Stage is set for LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament; 70 Tour pros in field of 142
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| Morgan Pressel reacts to a putt on the third hole during the thrid round of the 60th U.S. Women's Open Championship (photo by Getty Images) |
A field of 142 players will tee it up this week at the Nov. 30-Dec. 4 LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament at both the Legends Course and Champions Course at LPGA International in Daytona Beach, Fla. All will be vying for one of the 24 coveted exempt LPGA Tour cards for the 2006 Tour season, and for 90 grueling holes it will be all or nothing.
It's not an overstatement to call the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament the most stressful event of the year. Play well for five days and the 2006 LPGA Tour season is yours for the taking. One wayward drive or a couple of putts left short, and a player can leave sunny Daytona Beach feeling gray.
Two LPGA Sectional Qualifying Tournaments—one in Rancho Mirage, Calif., and the other in Venice, Fla.—have been held to help determine the field for the Final LPGA Qualifying Tournament. The top-30 finishers and ties from each LPGA Sectional Qualifying Tournament advanced to the final stage and join 70 current LPGA Tour members—a record number—who are trying to improve or retain their playing status for 2006. The field is completed by the eligible players who finished sixth through 15th on the final 2005 Futures Tour money list. The top-five finishers on the Futures Tour money list automatically received their exempt card for 2006.
Of the 142 players competing, none will garner more attention than Morgan Pressel,
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| Brittany Lang hits a tee shot on the fourth hole during the thrid round of the 60th U.S. Women's Open Championship (photo by Getty Images) |
Brittany Lang and Ai Miyazato. Pressel, a feisty 17-year-old who recently turned professional, has made golfing headlines since she qualified for the U.S. Women's Open conducted by the USGA when she was 12. This year, she won the U.S. Women's Amateur, tied for second at the U.S. Women's Open and never finished worse than a tie for 25th in her other six LPGA appearances.
However, there is a caveat to the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament that exists for Pressel. She petitioned the LPGA for early membership at the age of 17, but even if she earns a Tour card, she will not be able to compete as an LPGA member until her 18th birthday, which is in May. Pressel can play in events before May as a sponsor's exemption, and has already accepted an invitation to play in the early-season Safeway International Presented by Coca-Cola, but any money earned will not be “official” until her membership begins in May. Pressel finished sixth at the California-based LPGA Sectional Qualifying Tournament after shooting final-round 63 to advance to the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament.
Lang, who like Pressel tied for second at the U.S. Women's Open, will compete in the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament after taking medalist honors at the California-based LPGA Sectional Qualifying Tournament. Lang was an amateur at the U.S. Women's Open, but has since turned professional and left her two years at Duke University behind her to embark on a journey to the LPGA. Lang played in six LPGA events this year, made the cut four times, and recorded three top-15 finishes.
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| Ai Miyazato of Japan looks on during the third round of the Weetabix Ladies British Open (photo by Getty Images) |
Miyazato, a pint-sized superstar from Japan, finished runner-up to Lang at the LPGA Sectional Qualifying Tournament and is ready to make a splash on the LPGA Tour. She played in the HSBC Women's World Match Play Championship and knocked off Laura Diaz in the first round before bouncing LPGA Tour and World Golf Halls of Fame member Juli Inkster in the second. She finished tied for ninth and also tied for 11th at the Weetabix Women's British Open.
Other notables competing this week include 2005 National Golf Coaches Association Eleanor Dudley Division I Player of the Year award winner Louise Stahle; 2005 Women's World Cup of Golf participant and European standout Minea Blomqvist; 2004 U.S. Girls' Junior champion Julieta Granada; and 2002 Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year winner Beth Bauer.
The LPGA is one of the most diverse sports associations in the world, and that could not be any more evident than by looking at the makeup of the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament. Twenty-two countries will be represented with players competing from Australia, Canada, China, Colombia, Ecuador, England, Finland, France, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, Scotland, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, United States and Wales.
The field will be cut to the low 70 players and ties after 72 holes, with the remaining players contesting the final round on the Legends Course. After 90 holes, a sudden-death playoff will be held to determine who gets the final exempt card in the event of a tie. The next 35 players and ties will receive conditional status for the 2006 season.
2. LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament Field List
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| Louise Stahle of Sweden celebrates on the 15th green during the second round of the Weetabix Ladies British Open (photo by Getty Images) |
Beth Allen, San Diego, Calif.
Katie Allison, Mahwah, N.J.
Stephanie Arricau, Gemil, France
Lori Atsedes, Ithaca, N.Y.
Kim Augusta, Rumford, R.I.
Cristina Baena, Pereira, Colombia
Katie Bakken, Minneapolis, Minn.
Beth Bauer, Tampa, Fla.
Isabelle Beisigel, Quebec Canada
Erica Blasberg, Las Vegas, Nev.
Minea Blomqvist, Espoo, Finland
Becky Brewerton, Wales
Kim Brozer, Red Deer Alberta, Canada
Audra Burks, Altamount Springs, Fla.
Jeanne-Marie Busuttil, Chantilly, France
Angela Buzminski, Ontario, Canada
Christi Cano, San Antonio, Texas
Kelly Cap, Pinehurst, N.C.
Catherine Cartwright, Bonita Springs, Fla.
Ha-Na Chae, Seoul, South Korea
Moah Chang, Los Angeles, Calif.
Jordan Cherebetiu, Rapid City, S.D.
Clarissa Childs, Columbia, S.C.
Jeanne Cho, Orlando, Fla.
A Ram Cho, Kang won do, South Korea
Hye Choi, Dae Gu, South Korea
Song-Yi Choi, Seoul, South Korea
Rebecca Coakley, Ireland
Katie Connelly, Beloit, Wis.
Kathryn Cusick, Jacksonville, Fla.
Nicole Cutler, Cherry Hills Village, Colo.
Jenna Daniels, Athens, Ga.
Annette DeLuca, Tequesta, Fla.
Danielle Downey, Spenserport, N.Y.
Kristin Dufour, Austin, Texas
Meredith Duncan, Shreveport, La.
Cecilia Ekelundh, Solvesborg, Sweden
Mollie Fankhauser, Columbus, Ohio
Allison Fouch, Grand Rapids, Mich.
Meaghan Francella, Port Chester, N.Y.
Katie Futcher, The Woodlands, Texas
Adrienne Gautreaux, Mabank, Texas
Stephanie George, Myerstown, Pa.
Jenny Gleason, Clearwater, Fla.
Kate Golden, Jasper, Texas
Jennifer Greggain, Chilliwack, Canada
Russamee Gulyanamitta, Rayong, Thailand
Carmen Hajjar, Australia
Kim Hall, San Antonio, Texas
Allison Hanna, Portland, Ore.
Tracy Hanson, Ormond Beach, Fla.
Samantha Head, Bedford, England
Riko Higashio, Tokyo, Japan
Ashley Hoagland, Palmetto, Fla.
Janell Howland, Boise, Idaho
Kitty Hwang, Guayaquil, Ecuador
Diane Irvin, Hamilton, Colo.
Linda Ishii, Los Angeles, Calif.
Becky Iverson, Gladstone, Mich.
Brandi Jackson, Greenville, S.C.
Seol-An Jeon, Seoul, South Korea
Jimin Jeong, Gyeong Gi, South Korea
Nicole Jeray, Berwyn, Ill.
Angela Jerman, Columbus, Ga.
Malinda Johnson, Eau Claire, Wis.
Cathy Johnston-Forbes, Kitty Hawk, N.C.
Corina Kelepouris, Drayton Valley, Canada
Sarah-Jane Kenyon, Caloundra, Australia
Pamela Kerrigan, Franklin, Mass.
Na Ri Kim, Seoul, South Korea
SK Kim, Inchon, South Korea
Hana Kim, Los Angeles, Calif.
Kelli Kuehne, Dallas, Texas
Kelly Lagedrost, Brooksville, Fla.
Vikki Laing, Mosselburgh, Scotland
Brittany Lang, McKinney, Texas
Ji Yeon Lee, Seoul, South Korea
Jessica Lewis, Bethesda, Md.
Kris Lindstrom, Richfield, Minn.
Marilyn Lovande, Gainsville, Fla.
Teresa Lu, Taipei, Taiwan
Mardi Lunn, Banora Point Australia
Bernadette Luse, Orlando, Fla.
Kathryn Marshall, Dundee, Scotland
Paula Marti, Barcelona, Spain
Sarah Martin, Grosse Ile, Mich.
Danielle Masters, Maidstone, England
Collette Matthes, Newark, Del.
Charlotte Mayorkas, Temecula, Calif.
Mhairi McKay, Turnberry, Scotland
Kristy McPherson, Conway, S.C.
Smriti Mehra, Calcutta, India
Tina Miller, Miami, Fla.
Joanne Mills, Sydney, Australia
Ai Miyazato, Okinawa, Japan
Fame More, Chesterfield, England
Shinobu Moromizato, Okinawa Japan
Marianne Morris, Middletown, Ohio
Janice Olivencia, Puerto Rico
Jin Young Pak, Kang Leung, South Korea
Susie Parry, Spanish Fort, Ala.
Ashley Prange, Noblesville, Ind.
Morgan Pressel, Boca Raton, Fla.
Diana Ramage, Fayetteville, Ga.
Jessica Reese-Quayle, Santa Rosa, Calif.
Nina Reis, Gothenburg, Sweden
Angie Rizzo, Coon Rapids, Miss.
Kristen Samp, Moberly, Mo.
Alena Sharp, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Michelle Simpson, New Smyrna, Fla.
Pearl Sinn-Bonanni, Manhattan Beach, Calif.
Karin Sjodin, Gothenburg, Sweden
Libby Smith, Essex Junction, Vt.
Stacy Snider, Grandville, Mich.
Sae-Hee Son, Seoul, South Korea
Naree Song, Seoul, South Korea
Charlotta Sorenstam, Stockholm, Sweden
Leslie Spalding, Billings, Mont.
Louise Stahle, Lund, Sweden
Jamie Stevenson, Mayfield, Utah
Perry Swenson, Charlotte, N.C.
Kris Tamulis, Naples, Fla.
Celeste Troche, Paraguay
Kristina Tucker, Stockholm, Sweden
Natalie Tucker, Lawrenceburg, Ind.
Brooke Tull, Georgetown, Texas
Vicky Uwland, Barwon Heads, Australia
Lee Ann Walker-Cooper, Cary, N.C.
Chun Wang, Beijing, China
D'Rae Ward, Fort Worth, Texas
Meredith Ward, Crystal Lake, Ill.
Linda Wessberg, Sweden
Maggie Will, Whiteville, N.C.
Caryn Wilson, Rancho Mirage, Calif.
May Wood, Signal Mtn., Tenn.
Courtney Wood, Brentwood, Tenn.
Carri Wood, Cape Cod, Mass.
Minny Yeo, San Diego, Calif.
Ji-Young Yoon, Seoul, South Korea
Annie Young, Highland, Utah
Veronica Zorzi, Verona, Italy
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