A field of 99 players from 21 countries, including the United States, will compete to be among the 30 players and ties advancing into the LPGA's Final Qualifying Tournament, set for early December. Of the international players in the sectional field, South Korea brings eight players to the event, followed by Canada with six, and Thailand with three contestants.
Headlining the Florida sectional field will be Kimberly Kim of Hawaii, who was runner-up at the 2009 U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links and U.S. Girls' Junior Championship. Kim won the 2006 U.S. Women's Amateur Championship, becoming the youngest winner at age 14 in the history of the United States Golf Association's tournament. She also was a member of the 2008 and 2010 U.S. Curtis Cup teams.
In addition, Lee-Anne Pace of South Africa, currently ranked No. 2 on the 2010 Ladies European Tour's (LET) money list, will be in the tournament field. Pace has posted seven top-10 finishes, including three wins, on the LET this season. Joining Pace from the LET will be Becky Brewerton of Wales, who is a two-time member of the European Solheim Cup team.
One former LPGA tournament winner, Nicole Perrot, also will be in the field. The native of Santiago, Chile became a Rolex First-Time Winner at the 2005 Longs Drugs Challenge. Perrot was a two-time winner on the 2004 Duramed FUTURES Tour. As an amateur, she won the 2001 U.S. Girls' Junior Championship and was the runner-up at the 2001 U.S. Women's Amateur Championship.
A total of 12 amateur players will be in this week's tournament field, including Duke University's Alison Whitaker of Australia, who was a member of Duke's 2006 and 2007 NCAA Division I Women's Golf Championship teams. Another top amateur will be Ireland's Danielle McVeigh of Texas A&M University, who was a member of the 2010 Great Britain & Ireland Curtis Cup team.
In addition, players from the Golf Channel's popular "Big Break" show will compete in this week's sectional qualifier. "Big Break" winners in the sectional field include Briana Vega of Andover, Mass., and recent winner Carling Coffing of Middletown, Ohio. Other "Big Break" contestants in the field are recent finalist Lili Alvarez of Mexico, Elena Robles of California and Seema Sadekar of Canada.The California sectional qualifier was held two weeks ago, advancing 30 players from that event into the LPGA's final stage. Tournament fields at each of the 72-hole sectional qualifiers cut to the low-70 players and ties after 36 holes. After four rounds, the top-30 players and ties from each sectional will advance into the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament.
The LPGA's final stage of qualifying will be held Dec. 8-12, at LPGA International on the Champions and Legends courses in Daytona Beach, Fla. Sectional qualifiers will be joined at the final stage of "Q-school" by current LPGA Tour members attempting to improve their status for 2011, along with players finishing Nos. 6-10, and the next top 10 players on the 2010 Duramed FUTURES Tour money list (who do not already have LPGA status).
The LPGA's Final Qualifying Tournament in Daytona Beach will be contested over 90 holes, with a cut made after 72 holes to the low 70 and ties.
To follow scores of these and other contestants throughout the week, visit LPGA.com. Daily wrap stories from the Florida sectional will be posted on both LPGA.com and duramedfuturestour.com.
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