LPGA Qualifying Tournament Final Stage Pre-Tournament Notes

The LPGA Tour will host Final Stage of LPGA Qualifying Tournament from Wednesday, November 30 through Sunday, December 4. The field of 156 players are competing for 20 full LPGA Tour cards and 25 partial cards. 

Players will alternate over the first four rounds between the Jones and Hills courses at LPGA International. There will be a cut to the top 70 and ties after the fourth round. The final-round will be contested on the Hills course. Play will begin at 8:00 a.m. all five days.

ALL-AMERICAN STACKHOUSE READY FOR FINAL STAGE

Mariah Stackhouse (Riverdale, Ga.), who played in five Epson Tour events following her graduation from Stanford in the spring, is now looking to make the jump onto the LPGA Tour with a strong week at Stage III of LPGA Qualifying Tournament.

 “It’s definitely something that I’ve always looked forward to,” Stackhouse said. “I’ve asked for a lot of advice from people who have gone through it and so I’ve just come here this week with a lot of respect. This is my first time doing it and for most people it’s not and you see great golfers come through and sometimes they do it the first time and sometimes they don’t. It’s just a matter of going out and doing the best I can and whatever happens is what I’ll accept.”

What is the best piece of advice that Stackhouse plans on taking to the course during the week in Daytona Beach?

 “One thing is that people make this into a much bigger deal than other tournaments they play and that’s the biggest mistake that they can make,” Stackhouse explained. “Especially down in Florida in windy conditions, it’s hard enough as it is and if you make it into something more grand than what you do all year long than that’s just going to add an extra element of pressure that doesn’t need to be there.”

Stackhouse, a three-time All-American at Stanford, turned professional in June and made her LPGA Tour debut on a sponsor’s exemption at the Cambia Portland Classic. She made the cut and finished in a tie for 47th. Stackhouse played on the 2014 U.S. Curtis Cup team and led the U.S. to the title. She was the first African-American woman to play the Curtis Cup. She has also qualified for two U.S. Women’s Opens (2011, 2013).

SAINT AUGUSTINE’S AUGUST KIM STAYING AT HOME

If anyone has a home-field advantage this week, it’s August Kim (Saint Augustine, Florida), a senior at Purdue. 

“I’m just staying at home and driving back-and-forth so that is really nice,” said Kim, who finished T58 at Stage I and T52 at Stage II. “My mom is cooking food so this is awesome.”

Before Kim went to college at Purdue, she came to LPGA International to watch Final Stage a few times.

“It’s strange, I’ve been coming here for so long and to be here and be playing here is really different, but also very familiar,” said Kim. “I remember coming to watch Purdue players like Paula Reto and Laura (Gonzalez Escallon) and Maria Hernandez and now to be here and actually playing is really cool.”

Kim didn’t just come to LPGA International to watch. She remembers coming to the back range when she was 12 or 13 years old to take lessons from Craig Shankland.

“Mr. Shankland was amazing,” said Kim. “I credit a lot of my development to him. I would practice on the back range and play the little three-hole course. I didn’t play the courses much at all. The range and the putting green is very familiar to me. Me and the range here are very good friends.”

Kim has had a fine career at Purdue. She won the 2016 Big Ten Championship and became the sixth player in Purdue history to win a conference crown and also earn First Team All-Big Ten and Big Ten All-Championship honors. 

“This (Final Stage) is a big step for me because it is something I’ve imagined for so long, but actually being here is another thing,” said Kim. “This is a stepping stone to a bigger dream. Regardless of what happens, I’m very proud to have made it here.”

Kim is a little unsure of exactly what she will do if she finishes in the top 20, but entered Qualifying Tournament with the goal of seeing where her game stood against professionals.

“Purdue is my home and I want to finish out and do my four years with the team,” said Kim. “I want to get my degree after all the work. I’m here to see how I stack up. I don’t have any pressure, just want to do my best.”

Kim’s father, Christopher, will be on the bag and her sister, who is a talented high school golfer at Nease High School and recently played in the AJGA Polo, is going to come watch. Kim’s mom is also going to be here along with Kim’s good friend Kristin Paulson, who is an assistant at N.C. State, will also be here to watch. 

OF NOTE

• Lindsay Gahm (Louisville, Ky.) withdrew on Tuesday morning due to injury so the field is down to 156. 
• Lorie Kane, the oldest player in the field, has the most career LPGA top 10’s (99). 
• Four of the top 10 on the current Ladies European Tour Order of Merit are in the field - No. 1 Beth Allen, No. 2 Aditi Ashok, No. 7 Emily Pedersen and No. 9 Camilla Lennarth. No. 11 Nicole Broch Larsen and No. 15 Angel Yin are also competing. 
• Aditi Ashok’s caddy this week is Terry McNamera, who was the long-time caddy for Annika Soresntam on the LPGA.