BANDON, Ore. – For the first three days at Bandon Dunes, benign conditions had seemingly reduced the coastal David McLay Kidd design to a pitch and putt.

But on Thursday, the winds returned in a flurry – sustained in the high teens with up to 30 mph gusts – and the flushers took advantage.

Or, as the kids say, balled out .

That included World No. 1 Kiara Romero, the uber-athletic Oregon junior, who didn’t even reach Bandon’s iconic par-4 16th hole in either of her matches on this marathon day. Her 4-and-3 victory over Duke’s Andie Smith in the Round of 16 moved Romero through to her first U.S. Women’s Amateur quarterfinals.

“My game was kind of rolling all day,” said Romero, who shot 4 under with just two bogeys in 28 holes.

Oregon head coach Derek Radley, on Romero’s bag this week,

See Full Page