To her surprise, Hilo native Kimberly Kim is back where she has gone before.

Kim, 17, won quarterfinal and semifinal matches yesterday to advance to today's 36-hole championship of the Women's Amateur Public Links at the hilly Rail Tail Golf Club in Devens, Mass.

"I'm in a state of shock," said Kim on the USGA Web site after winning her semifinal match. "I can't believe it. I never thought I'd make it to the final ever again."

Kim, who won the Rolex Girls Junior Championship last week, advanced to the WAPL final for the second time. In 2006, she lost to Tiffany Joh, 6 and 5.

In yesterday morning's quarterfinal, Kim, who now lives in Arizona, sank five birdies in 10 holes to rout Sun Gyong Park of Vail, Ariz., 6 and 5. She then defeated Joanna Coe, of Mays Landing, N.J., 4 and 3, in the semifinals.

Kim will play Jennifer Song of La Canada, Calif., who defeated Jisoo Park of South Korea, 2 and 1, in the other semifinal.

Both golfers made special mention of the demanding Red Tail course, whose elevation changes make for tired legs, as well as tired caddies. Both finalists have now played two stroke-play qualifying rounds and five matches in a span of five days.

"I feel bad for my dad because he carries my bag," said Song on the Web site. "I don't feel tired when I'm playing, but once my game is over, my legs and body are about to collapse."

Added Kim: "This isn't like walking, it's more like hiking."

Kim said she has tried to keep loose by working out on the elliptical machine at the hotel.

"I am like in horrible shape," she admitted. "People say I am working out, but I am just walking. It's on like zero mph. The elliptical is 100 times easier than these hills."

Song said she prepared for the endurance test by running in the gym and doing push-ups and crunches.

In Kim's semifinal, Coe took a 1-up lead through four holes, but Kim squared the match with a birdie on the par-3 fifth hole.

Kim went 1-up for the first time in the match with a par on the seventh hole. She won the eighth hole with an 8-foot birdie putt to go 2 up. At the 11th hole, Kim's 20-foot birdie putt from the middle of a large swale was, she said, "the best putt ever in my life. I must have played five feet of break." The putt gave her a 3-up advantage.

After Coe won the par-4 12th with a par to close to 2-down, Kim won the par-4 14th (birdie) and par-3 15th (par) to close out the match.

In the morning match, Park got off to a 1-up lead by winning the first hole with a par, but Kim squared it with a birdie on the par-5 fourth. She won the next three holes to take control of the match. She went 5-up with birdies on the par-5 10th and a par-4 at the 12th. She closed it out by winning the par-4 13th with a par.

Kim, who will attend the University of Denver in the fall, won the U.S. Women's Amateur Championship in 2006.

Hawai'i golfers have experienced success in the WAPL with Michelle Wie winning in 2003 and finishing second in 2004, and Lori Castillo winning in 1979 and 1980.

www.USGA.org and www.USWAPL.org contributed to this report.