Junior Tina Kocinski qualified for the upcoming U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links Championship through a sectional qualifier held at Yahara Hills Golf Course in Madison, Wisc.

UNIVERSITY PARK, PA. (JULY 7, 2005) - Penn State women's golfers Tina Kocinski (Mequon, Wisc.) and Megan Padua (LaFayette, Calif.) qualified for, and will compete in, the 2005 U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links, which will be held July 11-16 at Swope Memorial Golf Course in Kansas City, Mo.

The Public Links Championship is open to women amateur golfers who, since Jan. 1, 2005, have been bona fide public course players and have not held privileges at any course that does not expend playing privileges to the general public, or privileges of any private club maintaining its own course and have a USGA Handicap Index not exceeding 18.4.

Kocinski, who will be a junior in the fall, qualified by shooting a 82 on June 12 at the Yahara Hills Golf Course in Madison, Wisc., during sectional qualifying. She will tee off at 9:10 a.m. Monday on hole 10, and then at 2 p.m. Tuesday on hole 1. Kocinski will be paired with Kristin Walla and Nicole Smith on both days.

Padua, a redshirt freshman, also qualified at a sectional, where she fired a 76 on June 16 at the Adobe Creek Golf Course in Petaluma, Calif. She will begin on hole 10 at 2:10 p.m. Monday, and will continue at 9:20 a.m. Tuesday on hole 1.

Swope Memorial Golf Course will play at 6,047 yards and a par 35-36-71. The first 36 holes are on Monday and Tuesday, and they will be stroke play. The Top 64 players will qualify for match play, with the first round on Wednesday, second and third rounds on Thursday, quarterfinals and semifinals on Friday, and the final 36 holes on Saturday.

Ya-Ni Tseng defeated defending champion Michelle Wie last year.