Mark Christensen would love to be in Emily Powers' shoes around 9 a.m. on Thursday.

"I've told her to enjoy throwing up on the first tee," Christensen said. "There are millions of people who would give anything to go up on first hole of U.S. Open and puke their guts out."

Don't expect Powers to lose her breakfast when she steps up to the first tee at Interlachen Country Club in Edina, Minn., and lets it rip. She carries herself too well to do that.

Now, there will probably be some butterflies fluttering around in her stomach, but nerves shouldn't be a problem.

After all, she's been in the spotlight in these parts for the better part of seven years now. As a 13-year-old in 2001, Powers became the youngest women's city champ in Gem City history just three years after taking up the sport. It was the first of five city titles for Powers, who has won four straight going into this year's event next month.

She won back-to-back state championships during her junior and senior years at Quincy Notre Dame. She's played in a Champions Tour event, participating in the Wal-Mart First Tee Open at Pebble Beach in 2005. She's qualified for the NCAA Tournament this spring and has played in numerous high-level amateur events.

The fact she's teeing it up beside the likes of Lorena Ochoa and Annika Sorenstam this week isn't a surprise to Christensen, the former Westview Golf Course pro who has been her coach since Powers' father, Tim, asked him to work with his oldest daughter.

"She has a work ethic that was unlike any other female student I've ever had," said Christensen, who now operates the Christensen Golf Academy at the Sheridan Swim Club complex. "She also has the remarkable ability to imitate things that she sees.

"That's really kind of cool. She's smart and she can take a picture, look at it and then make her body do the things I'm asking her to do. It's really rare to have that type of coordination."

Even though it took a few breaks to get her to the national championship, Powers is no fluke. She has spent thousands of hours on the range at the Knights of Columbus and Christensen's academy. She's played hundreds of rounds, traveling thousands of miles to become the best player possible.

Now, she gets the opportunity of a lifetime at just 20 years old.

It will be one heck of a golf trip for the Powers family, which has made plenty while helping Emily and her younger sister, Rachel, try reach their potential. Tim will be her caddy, while her mother, Laura, will walk every step of the way outside the ropes, most likely with a scorecard in hand to keep track of her little girl's progress. Rachel and her grandparents will be along for the ride, too.

And who knows how many high school and college pals will also be there as part of the Powers Pack?

Powers is trying to keep everything in the proper perspective.

"Just playing in it is perfect for me," she said. "No matter what I shoot, I'm just going out there to have fun. I made it all the way here, I don't have to prove to anyone that I deserve to be here. I already proved it by qualifying for the tournament."

Powers has already reaped one benefit from making the field. She's automatically qualified for the U.S. Women's Amateur, which will be played in early August in Eugene, Ore.

She's realistic about her chances of winning this weekend.

"I know that I'm not to the par of Lorena Ochoa and Annika Sorenstam," she said. "I think everyone wants to win, but you have to realize the odds are against me. Right now, I just want to make the cut. If I make the cut, then I'll see how high up I can get."

And who wouldn't want a couple of extra chances to throw up on the first tee at the U.S. Open?

-- dobrien@whig.com/221-3365