OREM, Utah — Utah Valley University women's golfer Brooke Bliss won a playoff Wednesday at Riverside Country Club in Provo to capture a qualifying spot in the U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links Championship.
With the top two finishers from the qualifying round moving on to the championship in Norman, Okla., Bliss shot a 78 over 18 holes to tie with Annika Afoa for second place on the leaderboard. With the final qualifying spot down to a playoff, the sophomore from St. George, Utah, topped Afoa and punched a ticket to next month's Public Links Championship tournament.
The U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links Championship is one of 10 individual amateur championships organized by the United States Golf Association and was first played in 1977. The tournament was devised for female amateurs who play on public courses, and members of private clubs are barred from entry.
The USGA accepted 700 entries for the 2013 U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links, and Bliss is one of a field of 156 golfers to qualify for the championship rounds.
Jimmie Austin OU Golf Club, a par-72 course playing at 6,351 yards, is the host of this year's championship, which begins June 17. Two rounds of stroke play will whittle the field down to just 64 golfers, and the remainder of the championship will be decided through a total of six match-play rounds.
One of the most lauded Public Links winners in recent years was Michelle Wie, who claimed the title back in 2003. Just 13 years old at the time, Wie was the youngest champion in the history of USGA adult championships.
Kellen Hiser is sports information assistant at Utah Valley University. For more information on Wolverine athletics, visit WolverineGreen.com.