June 23, 2010
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Fighting Irish women’s golfers Becca Huffer (Denver, Colo./Littleton) and Nicole Zhang (Calgary, Alberta/Bishop Carroll) each proved victorious in their respective Round of 64 matches at the 2010 U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship (WAPL) on Wednesday afternoon at Notre Dame’s Warren Golf Course. The duo had to overcome a three-hour rain delay and humid afternoon conditions in order to advance.
Huffer, the 34th seed after two rounds of qualifying play, downed 31st-seeded Joanna Coe of Mays Landing, N.J., 4&3, to earn her first WAPL match play victory. The win was even more impressive given that Coe was a semifinalist at the 2009 WAPL, which was held in Devens, Mass.
Zhang, the seventh seed after stroke play, and 58th-seeded Kristin Paulson were all square through 14 holes of play before Zhang earned a 1-up lead on the 15th and then went 2-up after the 16th. On the par-five 17th, Zhang’s two-putt from just off the front of the green sealed the win, 2&1.
Huffer will face second seeded Martina Gavier of Argentina in Thursday morning’s Round of 32, while Zhang will play 26th-seeded Ellen Mueller of Bartlesville, Okla. Gavier recently finished her junior season with Kent State, while Mueller just completed her junior year at Oklahoma University. Huffer and Gavier are slated to tee off at 8:42 a.m., with Zhang and Mueller to follow at 9:00 a.m. Winners of tomorrow morning’s Round of 32 matches will then play Round of 16 matches tomorrow afternoon.
–ND–