Wie falters after fast start; Spain's Elosegui is leader

The U.S. Women's Amateur Championship is taking place in Erie.
ERIE, Pa. (AP) -- Michelle Wie failed to build on a fast start Monday in the U.S. Women's Amateur, playing the back nine in 5-over en route to a 3-over 75 in the first round of stroke-play qualifying.
"I'm not even close to satisfied," the 14-year-old Hawaiian said. "It was one of those rounds where you got off to a good start, start making birdies, then I don't know what happened after that."
Tied for 24th
Wie, the 2003 Women's Amateur Public Links champion, was tied for 24th, seven strokes behind leader Tania Elosegui of Spain. The top 64 players after the second round of qualifying today advanced to match play.
Wie snap-hooked tee shots on Nos. 10 and 18, three-putted the 11th green and missed two other greens on the back nine on the Donald Ross-designed The Kahkwa Club course.
"I've been working on my swing and it felt really good in the beginning, but then I lost it," Wie said.
Elosegui was one of only six players to break par.
"I was excited, but calm, before I started," she said. "Championships here and where I live are pretty much the same, but American courses are better. The greens are faster."
Morgan Pressel of Boca Raton, Fla., who made history by qualifying for the U.S. Women's Open as a 12-year-old in 2001, was a stroke back after a 69.
Amie Cochran of Torrance, Calif., opened with a 70, and Gina Umeck of Redlands, Calif.; Jennifer Hong of Windermere, Fla.; and Nicole Cutler of Cherry Hills Village, Colo., shot 71s.
Cochran played the front nine in 32, but faded on the back nine and made a double bogey on the final hole.