By Colleen Kane
The Cincinnati Enquirer

2002 champion Katie Rakel belts a drive on the 8th tee. (Glenn Hartong photo) | ZOOM |

MASON - Tuesday was nothing new for Lynn Thompson. As in the two dozen Met qualifying rounds before this one, the 45-year-old golfer advanced to the championship flight. What she hopes comes in the next three days, however, would feel new - again.

Thompson, who won the Met in 1980 and '81, tied Cathy Almquist for medalist honors with an even-par 72 at Four Bridges to advance to today's first round of match play.

Thompson will face Erin McAfee (81) at 8:30 a.m. today.

"Wouldn't it be great (to win again) after all these years?" Thompson said. "I think my game has improved as I've gotten older. Maybe I'm not as consistent, but I still play well."

Thompson said she was nervous in her first tournament of the year.

"But it's fun. You're supposed to get a little nervous, and you do, but that's natural." Thompson said. "You just go with it."

It was a different type of experience that helped Kim Keyer-Scott (74) and Almquist shoot low scores Tuesday. Almquist and Keyer-Scott have only two and three years' experience in the Met, but they call Four Bridges home.

Kim Keyer-Scott reacts to barely missing a long putt on the 6th green. (Glenn Hartong photo) | ZOOM |

"You tend to know how the bounces are going to be, where to miss it and where it's OK to push it a little," Keyer-Scott said. "I hope it helps me."

Keyer-Scott will face Leslie Huesman (79) at 9:18 a.m.; Almquist will play Diane Calkins (81) at 9:02 a.m.

Playing partners Keyer-Scott and Janie Klare (78) are friends of Thompson's, but they all will be rivals in match play.

"We've played lots of golf over the years. ..." Thompson said. "Sometimes you get wrapped up in cheering for the other and you think, 'Wait a minute, I've got to concentrate on what I'm doing here.' "

Ana Brown, Laura Schild and Mary Zimmerman shot 76, and Mary Merritt shot a 77. Defending champion Katie Rakel shot a 78 to reach the championship flight.

U.S. WOMEN'S PUBLINX: Prodigy Michelle Wie, 13, shot a 1-over-par 73 and was five strokes behind leader Beth Allen after the first round of qualifying at Palm Coast, Fla.

Wilmington's Gabby Wedding shot 78 and Emily Culbertson of Crestview Hills, Ky., an 80. The top 64 players after today's qualifying final round advance to match play Thursday.

U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN: Middletown's Marianne Morris shot a 36-hole 153 total at sectional qualifying in Hudson, Ohio, and earned a berth in the 156-player field July 3-6 at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club in North Plains, Ore.

Local Golf

Women's Met Tournament

Individual Scores

Round One

	Score	Rank
Thompson, Lynn	72	1
Almquist, Cathy	72	1
Keyer-Scott, Kim	74	3
Brown, Ana	76	4
Zimmerman, Mary	76	4
Schild, Laura	76	4
Merritt, Mary	77	7
Klare, Janie	78	8
Rakel, Katie	78	8
Sizemore, Julie	78	8
Ratterman, Linda	78	8
Taylor, Jennifer	78	8
Huesman, Leslie	79	13
Farnham, Carrie	79	13
Calkins, Diane	81	15
McAfee, Erin	81	15
Gokey, Lynne	82	17
Mosley, Meredith	82	17
Coffey, Linda	84	19
Koch, Georgianne	86	20
Weber, Nicole	86	20
Brunk, Sue	86	20
Clarke, Deana	86	20
Nelson, Sara	87	24
Ball, Linda	87	24
Barton, Heather	87	24
Meek, Mary Jo	87	24
Voelker, Sharon	88	26
Eberle, Lori	90	29
Moreno, Carol	90	29
Soule, Toni	90	29
Brennan, Meagan	90	29
Stanley, Sue	90	29
Reisert, Nancy	91	34
Roark, Sandy	91	34
Diers, Donna	92	36

Pairings

First Flight

9:34 a.m. Gokey vs. Stanley

9:42 a.m. Nelson vs. Ball

9:50 a.m. Brunk vs. Eberle

9:58 a.m. Clarke vs. Voelker

10:06 a.m. Mosley vs. Brennan

10:14 a.m. Weber vs. Barton

10:22 a.m. Coffey vs. Moreno

10:30 a.m. Koch vs. Meek

Second Flight

10:38 a.m. Soule vs. Wipperman

10:46 a.m. Brooks vs. Reilly

10:54 a.m. Diers vs. Welker

11:02 a.m. Earhart vs. Kiefhaber

11:10 a.m. Reisert vs. Lavergne

11:18 a.m. Huber vs. Hochholzer

11:26 a.m. Roark vs. Dunham

11:34 a.m. Miller vs. Kemp

Third Flight

11:42 a.m. Korach vs. Roat

11:50 a.m. Clark vs. Cohen

Byes

Cornetet, Richter, Gerwin, Jacinto, Brown, Tipton

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E-mail ckane@enquirer.com