Shin Wins PNGA Women's Amateur, Markle Wins Women's Mid-Am

In a Pac-10 rivalry, Kim Shin of the University of Washington defeated Jessi Gebhardt of Oregon State University in the 36-hole match-play final of the 106th PNGA Women's Amateur Championship. The event was played at the 6,093 Wenatchee Golf & Country Club in north-central Washington.

Gebhardt put herself in a tough position after bogeying the first three holes, while Shin made pars to go 3-up right out of the gate. Shin successfully kept Gebhardt at a distance most of the day. However, Gebhardt showed signs of a comeback after making birdies on Nos. 17 and 18 of the match, but was still 5-down going into the afternoon round.

Shin won the first two of the second 18 holes and continued her strong play en route to winning the championship, 7 & 6. Shin was nearly perfect from 100 yards in, repeatedly hitting her approaches to 2 feet or closer.

In the 6th PNGA Women's Mid-Amateur Championhip, Kareen Markle of Eagle, Idaho, defeated Lisa Smego of Olympia, Wash., in the final match-play round. Once Markle got the lead, she never lost it. She was 3-up after the first 18, but Smego got it back to 1-up. Yet Markle remained strong and, when she birdied the 32nd hole to go 4-up, Smego had no answer. The mid-amateurs played Wenatchee's course at 5,730 yards.

This was the third time that Markle and Smego have met in the finals of the championship, with Smego winning in 2004 and Markle in 2005. It also marked the fourth year in a row that Markle has been in the finals of the Women's Mid-Am.

Final Results

Women's Amateur Kim Shin, Mill Creek, Wash., def. Jessi Gebhardt, Bellingham, Wash. 7 & 6

Women's Mid-Amateur (Championship Flight) Kareen Markle, Eagle, Idaho def. Lisa Smego, Olympia, Wash. 4 & 3

Women's Mid-Amateur (First Flight) Cheri Paine, Wenatchee, def. Laura Risher, Issaquah, Wash. 4 & 2