LPGA Qualifying Tournament, Stage II
Plantation Golf and Country Club
Panther and Bobcat courses
Venice, Fla.
Third Round News & Notes
Sept. 29, 2011
Three Tied For Lead After Three Rounds Of LPGA Qualifying
VENICE, Fla., Sept. 29, 2011 – After an afternoon thunderstorm dumped heavy rain and suspended play for one hour and 42 minutes in today’s third round of the LPGA’s Stage II Qualifying Tournament, players were forced to race the setting sun to finish.
And when they did, three players moved into a share of the lead at 9-under 207. Grabbing the lead was the trio of Thidapa (“Jasmine”) Suwannapura (66) of Bangkok, Thailand, amateur Julia Boland (67) of Tamworth, Australia, and Ginger Howard (68) of Bradenton, Fla. All three played on the Panther course today at Plantation Golf and Country Club.
“I like the Bobcat course better, but today was good,” said Suwannapura, 18, who hit 15 greens in regulation today and rolled in 27 putts in her seven-birdie, single-bogey round. “I just tried to hit the ball straight, hit greens and make putts.”
Boland and Howard played together in the second-to-last group and pushed to complete their rounds. Still, the race against sunlight and the possibility of having to return to the course on Friday morning to complete the third round didn’t knock either player off track to turn in solid numbers.
Howard was bogey-free in her round with four birdies and brought a comfort level of living less than an hour away into this week’s event. While others not familiar with Bermuda-grass greens have struggled with putting, Howard felt right at home.
“I was solid and I like the way I putted today,” said Howard, 17, who needed 27 putts in today’s round. “I made some good up and downs for par saves. I got it done.”
Boland, who has won three college tournaments as a member of the Texas A&M University team, is here this week hoping to gain playing status for 2012. Her round today moved her a step closer to that goal.
One shot off the lead at 8-under 208 is second-round leader Stephanie Na (72) of Adelaide, Australia, and rookie pro Junthima (“Numa”) Gulyanamitta (71) of Rayong, Thailand.
Stephanie Connelly (68) of Pasadena, Md., Hannah Yun (71) of Bradenton, Fla., and Lizette Salas (72) of Azusa, Calif., are tied at 6-under 210.
Thirty-three players are under par and 42 players are at even-par 216 or better after three rounds in the LPGA’s second stage of qualifying.
Friday’s final round of the LPGA Qualifying Tournament Stage II will begin at 7:45 a.m., off the first and tenth tees of both the Bobcat and Panther courses at Plantation Golf and Country Club. The leaders will tee off at 1:20 p.m., on the Bobcat course.
The event is the second of the three-part annual qualifying tournament held to determine 2012 membership on both the LPGA and LPGA Futures Tour. This year marks the first time the two tours will run joint Q-schools and the first time all of the qualifying events will be staged in the state of Florida.
The qualifying tournament returns to Plantation Golf and Country Club, which has hosted a stage of LPGA Qualifying for the last 23 years. This week’s LPGA Stage II Qualifying Tournament will be contested over 72 holes without a 36-hole cut. The top 70 and ties from Stage II will advance into the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament (Stage III). All other players will receive 2012 LPGA Futures Tour status.
The LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament (Stage III) will be contested over 90 h
Full Article: LPGA.com News & Entertainment
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