Lee Leads Tour Members at LPGA Florida Sectional

VENICE, Fla., Oct. 6, 2006 -- Rookie Yeon Joo Lee of Seoul, Korea led the 18 members of the Duramed FUTURES Tour who advanced into the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament at this week's sectional qualifier in Venice Fla. Lee shot a final-round score of 71 (-1) on the Bobcat course at Plantation Golf & Country Club for a 288 total to finish the week at even par.

A total of 37 members of the Tour made the 36-hole cut for a chance to be among the top 30 and ties to advance into the final stage of LPGA Q-School.

"I was a little nervous this week, but I got more comfortable every day," said Lee, 20, who recorded four top-10 finishes this year on the Duramed FUTURES Tour, including a tie for second in Queenstown, Md. "I felt more comfortable here this week and I think playing a lot of different courses on the [Duramed] FUTURES Tour helped me adjust to playing another new course."

Lee carded four birdies and three bogeys in today's final round of the Florida sectional, but credited her iron play for helping her move into the next stage of qualifying. She hit 14 greens in regulation, which were necessary on the Bobcat course.

"The greens were firm and hard to hold in Palm Springs [at the LPGA's California Sectional], but over here, the greens were smaller and you need accuracy," said Lee. "My irons were good today, so I hit a lot of greens."

Of the Tour's active membership, Kim Augusta of Rumford, R.I., and Kristen Samp of Moberly, Mo., rounded out the top 10 finishers. Augusta carded a final-round score of 74, while Samp turned in a 75 to tie three others at 293 (+5). Tour member Nicole Keller of Hillsboro, Ore., also fired a two-under-par final round of 70 to tie at 293.

"I've been to nine or 10 Q-Schools and it never gets any easier," said Augusta, 34, who lives in Boca Raton, Fla. "I wasn't coming out here this week looking to win the tournament. I wanted to have a solid week and just pace myself. Experience plays a big part at Q-School."

Augusta missed advancing into the final stage by two shots at the California sectional. She returned to Florida, worked on a few things with her coach and then ended up tied for the lead after the first round this week at the Florida Q-School. In today's final round, the former University of Miami player carded five birdies in a round that included a triple-bogey.

Like Augusta, Samp struggled at the California sectional but returned to the Florida event with new resolve. Samp called her round today "very average," but said the week was better than her effort at the first stage of Q-School.

"I was like Jekyll and Hyde at the Palm Springs [California] sectional with rounds of 70-79 and then rounds of 73 and 80," said Samp, 32, who held LPGA non-exempt status in 2004 and exempt LPGA status in 2005. "I got too freaked out in California when things started to go poorly. This week, I was more prepared and stayed patient and calm. I think experience at these things helps a ton. You don't have to shoot 70 to make it. If you just stay patient, the field will come back to you. At Q-School, the most patient person wins."

Rookie pros Angie Hill of Canton, Ohio and Nontaya Srisawang of Chiang Mia, Thailand, shared the tournament win at the Florida qualifier at two-under-par 286. Hill, who turned pro on Monday, fired a career-low round of 66, while Srisawang carded a two-under 70.

Rounding out the top three was former FUTURES Golf Tour member Tara Bateman of Phoenix, who posted a final-round 73 and finished at 287 (-1). Bateman played on the FUTURES Tour from 2003 to 2005, recording two top-10 finishes in 2005, including a career-best tie for second at El Paso, Texas.

"I didn't lose it today," said Bateman, 26, who led this week's event after the second and third rounds. "Both of those players shot under par today and I didn't."

Bateman skipped playing this year, opting instead to caddie on the LPGA Tour for former FUTURES Tour players Alena Sharp and Meredith Duncan. Spending time on the bag turned out to be beneficial this week, she said.

"It was kind of nice to take some time off because I was so burned out last year," added Bateman. "I came out here refreshed this week and sort of flew under the radar because nobody knew what I had been up to."

The top-30 finishers and ties from both the Florida and California qualifiers, as well as current LPGA Tour members attempting to improve their status, and players who finished sixth through 15th on the 2006 Duramed FUTURES Tour money list, will advance into the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament at LPGA International in Daytona Beach, Fla. The LPGA's Final Q-School will be contested Nov. 29 through Dec. 3.

Members of the Duramed FUTURES Golf Tour who advanced from the Florida sectional into the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament are as follows:

Contact: Lisa D. Mickey, Duramed FUTURES Golf Tour, 863-709-9100, Ext. 2 or lisa@duramedfuturestour.com.