Pressel, Martinez advance to U.S. Amateur final
ROSWELL, Ga. (AP) – Morgan Pressel compensated for some shaky putting Saturday with a 92-yard eagle at No. 10 on her way to reaching the final at the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship. Pressel ousted Angela Park, a 16-year-old from Torrance, Calif., 3 and 1 and will face Venezuela’s Maru Martinez on Sunday. The U.S. Women’s Open runner-up overcame three straight near-misses before taking the lead for good with her long wedge shot on the par-5 10th.
Park eagled the fourth hole to take an early lead, but the 17-year-old Pressel followed with two straight birdies. After going ahead with her eagle, Pressel ended the match with birdies on Nos. 16 and 17.
The finalists face 36 holes of match play at Settindown Creek Course. Pressel and Martinez will tee off at 8 a.m. before taking a break and beginning the second round at 1 p.m.
Pressel struggled at times on the greens, lipping out putts on Nos. 7-9.
Martinez, an Auburn senior and the only nonteenager in the semis, never relinquished the lead after she birdied No. 6 to go 1 up in her 4-and-3 victory over Australia’s Alison Whitaker.
Martinez bogeyed the first hole but was 4 under over the final 14. The match ended when Whitaker bogeyed No. 15.
The Venezuelan has plenty of experience grinding through 36 holes on a single day. The South American Amateur Championship, a four-day event, consists of 144 holes.