Under match play rules, where scores don't count and the winner is determined by number of holes won, Wrobel defeated her 15-year-old opponent 2-1.

Wrobel, whose backyard is the sixth hole and who said she's still only played the course four or five times, won the first two holes by the same count, 6-5. She went on to win two more holes on the front nine, the 130-yard par 3 No. 5 and the 511-yard par 5 No. 9. On the ninth hole Gearhart lost her ball in the rough and after looking for nearly 10 minutes unsuccessfully, she forfeited the hole to Wrobel.

The back nine was a different story altogether for Wrobel. After winning the 10th hole by one stroke, Wrobel put her fourth shot on the 460-yard par 5 No. 11 in the water. In all she was five over par on the hole. Gearhart took the hole, going three over par. From holes 11-15, Wrobel won just one hole and Gearhart came back to tie the match.

Afterwards Wrobel was asked what happened on that stretch of holes as opposed to her success on the front nine.

"My swing got messed up," said Wrobel, "and nerves were a part of it."

Wrobel went on to win the 16th hole by a stroke-count of 6-5. Gearhart faltered on the 17th hole as she did on the ninth and gave the hole to Wrobel. And the Warsaw native advanced to today's round of play.

Despite only playing the course a handful of times, Wrobel was asked if she had any sort of home course advantage.

"Mentally, after getting down," said Wrobel. "Because I knew she could play."

Wrobel defeated Gearhart last week in a tournament at French Lick.

Before walking into the clubhouse with her caddy, David Slater, Wrobel was asked what kind of things she's learned from this national exposure.

"I know I'm not as good as the others," said Wrobel, "but it's good experience and it's fun."

Wrobel will tee off at 11:48 a.m. today against Kelly Kane of Sherman, Ill., who was one up on Indianapolis' Lacy Mille.

WOMEN'S WESTERN GOLF ASSOCIATION 73RD NATIONAL JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP

Championship Flight Results

Kelly Robb (Concord, MA) def. Laura Olin (Eden Prairie, MN) 3-1

Sarah Jacobs (White Creek, TN) def. Jessica Shepley (Ontario, Canada) 5-4

Hana Kim (Encinco, CA) def. Cindy Pasechnik (Alberta, Canada) 3-2

Ambry Bishop (Franklin, IN) def. Cheryl Hannessy (Bonita, CA) by default

Kim Kouwabunpat (Upland, CA) def. Alissa Kuczka (Phoenix, AZ) 4-2

Kelly Husted (Sarasota, FL) def. Karen Quintelier (Monrovia, CA) 4-2

Deb Means (Burnsville, MN) def. Jennifer Jazek (Ontario, Canada) 3-2

Leigh Ann Hardin (Martinsville, IN) 1 up on Elisabeth Burden (Lake Bluff, IL)

Kristi Larsen (Scottsdale, AZ) def. Courtney Jones (Lake Quivira, KS) 2-1

Alena Sharp (Ontario, Canada) def. Hwanhee Lee (Cerrites, CA) 2-1

Angela Rho (Fullerton, CA) def. Jessica Till (Ft. Wayne, IN) 2-1

Malinda Johnson (Eau Claire, WI) def. 1 up on Catherine Cartwright (Bonita Springs, FL)

Veronica Yatco (Monroe, LA) def. Ashley Prange (Noblesville, IN) 3-2

Lisa Meldrum (Quebec, Canada) 1 up on Candie Kung (Fountain Valley, CA)

Kate Waggoner (Columbine Valley, CO) def. Nancy Abiecunas (Fort Collins, CO) 2-1

Flight 7 Results

Kerri Wrobel (Warsaw, IN) def. Kristi Gearhart (Martinsville, IN) 2-1 [[In-content Ad]]