SOUTH BEND, Ind. —Team Canada member, Augusta James, sits T6 after the first round of the Four Winds Invitational. She carded a 4-under 68, putting her just two strokes behind the lead, firing five birdies and one bogey.
Sitting one stroke behind James is Samantha Richdale (68) with a share of 12th.
For two hours and 33 minutes this afternoon the Four Winds Invitational was under a weather delay, but it didn’t stop Samantha Wagner (Windermere, Florida) and Dana Finkelstein (Chandler, Arizona) from escaping a finish in the dark as co-leaders.
Each player shot 6-under par 66 to head into the second round atop the leaderboard. Just like both found a different way to that mark, they also have different backgrounds on the road to the LPGA Tour.
Finkelstein was a 2016 Symetra Tour graduate and today, signed a bogey-free card. Wagner is a Symetra Tour rookie, who surrendered one bogey and used seven birdies to join Finkelstein in looking down on the rest of the 144-player field heading into round two at Blackthorn Golf Club.
“I definitely think this helps getting settled a little more,” said Wagner, a University of Florida alumna. “This is the first time I’ve shot more than I think 2-under on the Symetra Tour this year. I’m a pretty aggressive player as it is, so just keep doing what I’m doing because it’s working.”
Meanwhile, one-shot back at 5-under par is a group of three players, including Louise Stahle (Lund, Sweden), Pavarisa Yoktuan (Nakhon Is Thammarat, Thailand) and Leslie Cloots (Antwerp, Belgium).
Similar to Wagner and Finkelstein, the path to this point for Stahle, Yoktuan and Cloots is quite contrasting.
Stahle turned pro in 2006 and has spent time on the LPGA, as well as Ladies European Tour (LET). The veteran fired six birdies with one bogey today.
“You’ve got some great players out here and there’s a lot of good competition,” Stahle said. “I think it’s getting tougher every year. I remember when I started, I thought it was tough then, but it’s getting really competitive. The main focus is to get back to playing LPGA, and Symetra Tour is a great way to get there.”
For Yoktuan, two bogeys and seven birdies helped her shoot 67. Coming back from a week off, she turned in this performance with brand-new Callaway irons and wedges, as well as putter. It also came at a good time health-wise.
“In North Carolina I had a wrist injury and it hurt,” said Yoktuan. “I’m recovering and it’s getting better. As I’ve healed, I’ve continued to play better and just keep going.”
Finally, Cloots started working with new coach Patrick Kelley in February. He is based out of Durham, N.C., at Old Chatham Golf Club, and the work the two have put in definitely showed today with results that included eight birdies.
“Totally different swing, kind of starting over,” Cloots said. “I had a lot of basics already set, but it’s really nice because before I thought it was a quick fix. With Patrick, we always work on the same things and just expand on it. I feel like I’m finally getting it on the course.”
A total of 66 players are at 1-under par or better after the first round. Day two gets underway tomorrow at 7:30 a.m. with players going off No. 1 and No. 10 tees.
POTTSTOWN, Pa. — Christina Foster was the top Canadian finish at the Symestra Tour Valley Forge Invitational.
The Toronto, Ont. native put in a strong effort with five birdies, but struggled after making three bogeys on holes 5,9 and 17. Foster ended the tournament in eighth after an overall score of 203 (67-67-69).
Entering today’s final round, Louise Ridderström (Stocksund, Sweden) was three shots off the lead, but a competitive course record 8-under par 63 at Raven’s Claw Golf Club this afternoon propelled her to victory at the inaugural Valley Forge Invitational.
“It’s pretty amazing,” Ridderström said smiling after her first Symetra Tour win. “Even before the round, I knew I had a chance. After I made a birdie on No. 9 and I was 5-under after nine holes, I was like, ‘I have a pretty good chance now.’ In the same way, I was trying to think just stick to what I’m doing.”
Ridderström finished at 16-under par overall and the 8-under score today was a career-low round, besting her previous mark of 6-under set in the second round yesterday.
With friends by her side and the Swedish Women’s National Team coaching staff in attendance, Ridderström turned in a round for the ages. However, it all came back to one message she recited to herself throughout the final round.
“Winning is hard, but if it’s your turn, then it’s your turn. I was telling myself that all day,” said Ridderström, who won by four strokes. “My one and only goal today was to concentrate on myself and try to hit the best shot that I could possibly hit every single shot. It was just one shot at a time and I think I stuck pretty well to that.”
Exactly one week ago, a fellow Swede in Jenny Haglund (Karlstad, Sweden) won the Symetra Classic in Davidson, N.C., at River Run Country Club. On the bag for the sudden-death playoff was Ridderström.
The experience may have just provided the motivation she was looking for.
“Of course, and it made me so happy to see her win,” Ridderström said. “She is a good friend and we also drove all the way from Davidson to here. We talked and I told her it was so amazing because she won a Ladies European Tour (LET) event just a few weeks ago, too. She was like, ‘If I can do it, you can do it too.’ Seeing her win was very inspirational.”
It’s no coincidence then that Haglund was one of the first players standing on No. 18 green today waiting to congratulate Ridderström, and douse her with water.
“I saw her on top of the leaderboard the whole day,” said Haglund. “That was really exciting and I’m really happy for her. She’s working extremely hard, so it’s great.”
Two weeks off now sit in front of Ridderström, who will travel back to Sweden to attend her sister’s high school graduation. In that time, the winning feeling and how her game has developed is sure not to go anywhere.
“I don’t get to see them very often and to see my sister graduate means a lot to me,” Ridderström said. “I’m not going to lose the momentum. If anything, this gave me more confidence and even more desire to go out and practice and get even better. Now I know it’s possible to win.”
WEARN FINISHES TIED FOR SECOND
For 36-hole leader Laura Wearn (Charlotte, N.C.), today’s final round in the inaugural Valley Forge Invitational was a tough pill to swallow.
Wearn carded a 1-under par 70 and finished tied for second with Min-G Kim (Cheongju, Republic of Korea) at 12-under par overall, four shots back of winner Louise Ridderström.
“Obviously there is disappointment, not necessarily in where I finished, but I was hoping to play well today,” said Wearn. “I don’t think I had my best game, but Louise went out there and won it. Congratulations to her, she had an awesome tournament. She’s a great person and a great player.”
After 18 holes today, Wearn saw four bogeys, three birdies and an eagle on the scorecard. However, following the first two rounds, it was not the performance she was looking for.
“I guess some days you just don’t have your best game,” said Wearn. “I tried to be patient, so hopefully next time I’m in this position I can have a better result. The putts didn’t drop and I didn’t hit the same shots I hit the first couple days.”
Even so, there is plenty of positives to take from her week at Raven’s Claw Golf Club, especially heading into the week off for the Furman University alumna.
“I felt like I was struggling coming into this event,” Wearn said. “To post 12-under is a big confidence booster, motivating me to work harder. Hopefully I can have some good results the rest of the year and finish well.”
VOLVIK RACE FOR THE CARD UPDATE
After the Valley Forge Invitational, there was some changes to the Volvik Race for the Card top-10, including newcomer Louise Ridderström who catapulted up the standings from No. 24 to No. 7 with the win.
The victory earned Ridderström a $15,000 winner’s share, to move her to $23,064 earned in six events.
“To win and find myself in the top-10 on the Volvik Race for the Card all in one day is spectacular,” said Ridderström. “Now I will need to focus even more to improve my game and hopefully improve my spot in the rankings.”
Meanwhile, Nos. 1-4 did not change. Jenny Haglund maintained her position in the top spot by finishing tied for fourth today at 11-under par overall to receive $4,169. The rest of the group in order pitsDottie Ardina (Laguna, Philippines), Elizabeth Szokol (Winnetka, Illinois) and Vicky Hurst (Melbourne, Florida).
Furthermore, Stephanie Meadow (Jordanstown, Northern Ireland) and rookie Pajaree Anannarukarn (Bangkok, Thailand) flipped positions, with Meadow moving up to No. 5 and Anannarukarn moving down to No. 6.
Meadow went 7-under par in today’s final round to finish tied for eighth at 10-under par overall, while Anannarukarn ended tied for 34th at 3-under overall.
“It’s great momentum for the rest of the year because I didn’t put it together the first two days, but I did the last,” Meadow said. “I’m happy to move up one place and will now get some rest to be rejuvenated for the June stretch.”
Finally, behind Ridderström from Nos. 8-10 is Lauren Kim (Los Altos, California), Charlotte Thomas (Guildford, England) and Linnea Ström (Hovas, Sweden), respectively.
Kelowna, B.C. natives Megan Osland and Samantha Richdale finished T34 and T58, respectively.
POTTSTOWN, Pa. — Canada’s own Christina Foster continued to make a strong showing during the second round of the Symetra Tour Valley Forge Invitational at Raven’s Claw Golf Club.
Foster, a native of Toronto, Ont., shot five birdies and two bogeys to head into the final day tied for fourth with Louise Ridderstrom, Desiree Dubreuil and Demi Runas at 8-under par. The 22-year-old will be looking to add a second top-10 finish on the Symetra Tour to her T8 finish at the Sara Bay Classic in April of 2017.
Fellow Canadians Megan Osland and Samantha Richdale also advance to the final day after carding second round scores of 4-under and even-par, respectively.
From 18-hole co-leader to 36-hole solo leader, Furman University alumna Laura Wearn (Charlotte, N.C.) heads into tomorrow’s Valley Forge Invitational final round with a one-shot lead at 11-under par overall.
In today’s second round, Wearn signed a bogey-free scorecard that included three birdies and an eagle on No. 10. That proved to be the momentum boost she needed and exclamation mark of her afternoon.
“I think I had a lot of similar shots today,” said Wearn. “Yesterday, I felt like I putted better and so I knew I could do it. The front nine I had to be really patient because I didn’t see many putts drop. On the back nine, once I made the putt on 10, had a really great finish.”
Just one-shot back of Wearn is Charlotte Thomas (Guildford, England), currently No. 9 in the Volvik Race for the Card. The former University of Washington standout also went bogey-free today, only firing a 6-under par 65 by way of six birdies.
“I was in the lead through the first round in Atlanta at the beginning of this [four-week] stretch,” said Thomas, who has her mother Fleur on the bag this week and father Chris also in attendance. “I think I learned a lot from that, not winning that event. Hopefully I can take what I learned there and use that tomorrow.”
The third piece to the final pairing for the final round at Raven’s Claw Golf Club is Jenny Coleman (Rolling Hills Estates, California). She nearly went bogey-free as well, except for a hiccup on No. 13.
Otherwise, six birdies paved the way for Coleman to sit in solo third at 9-under par overall entering the last day.
“It feels pretty good consistently playing well these past two rounds, and this whole season so far” Coleman said. “It’s a ball striker’s golf course. If you miss, you’re going to be in the lush, thick rough.”
Also in contention is a group of five players at 8-under par, with one of them being Demi Runas (Torrance, California). The 2014 Symetra Tour graduate was another individual who found her way to a bogey-free day, firing 4-under par 67.
“I actually played a practice round on the front nine, then the back nine I ended up just walking,” said Runas. “I noticed there’s a lot more target golf on the back nine. When I approached it, I thought the front nine was going to be scoreable and the back nine will be pick your target on the tee shots and give yourself a good position to hit into the green. That’s what I took into the last two days. Ironically, I’ve played better on the back nine than the front nine.”
The contrasting setup between the two just might serve as the deciding factor of who comes away victorious tomorrow in Pottstown. Meanwhile, after 36 holes, exactly 60 players made the cut of even par and will compete in the final round.
POTTSTOWN, Pa. — The 132-player field for the inaugural Valley Forge Invitational set fire to Raven’s Claw Golf Club today, as 48 competitors sit at 1-under par or better after the first round.
Canada’s own Christina Foster carded a 4-under 67 after a stellar bogey-free first round. The Toronto, Ont. product, who made her professional debut at the 2015 US Women’s Open, fired four birdies to end the day tied for third, two-strokes shy of the lead.
Leading the way is rookie Pajaree Anannarukarn (Bangkok, Thailand) and Laura Wearn (Charlotte, N.C.), both at 6-under par. For Wearn, she avoided complete disaster on No. 11—and the rest of her round, for that matter—by salvaging a double bogey. Otherwise, today was very kind to the fourth year pro.
“Everything started out really well, I birdied my first two holes and had a couple chances after that,” said Wearn, who recorded eight birdies in the round. “When I got to 11, tee shot ran a bit through the fairway. It was a tough one to swallow, but came back with a birdie on 12. That got me rolling again.”
Meanwhile, Anannarukarn was sharp once again. The 18-year-old has recorded three top-10 finishes in her first four career Symetra Tour starts and is right on her way to another. Currently No. 5 in the Volvik Race for the Card, Anannarukarn went bogey-free to card a 65, courtesy of six birdies.
“I was striking the ball very well and I’m really happy with the result,” Anannarukarn said. “The pin positions were in a very good line for me. I felt confident with it and my irons are working well, so it helped a lot.”
Wearn and Anannarukarn take a two-shot lead into the second round. Sitting in a tie for third at 4-under par is a group of eight players. In total, 67 individuals are even par or better.
Although plenty of low scores filled the leaderboard, the cumulative average score for the first round was 71.879, slightly above par.
“I think there’s going to be some low scores out here everyday,” Wearn said. “The greens are rolling really well and the balls are stopping. I saw a lot of good shots from the girls in my group and I think everybody out there is going to take advantage of the birdie holes.”
With 28 different countries represented in the field this week, six nations have at least one player in the top-10. Second round action gets underway tomorrow at 7 a.m. ET and all play will begin off No. 1 tee.
HAGLUND WITHIN STRIKING DISTANCE
Coming off her first Symetra Tour win at the rain-shortened Symetra Classic, Jenny Haglund (Karlstad, Sweden) continued the momentum in the first round of the Valley Forge Invitational with a 5-under par 31 on the front nine today at Raven’s Claw Golf Club.
“I started out really well, hit a lot of shots close. I didn’t have to hole any long putts, so I didn’t put any pressure on myself,” said Haglund.
Meanwhile, coming in, the Southern Methodist University (SMU) product found her way to three bogeys and two birdies for a 1-over par 36 back nine.
“At the end, we kind of waited a lot so I lost some focus and made a few bad decisions where I didn’t commit to my target and pick the right club,” Haglund said. “Overall, it was a good day.”
This isn’t unfamiliar territory for the Sweden native. After the first round at River Run Country Club in Davidson, N.C., for the Symetra Classic, Haglund trailed by four strokes. However, she has now found the formula for what it takes to win out here on Tour.
Furthermore, the way that Raven’s Claw Golf Club is setup has her attention because it resembles many courses back in her home country.
“It fits my eye, definitely. I like the grass and it’s more like home, it’s not Bermuda,” Haglund said laughingly. “That’s always nice. Pretty wide off the tee and not that long either, so you’re going to have a lot of short irons into the greens.”
Watch out for Haglund when she begins the second round tomorrow at 1:14 p.m. ET, as she continues to pursue a second straight Symetra Tour win.
Three Canadians — Elizabeth Tong of Thonhill, Ont., Samantha Richdale of Calgary, Alta., Megan Osland of Kelowna, B.C. — posted an even-par 71. Fellow Canadians playing in the tournament include Augusta James of Bath, Ont. (+2), Jennifer Ha of Calgary, Alta. (+4) and Anna Young (+6).
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — Canadian Brittany Marchand of Orangeville, Ont., put up her third consecutive strong round to finish in solo 3rd after a 3-under 69 in Sunday’s final round of Florida’s Natural Charity Classic.
Marchand, 25, fell just short in her bid for a second career Symetra Tour title, finishing three strokes back in the fog-delayed season opener at the Country Club of Winter Haven. The Team Canada Young Pro Squad member posted a string of three straight birdies to momentarily hold the lead at 7 under par. It didn’t last long though, as Marchand slipped with back-to-back bogeys on Nos. 6 and 7.
She gave way to champion Lauren Kim, who closed the 54-hole event at 10 under par (69-74-63). The only thing that kept her from a real low number, Marchand said, was her putter.
“Backed her up with a couple bogeys, couple three putts. Just a little aggressive on the putting,” said Marchand. “I still felt like I knew I was hitting it well. I tried to erase those and had a little shaky middle. Gave myself a few more opportunities on the back. Another three-putt on No. 16, which is killer. I made three three-putts and shot three-under. There’s potential for sure.”
Performing as well as she did in the first tournament of the year, Marchand has plenty to build on.
“You can’t do anything about Lauren,” Marchand said with a smile on her face. “That’s just amazing. I’m happy with how I came out. I shot better today than I did the last two days. I just wanted to be able to play a solid round and let the chips fall where they did.”
Fellow Canadian Samantha Richdale fell out of contention after a 1-over-par 73. The 2016 champion and Kelowna, B.C., resident finished at 2 under in a tie for 11th.
Elizabeth Tong of Thornhill, Ont., finished T54 at 8 over par (72-75-77).
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WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — Team Canada Young Pro Squad member Brittany Marchand was a model of consistency on Saturday, carding her second straight 70 (-2) to hold a share of 3rd place at Florida’s Natural Charity Classic.
Marchand, 25, tallied three birdies at the Country Club of Winter Haven against one bogey on the par-3 6th to sit at 4 under in the 54-hole event, one stroke off the lead. The Orangeville, Ont., native will look to collect her second career Symetra title on Sunday—she’ll tee it up at 1:10 p.m.
Not far off is fellow countrywoman Samantha Richdale, who trails Marchand by one stroke at 3 under par (70-71). The Kelowna, B.C., product is chasing her second trophy at Florida’s Natural Charity Classic—she took home the 2016 title with a thrilling come-from-behind victory.
In total, 60 individuals made the cut of 5-over par and six countries are represented in the top-10. Final round play begins at 8:30 a.m. with players going off No. 1 tee in twosomes.
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WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — The Canadian duo of Samantha Richdale and Brittany Marchand opened the Symetra Tour season on a high note, posting 2-under-par 70s on Friday to sit three strokes off the lead at Florida’s Natural Charity Classic.
Richdale, the 2016 champion at this event, will take to the Country Club of Winter Haven in Saturday’s second round at 9:32 a.m. local time. The Kelowna, B.C., product is paired with Emily Penttilä and Nicole Sakamoto.
LPGA Tour rookie Brittany Marchand of Orangeville, Ont., tees off at 1:39 p.m. in chase of her second Symetra Tour win. The Team Canada Young Pro Squad member captured the 2017 PHC Classic.
The pair are trailing leaders Louise Ridderström (Stocksund, Sweden) and Hyemin Kim (Seoul, Republic of Korea), who are tied at 5 under par.
Fellow Canadians Elizabeth Tong (Thornhill, Ont.) and Augusta James (Bath, Ont.) sit inside the cut line at even par and 2 over, respectively.
Second round action gets underway at 8:15 a.m. with players going off both No. 1 and No. 10 tees. Following the completion of round two, a cut will be made to the low 60 players and ties.
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The Symetra Tour is set to make a tournament stop in 2018 at a member course of the TPC Network operated by the PGA TOUR, as TPC River’s Bend will host the Prasco Charity Championship from Friday, June 29 through Sunday, July 1.
Playing an event at a course owned and operated by the PGA TOUR will be a first in the history of women’s professional golf.
“Competing at a PGA TOUR venue is an important step in the growth of women’s golf and demonstrates how our relationship with the PGA TOUR continues to pay dividends for our members,” said LPGA Tour Commissioner Mike Whan. “As our players continue to prepare for the LPGA Tour, we are thrilled that they will have the opportunity to compete at TPC River’s Bend, an outstanding championship golf course.”
Designed by Arnold Palmer, TPC River’s Bend opened in 2001 as a Golf Digest “Top 10 Best New Private Courses in the U.S.” and has been consistently recognized by the publication as one of Ohio’s “Best Courses in State” from 2005 to 2011, as well as 2015 and 2016. The course’s par-72 layout overlooks the historic Little Miami River, 25 miles northeast of Cincinnati. Complementing the golf course is an expansive TOUR-caliber, 12-acre practice facility featuring multiple chipping and putting areas.
TPC River’s Bend has been the site of several professional tournaments, including the PGA TOUR Champions Kroger Classic between 2002 and 2004, and the Chiquita Classic on the Web.com Tour from 2010 to 2012.
“The PGA TOUR is excited to welcome the LPGA’s Symetra Tour to TPC River’s Bend in 2018,” said PGA TOUR Chief Operating Officer Ron Price. “Everyone involved in this partnership is committed to helping grow the game. Having the LPGA compete at a TPC is a testament to that and the growing collaboration between our two organizations.”
In addition to hosting professional events, TPC River’s Bend was home to the 2017 Big Ten Women’s Golf Championships and will be again in 2018.
“I am super excited to hear we will be playing in southern Ohio where there is so much passion for golf, and especially women’s athletics,” said Dayton native and current Symetra Tour player Emma Jandel, also a former two-time Second-Team All-Big Ten selection for Ohio State University (2008, 2010). “The community will be extremely supportive and welcoming of the new event. Personally, I just can’t wait to play what is a sort of ‘home game’ for me.”
The event’s title sponsor—Prasco Laboratories—is also looking forward to having the Symetra Tour make a stop in southwest Ohio.
“Partnering with the Symetra Tour is a strategic fit for Prasco, as our values align closely with the Tour’s commitment to give back to local communities,” said Chris Arington, Prasco’s CEO. “We are pleased to bring women’s professional golf back to the Cincinnati area.”
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Three new tournaments highlight the release of the preliminary 2018 Symetra Tour schedule that will feature at least 22 tournaments and a minimum of $3 million in prize money for the third straight year. Other events are being pursued and may still be added before the start of the season.
The schedule will start with the inaugural SGIC Kickoff Classic in Clearwater, Fla., at Feather Sound Country Club from March 9-11, one of three new tournaments for 2018. May 24-26 will see the first playing of the Valley Forge Invitational at Raven’s Claw Golf Club in Montgomery County, Penn., a suburb of Philadelphia. The third new event that has been secured will be announced at a later date.
“We are very excited to once again be adding new tournaments to the Symetra Tour schedule,” said Mike Nichols, Chief Business Officer for the Symetra Tour. “It shows that the interest in women’s professional golf continues to grow, allowing us to bring the Tour to new cities.”
In addition to three new tournaments, the Insurance Office of America (IOA) will expand their title sponsor portfolio from two events to three. The IOA Championship stays in Beaumont, Calif., April 6-8. The new addition will be May 4-6 for the IOA Invitational at the Atlanta National Golf Club in Milton, Ga., a past Symetra Tour venue. The final event of the trio is the IOA Classic in Longwood, Fla., set for September 28-30.
Another unique aspect to the Symetra Tour schedule—the Potawatomi Cup—is back for a fifth straight year in 2018. The seventh annual Four Winds Invitational from June 8-10 is the first of four Symetra Tour events on the schedule sponsored by Potawatomi nation tribes. The other three are the Island Resort Championship (June 22-24) in Harris, Mich., the PHC Classic (August 10-12) in Milwaukee, Wis., and the FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship (August 17-19) in Battle Creek, Mich. A $40,000 unofficial money purse is available to players based on a points system for the four events.
“Our partnerships with both IOA and the Potawatomi nation tribes are the backbone of the Symetra Tour schedule, now representing a total of seven events,” Nichols said. “Year in and year out, they continue to exceed expectations, and the players love the atmosphere each creates at their events.”
The Country Club of Winter Haven will host the 10th annual Florida’s Natural Charity Classic in week two of the season from March 16-18. Another staple to the tour schedule—the Symetra Classic—returns to the Charlotte, N.C. area with a Saturday finish (May 17-19).
Several other tournaments that return on the Symetra Tour schedule include: Self Regional Healthcare Foundation Women’s Health Classic in Greenwood, S.C. (Links at Stoney Point, May 10-13); Decatur-Forsyth Classic in Decatur, Ill. (Hickory Point Golf Course, June 15-17); a Saturday finish in Indiana at the French Lick Resort (July 12-14); Danielle Downey Credit Union Classic in Rochester, N.Y. (Brook Lea Country Club, July 19-22); Fuccillo Kia Classic of NY (Capital Hills at Albany, July 27-29); Sioux Falls GreatLIFE Challenge in Sioux Falls, S.D. (Willow Run Golf Club, Aug. 30-Sept. 2); Garden City Charity Classic in Garden City, Kan. (Buffalo Dunes Golf Club, Sept. 7-9); and the Guardian Championship in Prattville, Ala. (Capitol Hill Golf Club, Sept. 21-23).
“The 2018 schedule offers plenty of challenging venues, both new and familiar,” said Nichols. “Every year our goal remains the same — provide the best qualifying tour in the world for rising female stars to sharpen their skills and ready themselves for the LPGA Tour.”
The season will conclude with the Symetra Tour Championship at LPGA International in Daytona Beach from October 4-7 and features the largest purse of the year on Tour at $225,000. In total, the Symetra Tour will visit 16 different states throughout the 2018 season. Florida once again leads with four tournaments, while Michigan and Indiana each check in with two.
Every year since 2008, the top 10 players on the Symetra Tour official season money list are awarded LPGA Tour membership. In 2017, three players topped the $100,000 plateau for the first time in Symetra Tour history. Benyapa Niphatsophon was the head of the class earning $124,492 without a victory, a testament to her consistency. Hannah Green ($113,880) and Celine Boutier ($112,044) followed closely behind Niphatsophon.
In addition, the 2017 season was a great one for 2016 Symetra Tour graduates. Madelene Sagstrom, the first player in Symetra Tour history to earn greater than $100,000 when she set the standard with $167,064 earned in 2016, was selected by Team Europe captain Annika Sorenstam to compete in the 2017 Solheim Cup. Eight of the 10 rookies finished inside the top 110 on the LPGA Tour official season money list, and five of the graduates (ranked in the top 70) are competing in the CME Group Tour Championship.
Canada’s Elizabeth Tong of Thornhill, Ont., was the lone Canadian to advance from the Stage II of LPGA Qualifying School at the Plantation Golf & Country Club in Venica, Fla.
From the brink, to the wrong side, Elizabeth Tong (Thornhill, Canada) entered the final round in a tie for 85th, knowing she had to improve her standing if she wanted to finish inside the top 80 to advance to Stage III.
“I fixed something on the range, which really helped so I could hit the ball straight,” Tong said. “I was like, ‘Don’t be scared to be aggressive because once you do that, you’re going to start making bogeys.’ That was the plan.”
Tong shot a 3-under on Sunday to finish 4-over for Stage II. That was good enough to finish tied for 55th.
“It’s actually my first time at Stage III,” said Tong. “That’s exciting in itself. I’ve played both of those courses before, so it won’t be totally foreign.”
The top 80 and ties from Stage II advanced to Stage III. All in all, 82 individuals fired plus-7 or better to advance to the final stage from Nov. 27 – Dec. 3 in Daytona Beach, including Yadloczky, Sepmoree, and Tong.
Players that did not finish in the top 80 will still have Symetra Tour membership for the 2018 season, including Canadians Megan Osland (Kelowna, B.C.), Christina Foster (Toronto), Brogan McKinnon (Mississauga, Ont.) and Anna Young (Saskatoon, Sask.).
