Six ALPG Members at 2012 LPGA Qualifying - Final Results
Australians Breanna Elliott, Frances Bondad, Inhong Lim and Stephanie Na have come agonisingly close but finished just outside the top 20 exempted players following Sunday’s final round of the Qualifying School for the 2013 LPGA season.
Elliott, entering her first qualifying school as an amateur, closed with an impressive 3 under par 69 to ultimately finish in a tie with six others, for 17th place. This meant that the seven would play off, in a cumulative then, if required, sudden death format to determine the four leading scores. After completing the first three holes in even par, the 22 year old Victorian was one of four players required to continue into sudden death, with two spots remaining. After Americans Irene Cho and Nicole Jeray made their birdies at the fifth playoff hole, Elliott faced a four foot birdie putt to stay alive but, unfortunately, the ball slipped out of the hole and her bid was over.
Elliott holds first conditional card in Priority List Category 17 (21-45 from Qualifying School) and will earn starts in a limited number of events in 2013.
Frances Bondad (tied 24th) closed her fifth round with a 2 under par 70 to fall one short of the playoff but also holds conditional status for limited events whilst Stephanie Na and Inhong Lim (both T39) are further down the list in Category 17.
Cathryn Bristow missed the 72 hole cut whilst Kristie Smith withdrew after the third round.
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Six ALPG members will be vying for a card on the 2013 LPGA Tour at this week`s LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament.
Breanna Elliott (amateur) , Frances Bondad , Cathryn Bristow, Inhong Lim and Stephanie Na all qualified through Stage II, whilst Kristie Smith qualified courtesy of her top 20 finish on the Symetra Tour money list.
They will be competing along with 116 other hopefuls for full membership on the 2013 LPGA tour. The LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament is to be played over five rounds, 90 holes over the LPGA International, Champions and Legends courses in Daytona Beach, Florida . Commencing Wednesday (US time) the field will be cut to the low 70 players and ties after 72 holes. Players making the cut will compete in Sunday`s final round on the Champions course with the top 20 qualifiers earning their category 12 status (full exempt tour status) whilst players who finish 21 through 45 and ties will earn category 17 membership (conditional status).
Headlining this year’s field is four time Ladies European Tour winner and 2011 Solheim cup team member Melissa Reid of Derby, England; LPGA Veterans and former U.S Solheim Cup Teammates Christina Kim and Laura Diaz who are seeking a top 20 finish to re - earn their tour cards; Japan`s Chie Arimura who sits 19th on the Rolex rankings and LET winner, Germany `s number one player Caroline Masson.
ALPG Players:
Breanna Elliott: 2012 National Amateur Squad Member & member of the Australian Team which finished 3rd at the recent Espirito Santo Trophy in Turkey. Shot a 7 under par 65 on route to an 8th place finish in Stage 3 of Qualifying
Frances Bondad: Turned professional in 2007, playing 5th year on Ladies European Tour. Winner of 2011 Sanya Ladies Open in China. A 3 time runner up on ALPG Tour.
Stephanie Na: Turned professional in 2009 when number one ranked amateur in Australia. 3 top 6 finished on ALPG Tour including T4 in 2012 New Zealand Women`s Open
Kristie Smith: Turned professional in 2008. Two time winner on ALPG Tour including 2010 ActewAGL Royal Canberra Ladies Classic and 2011 New Zealand Women`s Open. Three time winner on Symetra Tour. Runner-up Deutsche Bank Swiss Open
Inhong Lim: Attended Ohio State University before turning professional in 2011. Played rookie season on Symetra and ALPG Tour, resides in Melbourne. 2 time NCAA All American Scholar.
Cathryn Bristow: Represented New Zealand twice in 2008 before turning professional. Won the Symetra Tour`s 2011 Pennsylvania Classic and winner of ALPG Tour`s 2012 Moss Vale Pro-am.