Twenty Tour Members Earn 2010 LPGA Membership
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., Dec. 8, 2009 – A total of 20 Duramed FUTURES Tour members were among the 40 top finishers to earn 2010 LPGA membership on Monday at the LPGA’s Final Qualifying Tournament at LPGA International.
In addition, nine Duramed FUTURES Tour members were among the top-20 finishers who earned (full) LPGA Priority List Category 11 status for 2010 on the Champions and Legends Courses at LPGA International.
Among them were medalist Amanda Blumenherst, a rookie professional on the 2009 Duramed FUTURES Tour. The former Duke University All-American and 2008 U.S. Women’s Amateur Champion carded rounds of 72-71-73-67-68 to win the tournament by two shots at 9-under 351.
“Of course coming into Q-School is nerve-racking,” said Blumenherst, 23, of Scottsdale, Ariz., who was the medalist of the LPGA’s California sectional tournament in September. “I did feel pressure, but that’s part of it. You have to turn it into energy.”
Tour member Maria Hernandez of Pamplona, Spain, tied for fifth at 5-under 355 and was one of four Spaniards to finish in the top 20. The 2009 individual NCAA Women’s Golf champion from Purdue University earned an LPGA Tour card on her first attempt.
“The first stage [of LPGA sectional qualifying] went pretty bad for me, but I went there with the wrong mindset to make the cut,” said Hernandez. “This week, I just came to play golf.”
Lisa Meldrum of Montreal was one of three Canadians to earn 2010 LPGA membership, joining 2007 Duramed FUTURES Tour member Adrienne White of Red Deer, Alberta, and current Tour member Jessica Shepley of Oakville, Ontario. A tournament winner on the 2009 Duramed FUTURES Tour, Meldrum secured full Category 11 LPGA status for the first time with her tie for fifth at 5-under 355.
“My win this year in Richmond [on the Duramed FUTURES Tour] finally gave me some confidence,” said Meldrum, a fourth-year professional. “It was all about trusting what I’m doing and getting it done. I know I can play with these girls out here.”
Tour veteran Nicole Jeray, 39, of Berwyn, Ill., carded a final-round score of even-par 72 to tie for fifth at 5-under 355, regaining her full LPGA status for the first time since 2004.
It was the 13th return to LPGA Q-School Finals for the three-time winner on the Duramed FUTURES Tour. She has earned status in all but two of her trips back to LPGA Q-School. But why has the journeyman pro kept coming back?
“Because of my health,” said Jeray, who takes medication for narcolepsy, a neurological disorder that causes sufferers to fall asleep at any time. “Now, I’m feeling the best I have ever felt because I’m on the right medication [Xyrem]. I’m able to do what I love.
Tour member Nicole Hage of Coral Springs, Fla., earned full LPGA status for the first time. The former Auburn University All-American tied for ninth at 356 (-4) to regain LPGA membership alongside Duramed FUTURES Tour alum Leah Wigger of Louisville. Hage credited her putting and improved patience for her performance at Q-School this year.
“I’m impatient and I want things now,” said Hage, 24. “It’s because I’m very passionate about what I do, but I’ve learned to stay a little calmer. I’ve worked really hard for this.”
Tour members Mariajo Uribe of Colombia and Lucy Kim (who played on the Duramed FUTURES Tour this season as Moon Su), tied for 12th at 3-under 357. Uribe, 19, was a UCLA standout and the 2007 U.S. Women’s Amateur champion.
Grabbing two of the last three full-status cards were Tour members Liz Janangelo of West Hartford, Conn., and Pernilla Lindberg of Bollnas, Sweden, who tied for 16th at one-under 359. Janangelo regained LPGA Tour status for the first time since 2008.
“Everything happens for a reason,” said Janangelo, a former Duke All-American and two-time winner on the Duramed FUTURES Tour who lost her LPGA card in 2009. “Now, I have [more] experience on the Duramed FUTURES Tour under my belt.”
Lindberg joined the Duramed FUTURES Tour in June as a rookie professional after her All-American collegiate career at Oklahoma State, where she won three times, including the 2007 NCAA West Regionals. The former Swedish National Team member earned LPGA status in her first attempt.
“This is something I’ve been thinking about for years,” said Lindberg, who posted five top-10 finishes in 10 tournaments this summer on the Duramed FUTURES Tour. “I felt prepared. I got a lot of professional tournament experience this summer and it was important to get confident shooting low numbers.”
Duramed FUTURES Tour member Christi Cano of San Antonio tied for 20th with South Korea’s Il Hee Lee at one-under 359, forcing the two players into a three-hole playoff to break the tie for the final full-status card. Cano two-putted for par on the 18th hole of the playoff while Lee birdied the last hole to grab the last full card.
“I can’t complain,” said Cano, 28, who held full LPGA status in 2006 and partial status in 2005, 2007 and this year. “I did what I could do. I just have to take away all the good things that happened here this week.”
A total of 55 current Duramed FUTURES Tour members and 22 alums started the tournament, including eight former LPGA card winners (players who automatically earned LPGA status by finishing among the top season money winners).
In addition to the top 20 players who earned Priority status in Category 11, players finishing in positions 21-30 earned Priority status in Category 16, followed by players finishing 31st through 40th, who received Priority status in Category 16. Category 16 and Category 20 players also may have 2010 membership on the Duramed FUTURES Tour.
Duramed FUTURES Tour players finishing 21-30, earning Priority List Category 16 status for 2010 are: 21. Christi Cano of San Antonio; 23. Rookie Paola Moreno of Cali, Colombia; 28. Tanya Dergal of Durango, Mexico; and 30. Gerina Mendoza of Roswell, N.M.
Duramed FUTURES Tour players finishing 31-40, earning Priority List Category 20 status for 2010 are: 31. Libby Smith of Essex Junction, Vt.; 32. Jessica Shepley of Oakville, Ontario; 34. Rookie Cindy LaCrosse of Tampa, Fla.; 35. Rookie Pornanong Phatlum of Chaiyaphum, Thailand; 36. Rookie Jane Chin of Mission Viejo, Calif.; 39. Lisa Ferrero of Lodi, Calif.; and 40. Kim Welch of Sacramento.
For complete scores each day of the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament, please visit duramedfuturestour.com and LPGA.com.
Contact: Lisa D. Mickey, Duramed FUTURES Tour, 386-214-9726 and lisa@duramedfuturestour.com
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