GOLF / U.S. WOMEN’S AMATEUR : Voorhees Pulls Out Medal Honors

Heidi Voorhees staggered but avoided another crash Tuesday at San Diego Country Club.

Voorhees, who fell through a plate glass window less than a month ago, sank a four-foot putt on the last hole to take medal honors in the 93rd U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship.

After shooting a four-under-par 69 Monday, the USC senior held a four-stroke lead going into the final 18 holes. Before she teed off late in the day, Voorhees knew that Kim O’Connor, a junior at Oklahoma, had shot a 71 and had a 36-hole score of 147.

Voorhees needed a 77 to win the medal. The par-saving putt on No. 18 gave her that four-over-par score and a 146 total.

“I guess it’s something to win the medal, but I didn’t play well today,” Voorhees said. “I sort of knew I needed to make that last four-footer. I made four others of that length to save pars.

“I was nervous. I guess it was because I was afraid of blowing to an 80 or something. It’s always difficult to play well after an outstanding round.

“I’m just glad we go to match play tomorrow. I love match play.”

Voorhees, who lost to Amy Fruhwirth in the final round of the U.S. Women’s Amateur in 1991, led two other Trojan golfers into match play. Jill McGill of Denver shot a 74 for a 150 total, and Jennifer Biehn of Scottsdale, Ariz., had a 78 for a 156 total.

There will be 64 golfers in the first round of match play. The cut was 161, 15 over par. Three-time champion Anne Sander of Santa Barbara slipped in at 159, and 1973 winner Carol Semple Thompson made it at 160. Raeanna Staples, the youngest player at 13, didn’t, soaring to an 87 and a 167 total.

Nine golfers were at 161. The survivors of a playoff were Page Oeser of Phoenix, Kelley Richardson, Macon, Ga. and Stephanie Sparks, Wheeling, W.Va. Oeser chipped in for an eagle on the 10th, the first playoff hole. Sparks earned the final spot on the third extra hole and will begin match play against Vorhees.

Those who started early Tuesday played before the wind came up, while the greens were soft.

Voorhees, who started at 12:35 p.m., said she made many mistakes, mainly with her putter.

She lost most of her lead by going three over par on the front nine. Despite birdies on two of the par-five holes on the back nine, it was a struggle.

Bogeys on Nos. 12 and 14 left her needing to play par golf over the last four holes to win the medal. When she drove into a fairway bunker on the left at the 510-yard 16th hole, her lead seemed precarious.

She hit a three-iron within 110 yards of the green; a near-perfect sand wedge barely missed going in for an eagle and she made the one-footer for a birdie.

She should have been home free. Instead, she three-putted from 20 feet on No. 17, missing a two-footer for her sixth bogey.

“You can see,” she said, “why I’m anxious to start match play.”

There will be one 18-hole match for each golfer today, two matches for winners both Thursday and Friday. The two survivors will play 36 holes in the final Saturday.