NEWPORT, R.I., July 2, 2006 -- While the winner of the 2006 U.S. Women's Open Championship is yet to be determined following Monday's 18-hole playoff between Pat Hurst and two-time Open champ Annika Sorenstam, Duramed FUTURES Tour player Kristina Tucker finished tied for 20th in the 61st annual championship.

A native of Stockholm, Sweden, Tucker, who played as Kristina Engstrom at Duke University, recorded rounds of 72-74-74-76 for a 296 total (+12) alongside LPGA Tour members Karen Stupples of Great Britain, Gloria Park of South Korea and Lorena Ochoa of Mexico.

"It feels great to know that I have the game to play with the best," said Tucker, who now resides in Pageland, S.C. "It was such a great experience."

Like the rest of the field, Tucker was forced to play 36 holes today after the first round of the tournament was fogged out at Newport Country Club last Thursday. After three rounds this morning, Tucker was tied for 22nd at 220 (+8), but the Swede stayed patient and improved her position by the end of the final round.

"It was a long day and I didn't make many birdies, but I was playing for par the whole day," she said. "The key to this championship is to avoid making big numbers."

Facing more wind in today's rounds, Tucker said the already long and soggy course played tough. But the member of The Golf Channel's "Big Break V: Hawaii" show was spurred on by the gallery in her first appearance in a U.S. Women's Open Championship.

"I heard a lot of people in the crowed saying, 'Big Break, Big Break, go Kristina!" she said. "I was surprised at how many people were saying that. But I guess it helped because I bounced up two placements after the final round even though I was four shots worse than I was in the third."

Tucker was one of 17 members of the Duramed FUTURES Tour who qualified for this year's Women's Open. She was the only Tour member to survive the 36-hole tournament cut.

Contact: Lisa D. Mickey, Duramed FUTURES Tour, at lisa@duramedfuturestour.com .