• PGA Tour Q-School: The final stage is set
GOLFWEEK STAFFWhat: LPGA Q-School Final Stage
When: Dec. 3-7, 2008
Where: LPGA International (Legends/Champions), Daytona Beach, Fla.
Who: 140 players trying to earn or improve membership status for 2009 LPGA season
Format: There will be a 72-hole cut to low 70 players and ties; final 18 holes on Champions course. The top 40 finishers at Q-School will earn status on the LPGA in 2009:
Note: The LPGA determines eligibility for tournaments based on a
list of categories. What category a player falls into determines what
priority she has in getting into tournaments. There are 21 categories.
• Nos. 1-20: The top 20 finishers at LPGA Q-School will earn Priority in Category 11. Category 11 also includes those players who finished 81-100 on the previous year's money list.
• Nos. 21-30: Players finishing 21-30 at LPGA Q-School will fall into Category 16. Priority in this category is determined by the order of these players' finish at Q-School.
• Nos. 31-40: Players finishing 31-40 at LPGA Q-School will fall into Category 20. Priority in this category is determined by the order of these players' finish at Q-School.
New this year: Online scoring on lpga.com
• • •
Ashleigh Simon
Status: ProfessionalThe South African turned pro last year a day after her 18th birthday, then won her first Ladies European Tour event later that summer. Riding a wave of confidence heading into LPGA Q-School last year, Simon closed with bogeys on her final two holes for a 75 in the final round and missed earning exempt status by a shot. Simon, 19, returned to the Ladies European Tour and posted three top-20 finishes in 2008, including a seventh-place showing at the S4C Wales Ladies Championship. Expect a quick start from Simon at LPGA International. She’ll have to prove, however, if she can stay steady over five rounds.
• • •
Stacy Lewis
Status: ProfessionalNo one expected Stacy Lewis to be in the final group on the final day of the U.S. Women’s Open this summer. But now, after a breakthrough performance at Interlachen (T-3) and solid summer playing on sponsor exemptions (T-17 at Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic, T-28 Bell Micro LPGA Classic, T-6 at Kapalua LPGA Classic), everyone is expecting big things from the Arkansas grad at Q-School. In fact, Lewis should, too. At the 2007 NCAA Championship, she won the individual title at LPGA International. Tough to say which event holds more pressure, but if anyone can handle it, it’s Lewis.
• • •
Anna Nordqvist
Status: AmateurBesides her family and friends, no one will be paying more attention to Nordqvist’s Q-School run than her coaches and teammates at Arizona State. Should the Sun Devils junior earn one of 20 cards, Nordqvist plans to turn pro and leave ASU. And by all indications, there’s a good chance that will happen. In September, the 21-year-old Swede finished second at a sectional qualifier, four shots clear of Lewis and Michelle Wie. At ASU this fall, Nordqvist won one tournament title and finished runner-up in another, shooting under par in seven of nine rounds she played.
• • •
Jaclyn Sweeney
Status: AmateurThe Oklahoma State sophomore entered Q-School last year, but failed to reach final stage. She’s back this year and more focused than ever. Sweeney finished fourth in section qualifying in Florida, and should be rearing to go on Wednesday. A return to Stillwater, Okla., doesn’t seem likely for the 19-year-old, even if she doesn’t earn full status.
• • •
Kim Welch
Status: ProfessionalWelch earned a spot in final stage after finishing 10th in season earnings on the Duramed Futures Tour. She won her first Futures event in July and posted two other top-10 finishes in 17 total events. Welch won Golf Channel’s “Big Break: Ka’anapali” series.
• • •
Taylor Leon
Status: ProfessionalThe former Georgia and Curtis Cup star began the final round of last year’s final stage of Q-School tied for fifth. Five hours later, Leon made a triple bogey on her second-to-last hole, closed with 76 and missed earning exempt status by two shots. Still, Leon made 16 LPGA starts in ’08, making the cut in her first five events, including three top-20 finishes in a row from the end of April to mid-May. However, she only made three more cuts the rest of the year and finished 111th on the money list.
• • •
Anna Rawson
Status: ProfessionalRawson nearly forced a playoff on the final day of Q-School last year, but was stymied at the 90th hole. Four under for the day, Rawson hit her ball into a hazard and made bogey and missed earning exempt status by a shot. She made 13 LPGA starts in ’08, posting two top-15 finishes.
Posted: 12/1/2008
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