Booth, Kung Advance at U.S. Amateur

Kellee Booth of Coto de Caza and Candie Kung of Fountain Valley struggled a bit in the second round of stroke play at the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship. But both qualified for match play, which begins today at Biltmore Forest Country Club in Asheville, N.C.

Booth shot a front-nine 41 but recovered to shoot 75 and finish in a tie for 18th with a two-day total of 147. Kung shot 77 for a 149 total, tied for 26th.

Sue Ewart of Seal Beach shot 156 (76 80) and did not make the top 64 to qualify for match play.

High school senior Natalie Gulbis, 16, of Citrus Heights shot a six-under-par 66 and set a 36-hole medalist record for the event.

Her two-day total of seven-under 137 broke the record set last year by Booth. Gulbis’ bogey-free afternoon round Tuesday tied the lowest 18-hole score, also by Booth last year.

Booth, the nation’s No. 1-ranked amateur, wasn’t shocked that her record fell.

“I didn’t think the record would stand long,” she said, “Obviously, it didn’t.”

The former Arizona State standout had two double bogeys and a bogey in her front-nine 41.

“I was furious,” Booth said of her miscues on the front side. “I just tried to cool off. I just took a break to get it out of my mind.”

SATO WINS PLAYOFF

Greg Sato parred the third playoff hole to defeat Bruce Samaklis for the Costa Mesa city championship Sunday at Costa Mesa Golf and Country Club.

Sato, who plays out of Brookside in Pasadena, and Samaklis, of Industry Hills, finished the two-day tournament tied at two-under-par 140. Sato won $500 and Samaklis won $300.

In the senior division, Len Santoro of Industry Hills made a double eagle on the par-five fourth hole on the Mesa Linda course and eagled the par-four 16th en route to a two-day total of 145 and a three-shot victory over Mike Blum of Los Coyotes.

CLUB PRO QUALIFYING

Orange County will have 15 representatives in the 188-player Club Professional Championship sectional qualifying Monday and Tuesday at Eagle Glen Golf Club in Corona.

Jim Petralia of Oak Creek, Bill Hulbert of Yorba Linda, Kelly Manos of Big Canyon, Hank Woodrome of Fullerton and Paul Smolinski, UC Irvine coach, are among the familiar names attempting to advance to the Western Regional Championship Oct. 14-17 at Santa Ana Golf Club in Albuquerque, N.M.