Kennewick Golfer Wins Publinx

Mon., June 24, 1996

Compiled From Wire Services

Heather Graff, a member of Arizona’s NCAA title team, led Lauri Berles from the start and won the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links golf championship.

Graff, 20, of Kennewick, defeated Berles 5 and 4 over the 5,829-yard Spencer T. Olin Community Golf Course after beating Jody Niemann of Rigby, Idaho, 3 and 2 in the Sunday’s semifinal.

“I wasn’t playing all that great in the beginning,” said Graff, who extended her lead to 5 up after sinking a 6-foot birdie putt at the 339-yard, par-4 No. 5. “She was making some mistakes, but I knew she would come back strong, and she did. So I knew I had to keep playing hard.”

Berles cut Graff’s lead to 3 up after making a 20-foot birdie putt at the 334-yard, par-4 No. 8. But Graff won the par-4 No. 9 after Berles failed to convert a 6-foot, par-saving putt. Graff sealed her first USGA title on the par-3, 161-yard No. 14 after Berles missed a 15-foot birdie putt.

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Kennewick Golfer Wins Publinx

Jesse Tinsley

Jim Meehan

Molly Quinn

Rob Curley

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