GOLF / U.S. WOMEN’S AMATEUR : Voorhees Shatters Tournament Record

When Heidi Voorhees crashed through a plate glass door in Taiwan last month, her first thought was she would miss the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship.

The USC senior from North Hollywood made it to the San Diego Country Club for Monday’s opening round. Still wearing bandages from the July 17 mishap, Voorhees shot a four-under-par 69 on the 6,263-yard layout to take a four-stroke lead at the halfway point of medal play.

Her score, the only subpar round, set an 18-hole medal-play record for the tournament. The previous mark was a 70 by Debbie Massey in 1974. The field of 147 will be cut to 64 for the start of match play Wednesday.

Voorhees, 21 next week, was touring Asia with seven other Pacific 10 Conference golfers when the accident occurred. She was on a balcony at a country club when, trying to avoid a soda thrown in a bit of horseplay by a teammate, she fell against the door, shattering the glass.

“I thought it was an open door,” Voorhees said. “It wasn’t. I needed about 80 stitches, and the cut in my left leg was so deep I couldn’t walk for two days. But I was able to play golf and shoot a 71 a week later in Hong Kong.

“I’m still wearing bandages because the doctor botched the stitching and I had to have them redone when I returned on Aug. 1.”

There is no more pain, she said, after shooting her “best round ever.” Voorhees missed only one fairway, making six birdies and two bogeys.

“This is as well as I’ve played,” she said. “I made a 10-footer and a 12-footer, but the others were close. I missed a five-footer and an eight-footer for two more birdies.”

Voorhees started on the 10th hole and had birdies on the first two holes and the sixth.

“When I came to my last hole (No. 9), I was five under,” she said. “I had a 68 once before and thought about beating it. I became a basket case and hit four stinkers in a row for my other bogey.”

Voorhees began her sports career as a figure skater at 3. Her mother, the former Joanie Plimley, was an Ice Capades star for 10 years.

But when Heidi was 10, her father, Larry, introduced her to golf, and although she had won medals in skating, it became her first love. She played regularly on the Studio City par-three course.

“We don’t get to play (together) often anymore,” she said, “and he’s only seen me play twice this year. He watched me today and said, ‘I didn’t know you were that good.’ ”

Voorhees’ home course is MountainGate, near Mulholland Drive. She is coached by MountainGate pro Chris Mullane.

Playing in the Voorhees group was Raenna Staples of North Miami Beach, who at 13 is the youngest in the tournament. She shot an 80, which gives her a chance to make the cut.

“She’s a player,” Voorhees said. “But this course may be a bit long for her.”

Tied for second place at par 73 were Kelly Pittman of Statesboro, Ga., and Leta Lindley of Carlsbad. Lindley, 21, is a senior at Arizona. Although the course favors long hitters, Lindley, 5 feet 4 and 112 pounds, made up for lack of distance with solid play around the greens.

One of the tournament favorites, Debbi Koyama of Monrovia, had two three-putt holes and finished with a 74. Veteran amateur Carol Semple Thompson struggled to an 81.

More than half the field shot 80 or higher, meaning the cut might be at 160.