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Johnson Nearly Pulls Upset in U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links Championship
June 25, 2004 Williamsburg, Va. - University of New Mexico women's golfer Shannon Johnson (Sioux Falls, S.D.) dropped a close match Friday morning to No. 2 seed Jenna Pearson, 1 up, in the second round of the 28th U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links Championship being played at the Golden Horseshoe Golf Club's Green Course (par-72, 6,159 yards). Johnson, the 31st seed and a senior-to-be at UNM, nearly pulled off the upset. She birdied the first hole to go 1 up, but Pearson grabbed the lead by making consecutive birdies at No. 4 and 5. Johnson squared the match on three occasions, the last time with a birdie on the long 512-yard 15th. A bogey by Johnson on the par-3 17th, however, turned out to be the deciding hole as both players made par on No. 18. Earlier this month, Johnson made it through sectional qualifying in her hometown of Sioux Falls, S.D., as 144 golfers advanced to the Championship that began on Tuesday with two rounds of stroke play. Johnson qualified for the round of 64 and Thursday's match-play competition by shooting a 2-over 146 (71-75) to tie for 27th place. Johnson defeated No. 34 seed Laura Crawford (Lancaster, S.C.), 1 up, in the first round on Thursday. The U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links, one of 13 national championships conducted by the United States Golf Association, concludes with a 36-hole final match on Sunday.
Teen sensation Michelle Wie is the defending champion.
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