port, a 32-year-old St.Louis school teacher, learned a lesson.
``She stole one here,'' Port said. ``I think she'll tell you I played better than she did. Putting was the difference. She had six one-putt greens, including the last four holes.
``She made a bunch of putts. It was unbelievable, but that's golf. I'm not whining; don't get me wrong.''
After Port three-putted No.12 to let McGill go 1-up, the match turned on the par-4 13th. McGill, 95 yards away in two, stuck a wedge to ``gimme'' range to salvage a par. Meanwhile, Port just off the green in two, proceeded to three-putt to hand McGill the hole.
After McGill drained a 15-footer at No.14 for a halving par, the 22-year-old went 3-up at the par-3 15th when she holed a 12-foot birdie putt.
Port birdied the par-5 16th, but it wasn't good enough as McGill rolled in another putt to seal the match.
``The putter saved me, definitely,'' said McGill, in her final amateur start befor turning professional Monday.
The eight Great Britain-Ireland Curtis Cup team members could have used some of McGill's escape artistry. Lisa Walton, who meets McGill in this morning's third round, was the squad's only survivor Wednesday.
``I think they [the American] were out to bloody kill us today,'' said British star Julie Hall, who was bounced 4 and 2 by U.S. Curtis Cupper and reigning NCAA champion Emilee Klein of Arizona State. ``I would imagine revenge for the Curtis Cup thing is somewhere in the back of their minds. I never thought I'd see this today.''
Besides the foreigners, others taking a beating included the tournament's three co-qualifying medalists - Lori Teague, Leta Lindley and Erika Wicoff. All were sent packing in the morning's first round.
Teague, the 31-year-old North Carolinian who stunned everyone, including herself, in 36-hole qualifying Monday and Tuesday, fell back to earth with a thud, taking a 7-and-6 pounding from Lanny Whiteside of Oklahoma State.
Teague, playing only her fourth season of competitive golf and in her first U.S. Am, was 10-over for 12 holes and never in the match.
``On Cloud Nine one day,'' said Teague, shaking her head, ``then, just like that it all goes away.''
``But, hey, this happens. I'll just drink a few cold ones and get ready for the next tournament. I'll be back.''
Lindley won't be back. The 22-year-old four-time All-American at the University of Arizona is turning pro next week.
``Being qualifying medalist is a curse, isn't it? It's like voodoo or something,'' said Lindley, after losing 2 and 1 to relative unknown Joellyn Erdmann of Little Chute, Wis.
Wicoff, a 20-year-old Indiana University junior, was dispatched 3 and 2 by 1993 U.S. Mid-Am runner-up Page Marsh Lea, of Jamestown, N.C.
SAND BLASTS: McGill is the only former champion left in the field of 16 players. Former winners Carol Semple Thompson - a Hollins graduate - and Anne Sander checked out with first-round losses. Thompson saw Port play the first 12 holes 5-under in a 2-and-1 victory. Sander, at 56 the oldest player in the 147-player field, lost 4 and 3 to Texan Nicole Cooper. ... The youngest player left is 18-year-old Californian Kellee Booth, the 1993 National Junior champion. The oldest player in the final 16 is 29-year-old Pernille Pedersen, the '92 British Amateur champion from Denmark. ... A qualifying medalist hasn't won the tournament since 1988, when current LPGA pro Pearl Sinn turned the trick.
Keywords:
GOLF
by CNB