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Duramed FUTURES Tour Weekly Release
June 16, 2008
1. Two-Time Winner Mindy Kim Doing It Her Way
2. Nineteen Tour Members Qualify For U.S. Women’s Open
3. Recycling On Tour: From Trash To Treasure
4. Eyes On The Rising Water
5. Hurst Primed For Second LPGA Exemption This Week
6. Laing’s Hot Putter Puts A Grand In Her Pocket
7. Hurst Grabs Second Tournament Win In Decatur, Ill.
8. Kenyon Pockets iPod Touch For Low Round On Sunday
9. Tour Members Earn All-American Honors
10. Quote of the Week
1. Two-Time Winner Mindy Kim Doing It Her Way
Second-year professional Mindy Kim of Diamond Bar, Calif., may be only 18, but she has figured out how to win on the Duramed FUTURES Tour. Not only has she learned how to win, but how to win twice, and to finish as a wire-to-wire champion both times. This season, the native of South Korea has won in Kansas and Lake Geneva, Wis., and posted four top-10 finishes in eight starts. She is also now ranked third on the Tour’s 2008 money list.
Here is what Kim had to say about her season to Lisa D. Mickey of duramedfuturestour.com:
Q: You came out here last year as a 17-year-old rookie. Describe that experience.
Kim: Well, I won the 2006 Los Angeles City Championship by 11 shots at age 16, and went to the Duramed FUTURES Tour Q-School that fall and finished 13th. I was like, “I can do this.” The 2007 season started out OK. It was less drama than junior golf and a lot more competitive. People are a lot more fierce. And there were some times when I was in real doubt. It was like, “Hmmmmm, maybe I should have gone to college.”
Q: With your father being a medical doctor (ears-nose-throat specialist), it’s surprising that you turned professional in golf and didn’t go to college.
Kim: My dad wanted me to go to college in the States and I wanted to turn pro. We went back and forth and finally my mom sweet-talked him into letting me do this. I was thinking about going to UCLA, but then I was worried that my game might not improve because I’d study a lot. Someday, I’ll go to college.
Q: Did you grow up in L.A.?
Kim: No, I remember going to those high-rise driving ranges in Seoul, South Korea, when I was four or five years old. My parents loved golf and played, and I went with them to those big ranges. I came to the States when I was six and that’s when I really picked it up. Now, I live with my older sister Jana, who’s a pharmacist in Diamond Bar, Calif., outside L.A.
Q. So last year, your dad left the hospital in Seoul to come spend the year with you traveling around the country as you tested your wings as a pro. How was that?
Kim: He actually didn’t work at all for two years, in 2006 and 2007, so he could help me out and help me get on my feet. I’m just a very lucky girl that my parents gave me everything I needed to get started.
Q: And now, they are back in Korea and you are here doing it on your own. Obviously, you must be doing something right because you have already won twice this season.
Kim: I’m pretty surprised that I won so fast and won twice. This is really like college for me because I’m making my own decisions and being more independent. I’m working hard without my parents telling me to go practice. They will help me if I need anything, but I’m trying to do it on my own. They gave me $7,000 to start the season and told me to see how long it lasts. I want to show my parents that I can make it. I don’t have to be dependent on somebody.
Q: Most of the other 18-year-old pros out here still travel with their parents. Tell the truth. How are you really doing without them?
Kim: Truthfully? I was kind of homesick a few weeks ago in El Paso, Texas. I missed my parents a lot, but when I’m not practicing or playing, I watch TV, surf the Internet and pray. I should probably make more time for God. Sometimes it is really lonely, but I can pull it off. I know that God’s there with me.
Q: You must have really missed your parents when you won your first tournament as a pro this year in Kansas.
Kim: Yeah, I called my sister and she asked me if I made a lot of money. I said, “Not a lot, but I can get you a puppy.” I’ll get it for her when I get back to California.
Q: What have you learned about yourself, so far?
Kim: I’ve learned that patience is the key. I thought I was patient. And I thought if I work hard and stay patient, I could pull off a lot of things. Now, I think I have the tools to play, but my mental game is not there yet. I try to read books, but when I get angry, sometimes I can’t think of anything very well. But after that first win, it made me stronger.
Q: Did you splurge with your winner’s check?
Kim: No. I gave 10 percent of my earnings to my church in Diamond Bar. It’s a Korean Christian church. My parents are actually Catholic.
Q: What else have you learned out here?
Kim: I’ve learned to be more organized. I learned that from [Tour veteran] LORI ATSEDES. Her van is really clean and her shoes are all in little shoeboxes. Her van is what a pro’s car should look like. I have a van now, too, but mine is still pretty much a mess when compared to Lori’s.
Q: How about on the golf course? What have your biggest lessons been out there?
Kim: Just really learning to play in all the weather conditions -- wind, rain, heat and you name it. The Duramed FUTURES Tour doesn’t cut us any slack at all, but that’s the way it has to be.
Q: Why do you think you have won twice and already been top-ranked on the money list this season?
Kim: I was just comfortable with my game off the tee and my irons were fantastic. I still have too many three-putts, but I’m working on that. And like I said before, I’m learning to be more patient.
Q: You took a big chance to turn pro at such a young age. What did it mean to you this spring when you won?
Kim: It meant a lot. People had always said, “If you’re playing so well, then why are you not winning?” Now, I can say that I have. I feel very blessed and lucky. And I’m proud of how I handled myself and was able to pull the trigger to get the job done.
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2. Nineteen Tour Members Qualify For U.S. Women’s Open
A total of 19 members of the Duramed FUTURES Tour advanced into this year’s U.S. Women’s Open Championship through sectional qualifying tournaments scattered throughout the nation. The 36-hole qualifiers were held at seven sites to offer a total of 84 spots. Those players will join the 71 exempt players already in the 156-player championship field.
“It’s always good to be going to the Open because you get the best players in the world there in an open field that includes young and old, amateurs and pros,” said LEAH WIGGER of Louisville, Ky., who was one of the sectional qualifiers and a 2008 tournament winner on the Duramed FUTURES Tour. “At the Open, you are treated like you’re a part of history and it’s a tradition that everyone hopes to be a part of. Last year, I was more in awe, but this year, I think I’ll definitely be more confident.”
Tour members qualifying are as follows from the listed qualifying sites:
Hobe Sound, Fla. – AMY YANG of Seoul, South Korea; NICOLE HAGE of Coral Springs, Fla., and LYNN VALENTINE of East Lyme, Conn.; Glencoe, Ill. – KATRINA LECKOVIC of Canada; LEAH WIGGER of Louisville, Ky., ASHLEIGH SIMON of South Africa, SUNNY OH of Manhattan Beach, Calif., KRISTEN SAMP of Moberly, Mo., RACHEL BAILEY of Faulconbridge, Australia, VIRADA NIRAPATHPONGPORN of Bangkok, Thailand, NARI KIM of Seoul, South Korea, GINA UMECK of Redlands, Calif., JEANNE CHO-HUNICKE of Longwood, Fla., JANELL HOWLAND of Boise, Idaho, WHITNEY WADE of Glasgow, Ky., SIN AH HAM of Torrance, Calif., and DANAH FORD of Indianapolis; Rockville, Md. – (a) ANGELA OH of Maple Shade, N.J., and ANNA GRZEBIEN of Narragansett, R.I.
Five Duramed FUTURES Tour members also are alternates for the 2008 Women’s Open. They are: VICKY HURST of Melbourne, Fla., JEAN REYNOLDS of Newnan, Ga., LORRAINE BALLERANO of Myrtle Beach, S.C., ASHLI BUNCH of Morristown, Tenn., and TAYLOR LEON of Dallas.
The 2008 U.S. Women’s Open Championship will be contested at Interlachen Country Club in Edina, Minn., June 26-29. The Open is one of 13 national championships conducted annually by the United States Golf Association and is one of the LPGA’s four major championships.
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3. Recycling On Tour: From Trash To Treasure
Californian MO MARTIN had asked earlier this season if the Duramed FUTURES Tour, or even the various tournament directors, would consider recycling the vast amounts of cans and bottles tossed away each week at tournament sites. Martin got her wish last week in Decatur, Ill., when tournament director John Skeffington began setting up recycling bins around Hickory Point Golf Course and hanging signage, reminding fans to recycle.
“I’m a total tree hugger, and for a long time, I’ve been very conscious about recycling,” said Martin, of Altadena, Calif., who carries a polycarbonate bottle that she refills with water, rather than using multiple smaller bottles.
“I’ve been making small efforts as an individual, but I think on the Tour, we can influence things on a larger scale and save a lot of plastic bottles from going into the ground,” added Martin. “It’s just about providing options. If the option is there to throw your bottle or can into the trash or to recycle it, I think people will recycle.”
Like all Tour members who travel for weeks at a time and are forced to eat out regularly, Martin says she is always amazed by the excess of packaging that comes with fast food. The waste of paper or the excess of food wrappers and boxes is another area that Martin would like to see decrease.
“The packaging your food comes in is often triple the size of the food you get,” she observed.
Communities like Decatur can work with civic groups and local municipalities to cash in on the recyclable trash. Monies from recycling cans and bottles can benefit local charities and even become civic projects.
“I love it when a community tries to do something together to have a positive impact,” added Martin. “To see the effort that was made here [in Decatur] makes me very happy.”
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4. Eyes On the Rising Water
Iowan JILL FRANTZ played her rounds last week, then hurried back to watch the evening news each day that showed footage of the rising floodwaters devastating her home state. Frantz’s own sister had to leave home because her street had flooded.
“The pictures of the flooding on TV are unbelievable and I’m hearing a lot of stories from families and friends,” said Frantz of Iowa City, Iowa. “They say there were sofas floating down the street because of a flooded furniture store.”
Frantz was only 10 when floods ravaged Iowa in 1993. She has heard the stories over the years. And like most Iowans, she knows that when too much rain causes area rivers to rise, bad things are going to happen.
“It’s really sad what’s happening north of us in Cedar Rapids and even in Iowa City, our whole city park is under water,” she said. “It breaks my heart.”
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5. Hurst Primed For Second LPGA Exemption This Week
VICKY HURST now has two professional wins on her resume as she heads to Rochester, N.Y., this week to play as a sponsor’s exemption at the Wegmans LPGA tournament. The teen also hopes to celebrate her 18th birthday during Thursday’s first round with a solid performance to kick off the tournament. She and Michelle Wie will be the event’s two exemptions.
“I don’t think I’ll be as scared on the first tee this time as I was the last time,” said Hurst, of Melbourne, Fla., who tied for 21st at the LPGA’s SemGroup Championship in early May as a sponsor’s exemption. “I’m really excited because I’ve heard great things about the Rochester tournament.”
A quiet player, Hurst seems to have found a new comfort level on the Duramed FUTURES Tour. She smiles more often and appears to be more relaxed as the Tour’s current top player.
“I’m enjoying it more now and I think I’ve become a smarter player,” she said. “I’m also glad I’ve graduated from [high] school.”
Hurst says she plans to play a full season on the Duramed FUTURES Tour, but will take as many LPGA exemptions as she can get.
“I’ll be out here all summer, unless I win the Wegmans,” added Hurst.
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6. Laing’s Hot Putter Puts A Grand In Her Pocket
Second-year Tour member VIKKI LAING got her putter rolling early in the week to win the Tour’s “YES! Golf One Grand Challenge” last Tuesday in Decatur, Ill. Laing holed a 35-foot putt to edge REBECKA HEINMERT of San Jose, Calif., and two other past “One Grand Challenge” winners, CAROLINE LARSSON of Stockholm, Sweden and JANELL HOWLAND of Boise, Idaho in a playoff. The putting competition is offered only to players who use a YES! Golf C-Groove putter in competition and offers a $1,000 cash prize to the player who wins.
“It’s a really good bonus because winning this contest pays a month’s rent,” said Laing, of Musselburgh, Scotland, who has used a Tracy II YES! Golf C-Groove putter for a year and half. “Plus, it gets you into the mentality of thinking about scoring.”
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7. Hurst Grabs Second Tournament Win In Decatur, Ill.
Rookie VICKY HURST earned her second tournament win of the season last week at the Michelob ULTRA Duramed FUTURES Players Championship in Decatur, Ill. Hurst carded rounds of 69-70-68-65 to win the Tour’s only major championship with a total of 272 (-8). She won by four shots over runner-up SARAH-JANE KENYON (65) of Queensland, Australia, who finished at 276 (-4).
“From the very start, I felt comfortable with my game and I just tried to attack the pins today,” said Hurst, of Melbourne, Fla., whose winner’s check of $16,100 pushed her back into the top spot on the Tour’s season money list with earnings of $39,101 in six events. “It feels really good and I’m excited to see where my game is right now against the big girls next week [at the Wegmans LPGA tournament].”
Hurst rallied in today’s final round with eight birdies and three bogeys to move from third to first by the completion of 72 holes. She saved par from 15 feet on the 18th hole to maintain her four-stroke cushion.
Third-round leader M.J. HUR (74) of Seoul, South Korea, struggled with an errant driver and slipped into a tie for third at 277 (-3) alongside second-round leader SARA BROWN (69) of Tucson, Ariz.
Earlier in the week, the Hickory Point Golf Course dealt with nine inches of rain that caused creeks on the course to flood, turning the tournament’s sixth hole, a par-5 layout, into a par 3 and changing par for the course from 72 to 70.
“The hole was under water until Monday and it’s so soft with mud that they can’t even mow it,” said tournament director John Skeffington. “We had no choice but to play it as a 170-yard par-3 hole.”
Fortunately, years ago, the Tour’s former head rules official, Jan Hultgren, suggested that another tee be built on the hole. A creek that crosses the fairway is prone to flooding in heavy rain, which it did in the recent rains that pummeled the Midwest. The forward tee was built in the late 1980s that offers the option of playing the hole as a par 3, but it had never been used in the Decatur tournament until this year.
Once again, only SONG YI CHOI of Seoul, South Korea maintained her money list position in the No. 5 spot, while most of the other top-15 positions shuffled. VICKY HURST of Melbourne, Fla., improved from No. 4 to No. 1, while previous No. 1 MINDY KIM of Diamond Bar, Calif., slipped from No. 1 to No. 3. LEAH WIGGER of Louisville, Ky., previously No. 2, slipped to No. 4, while third-ranked M.J. HUR of Seoul, moved up to second.
SARAH-JANE KENYON of Queensland, Australia made a big jump from 24th to No. 6 on the strength of her runner-up finish in last week’s tournament. JESSICA SHEPLEY of Oakville, Ontario also improved from No. 11 to ninth, while LISA FERRERO of Lodi, Calif., moved from 41st to 23rd. Previously unranked SARA BROWN of Tucson, playing in only her second tournament as a professional, moved into the 27th spot, thanks to her tie for third last week. KATIE ALLISON of Little River, S.C., also made a sizable leap from No. 51 to No. 35 after her ninth-place finish.
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8. Kenyon Pockets iPod Touch For Low Round On Sunday
SARAH-JANE KENYON of Queensland, Australia, fired a final round of 5-under-par 65 to become the latest recipient of a new 8 GB Apple iPod Touch. The reward continues Duramed’s season-long promotion of the Sunday Low Round Award. Kenyon’s final-round performance enabled her to climb the leaderboard from a tie for 14th into solo second place at 276 (-4).
Other iPod Touch winners this season have included: MISUN CHO (67) of Cheongju, South Korea, winner in Lakeland, Fla.; ANNIE YOUNG (68) of Highland, Utah, winner in Daytona Beach, Fla.; second-year player MINDY KIM (66) of Diamond Bar, Calif., winner in Lafayette, La.; VICKY HURST (64) of Melbourne, Fla., winner in McAllen, Texas; YOORA KIM (66) of Seoul, Korea, winner in El Paso, Texas; and ASHLEY PRANGE (67) of Noblesville, Ind., winner in Leawood, Kan.; and JENNY GLEASON (66) of Clearwater, Fla., winner in Lake Geneva, Wis.
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9. Tour Members Earn All-American Honors
Four Duramed FUTURES Tour members recently were named to the Duramed FUTURES Tour NCGA All-American teams following the 2007-2008 collegiate season. Named to the Division I second team was JESSICA YADLOCZKY of Casselberry, Fla., and the University of Florida. Players receiving Honorable Mentions were: SARA BROWN of Tucson, Ariz., and Michigan State University; JACLYN SWEENEY of Bradenton, Fla., and Oklahoma State University; and HANNAH JUN of Bradenton, Fla., and the University of Florida.
Yadloczky also was named as a recipient of the inaugural Southeastern Conference Sportsmanship Award, as selected in a vote of the SEC Directors of Athletics. The freshman finished fifth in the SEC with her season average of 74.00 strokes per round and helped lead the Gators to the SEC title and to a ninth-place finish at the 2008 NCAA Women’s Golf Championship.
10. Quote Of The Week
“It seems like there’s at least one Russian in every town where we play and they all find me to say hello.”
-Duramed FUTURES Tour player ANASTASIA KOSTINA of Nakhabino, Russia, who said a native of Russia now living in Decatur, Ill., stopped by last week’s tournament.
Correction:
In Sunday’s (June 15th) tournament final-round wrap story, it was erroneously reported that last week’s winner, Vicky Hurst, also had won earlier this season at the Jalapeno Duramed FUTURES Golf Classic in El Paso, Texas. In fact, the Jalapeno Duramed FUTURES Golf Classic is held in McAllen, Texas. The Duramed FUTURES Tour regrets this error.
Contact: Lisa D. Mickey, Duramed FUTURES Tour, 386-274-6216, or lisa@duramedfuturestour.com.
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