Stacy Lewis wins top card

at LPGA Tour School,

Michelle Wie jt seventh

- but she's back!

Stacy Lewis, a member of the United States' winning Curtis Cup team over the Old Course, St Andrews, last May, won the LPGA Tour Final Qualifying School over 90 holes at Daytona Beach.
The former Arkansas University student, pictured right by Cal Carson Golf Agency on the first tee at St Andrews, had rounds of 69, 66, 71, 67 and 69 for an 18-under-par total of 342, thus maintaining her impressive record since she turned professional and did well in the US Women's Open.

Michelle Wie finished joint seventh on 348 but she and her advisers will not be worrying about the position, only the fact that she has full playing rights restored for the LPGA Tour in 2009.

Only three Europeans finished in the top 20 who will be eligible to play in all the events on the world's richest women's pro golf tour.

Sophie Giquel from France finished highest - tied fourth on 347. Germany's Anja Monke made it in joint 15th position on 353 and twice British women's amateur champion Louise Stahle from Sweden regained her LPGA Tour card in joint 17th position with a total of 354.

South African Ashleigh Simon scraped in with a stroke to spare after a very good final round of 68 for 354. Her compatriot Stay Bregman blew it with a final round of 78 for 366.

The current British women's amateur champion Anna Nordqvist from Sweden will not be going back to Arizona State University. She finished tied 25th, a final round of 71 improving her position by ten places. She will get into most of the 2009 LPGA Tour events but not them all.

Spain's Tania Elosegui also gained Category 16 ranking with a total of 356.

Irish-born Alison Walshe, who played in the same US Curtis Cup team as Stacy Lewis, will be rueing a final round of 77 which left her on the same 362 mark as rising LET star Melissa Reid.

TOP 20 FINISHERS WITH FULL LPGA TOUR RIGHTS IN 2009

Par 360 (5 x 72)

342 Stacy Lewis 69 66 71 67 69.
345 Amy Yang 67 71 70 67 70.
346 Anna Grzebien 71 70 70 70 65
347 Beth Bader 73 70 69 66 69, Sophie Giquel (Fra) 72 68 69 69 69, Shiho Oyama 64 70 71 71 71 .
348 Michelle Wie 69 65 72 68 74, Lisa Strom 73 66 72 68 69.
350 Mollie Fankhauser 67 71 66 73 73.
351 Charlotte Mayorkas 75 67 66 69 74, Carolina Llano 70 70 71 70 70.
352 Mika Miyazato (am) 66 74 72 68 72, Anna Rawson 71 71 68 71 71, Jeehae Lee 68 73 69 72 70.
353 Jeanne Cho-Hunicke 71 71 69 68 74, Anja Monke (Ger) 75 66 72 71 69.
354 Louise Stahle (Swe) 74 69 73 65 73, Ashleigh Simon (SAf) 70 72 71 73 68.
355 Marcy Hart 72 70 71 71 71, Audra Burks 69 72 71 72 71.

PLAYERS FINISHED 21st to 30th AND GAINING CATEGORY 11 RANKING
356 Allison Hanna-Williams 75 71 68 70 72, Chella Choi 70 73 70 71 72, Leah Wigger 70 75 66 72 73, Nari Kim 73 71 69 73 70.
357 Anna Nordqvist (Swe) (am) 74 71 72 69 71, Angela Buzminski 76 68 73 69 71, Samantha Richdale 72 70 74 69 72, Sarah Kemp 71 77 65 72 72.
358 Christi Cano 73 70 73 68 74, Tania Elosegui (Spa) 79 66 71 69 73, Nontaya Srisawang 77 72 68 70 71, Brandi Jackson 74 69 73 70 72, Haeji Kang 75 69 71 71 72.

OTHER FINAL TOTALS INCLUDED:
360 Taylor Leon 78 69 68 71 74. (jt 40th).
361 Emma Cabrera-Bello (Spa) 74 72 72 72 71 (jt 44th).
362 Martina Eberl (Ger) 80 68 73 69 72, Alison Walsh (US/Ire) 79 72 64 70 77, Melissa Reid (Eng) 79 74 65 71 73 (jt 48th).
364 Liz Janangelo 72 74 69 73 76 (jt 61st).
366 Stacy Bregman (SAf) 72 72 74 70 78 (jt 65th).