Rookies Hurst and Kang Tied For Lead

After Second Round in Richmond

RICHMOND, Va., Aug. 16, 2008 – Four-time Duramed FUTURES Tour winner Vicky Hurst (69) of Melbourne, Fla., and first-day leader Haeji Kang (72), formed a tie for the lead as second-round play finished at the inaugural $100,000 Greater Richmond Duramed FUTURES Classic.

Hurst and Kang are sitting at the top of the leaderboard with a two-day score of 7-under-par 137.

The rookies have a one-stroke lead over non-exempt LPGA Tour member Nicole Hage (72) of Coral Springs, Fla., and Misun Cho (68) of Cheongju, South Korea, currently tied for third at 6-under-par 138.

After setting a Richmond Country Club course record by recording a first-round score of 7-under-par 65, Kang fired a round of even-par 72 on Saturday. Kang was steady throughout the day, mixing in two birdies and two bogeys, but disappointed with the final outcome.

“I didn’t have many chances for birdies because my shots weren’t good enough,” Kang said. “I was hitting out of too many hazards and my drives weren’t accurate. I’ll work hard tomorrow on concentrating when I hit every shot.”

Hurst made her move up the leaderboard with four birdies, including three straight on the back nine, and one bogey. She has been adjusting to a new caddie, David Scheurerer, who caddied for Hurst at the 2006 U.S. Women’s Amateur at Pumpkin Ridge in North Plains, Ore.

“We’ve been working a lot on getting birdie chances and eliminating bogeys,” said the 18-year-old Hurst.  

Hurst has won events this season in McAllen, Texas, Decatur, Ill., Hammond, Ind., and Bloomfield, Conn. She finished second at last week’s Falls Auto Group Classic to three-time Tour winner Mindy Kim of Diamond Bar, Calif.

Hurst leads the Tour’s season money list with four wins and two runner-up finishes in just 10 events.

“I thought I had a pretty solid round,” Hurst said. “I’ll just continue to take it one shot at a time and focus on my game tomorrow. I had made it a goal not to have any bogeys this week, but I’m pleased with today’s round.”

Sara Brown of Tucson, Ariz., Sophia Sheridan of Guadalajara, Mexico, and Cho posted low rounds of 4-under-par 68. Brown moved into a three-way tie for 11th and Sheridan tied Stacy Lewis of The Woodlands, Texas, for a share of fifth.

Seventy-one players made the cut at 3-over-par 147.

Final-round play begins at 8 a.m. of the first tee. The leading group of Hurst, Kang and Cho tee of at 11:50 a.m.

For real-time scoring and more information, visit www.duramedfuturestour.com.

Players With Virginia Ties Shine Early in Richmond

Jenny Suh of Fairfax, Va., Leah Wigger of Louisville, Ky., Carol Green-Robertson of Tazewell, Va., and Jackie Beers-Szymoniak of Newnan, Georgia, are a few of the more visible faces this weekend at the Greater Richmond Duramed FUTURES Classic because of their ties to the Cavalier State.

Beers-Szymoniak, a former standout of Monacan High School in Richmond, is competing in her first event since the Aurora Health Care Championship in May/June. Green-Robertson headed to Morgantown for a collegiate career at the University of West Virginia.

“This is definitely like one of my homes,” Beers-Szymoniak said. “It was too good of an event to pass up and I was looking to get my feet wet. I’ll be back full throttle next year.”

Suh and Wigger were tied for 15th at the end of Friday’s first round at 2-under-par 70. Wigger made double-bogey on her final hole, a result she attributed to poor club selection.

While Wigger is in hot pursuit of a top-five standing on the season money list, her former college teammate, Kristen Simpson of Norfolk, Va., is competing this weekend as the local amateur exemption. Simpson will be entering her senior year at Charlottesville this fall and is grateful for what Wigger, a “founding father” has done for the Cavaliers’ program since she graduated in 2007.

“It’s a huge help for me to have Leah (Wigger) out here this week because I have no idea what I’m doing,” said Simpson, who carded a second-round score of 1-under-par 71. “We’ve had a lot of fun out here and it helps lighten the mood.”

A former four-time NGCA Academic All-American at Virginia, Wigger was joined by her sister as a caddie last week in London, Ky., as the Tour’s “The Top Ten: Race For The Card” program launched at the Falls Auto Group Classic.

“It’s really awesome to have the Virginia connection out here,” Wigger said. “It makes it easier for me to interact with the crowd.”

Suh felt fortunate to have her parents come down from Fairfax to watch her play for the first time since the 2006 Curtis Cup. Suh’s father surprised her on the first tee by showing up to caddie and her brother will be in attendance for Sunday’s final round. The Tour rookie is coming off a career-best finish at the Falls Auto Group Classic last week when she tied for fifth.

“It’s really nice to have a gallery because spectators look for the big names,” Suh said. “Every tournament has gone a little bit better this year and I’m still taking baby steps.”

Players Trying to Overcome Pesky Trees Hanging Over 18th Fairway

Spectators standing at the Greater Richmond Duramed FUTURES Classic have heard the loud cracks of golf balls hitting the trunks of oak trees guarding the left and right sides of the 18th fairway. It has turned into a tricky approach shot that calls for a change of strategy.

“The hole plays as long as the hole plays,” said Matthew Schulze, director of golf at the Richmond Country Club. “I would say about 30 percent of the field this weekend has had some kind of problem. I’ve seen quite a few punch shots from the cart path.”

For Stacy Lewis (71) of The Woodlands, Texas, the 18th hole has halted her momentum, making bogey in both rounds of play.

“I’ve tried to go under the trees both days and bogeyed both times, so things haven’t worked out,” said Lewis, sitting in a tie for fifth. “I still haven’t figured it out, but I was still able to give myself a chance to make a move tomorrow.”

Leah Wigger of Louisville, Ky., made a quick adjustment after grazing the branches in first-round play.

“It’s way too risky to hit 3-wood or driver,” Wigger said. “I’ve been hitting 5-wood to try and get up near the 150-yard mark. It’s a great finishing hole and very challenging.”

Weather: Sunny with a high temperature of 88 degrees and winds blowing from the north at 5-10 mph.

Contact: Ben Schlesselman, 386-214-9726, Ben@duramedfuturestour.com.