Sofie Andersson leads in Futures

Tour major with four-under 68

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY US DURAMED FUTURES TOUR
Finally, Sofie Andersson was smiling. And after a slow start this season, the Swede put up a number for everybody else to chase in today's first round of the $125,000 Michelob ULTRA Duramed FUTURES Players Championship.
Andersson carded a five-under-par 67 at Hickory Point Golf Club in the morning tee times to take a one-shot lead over the trio of rookie Rebecca Kim of Tigard, Ore., first-day pro Amanda Blumenherst of Scottsdale, Ariz., and Kim Welch of Sacramento, Calif., who all posted scores of 4-under 68 in the opening round of the 25th annual tournament.
"Last week, I went to dinner in Iowa and there was a guy there who said, 'Yeah, Swedes are really patient,' and I said, 'Not so much,'" laughed Andersson, a third-year professional out of Angelholm, Sweden. "But finally, I'm striking the ball the way I want to strike it."
Andersson made peace with her driver, needed only 27 putts and played a five-birdie, bogey-free round that looked radically different than the start of her season. In her first five events this year, she missed two of her first four tournament cuts and wondered what had happened to the game that gave her a 2007 tournament win in her rookie season. But Andersson turned the corner last week in Iowa with a tie for seventh and showed up in Illinois with new resolve. And rekindled patience.
"I kept it simple today," she said. "Fairways and greens."
Kim and Blumenherst also played in the morning before the afternoon wind kicked up and a 20-minute rain with dark skies threatened to spoil Blumenherst's pro debut. Kim, who left Duke University early to turn pro, stayed patient through her one-birdie front nine. There were plenty of chances, but the putts would not drop. On the back nine, her putter warmed up and she carded four birdies and one bogey to take the early lead.
"I hit every green on the back nine and I thought that eventually, something would drop," said Kim, 20, playing in only her second Duramed FUTURES Tour event this year. "They did."
All eyes were on Blumenherst, the three-time NCAA Player of the Year from Duke, who arrived in Decatur this week as Nike's newest sponsored rising star. She birdied two holes on her first nine, shaking off a case of first-day nerves after her opening hole. The rest of the round was the kind of golf that made Blumenherst an All-American for the Blue Devils and the 2008 U.S. Women's Amateur champion.
"I was nervous this morning, but I recognized almost everyone here and that gave me a comfort level," said Blumenherst, who finished the day with five birdies, one bogey, three par saves and a heap of confidence.
"My uncle [Bill Blumenherst, her caddie] helped calm my nerves and I was ready to go after I got up and down [for par] on the first hole. It's great to start out my professional career under par."
Welch had the low score for the windier afternoon tee times to move into a share of second. Like Andersson, Welch owns one tournament win (in 2008) on the Duramed FUTURES Tour and is itching to add another. Moreover, the talented long hitter from California, who won 11 times while at Washington State University, has had the same slow start as the Swede – missing two cuts and not cracking the top 10 until her fifth tournament last week in Iowa. Today's bogey-free round featured 14 greens in regulation and 28 putts.
"We had some time off in our schedule, so I spent two weeks clearing my head to start believing in myself again," said Welch, a current LPGA Tour member who also won the Golf Channel's "Big Break Ka'anapali" show last year. "This is a long week with 72 holes, so to get off to a good start feels good."
One shot back in the Tour's only major championship at 3-under-par 69 are rookie Pornanong Phatlum of Chaiyaphum, Thailand, rookie Jane Chin of Mission Viejo, Calif., Lisa Ferrero of Lodi, Calif., Christi Cano of San Antonio and Nicole Hage of Coral Springs, Fla.
"Last week, I was expecting too much from myself," said Chin, playing in her second tournament as a professional after an All-American college career at the University of California-Irvine. "I learned that I had to play like I played in college, one shot at a time."
Phatlum, 19, a four-time winner on the Asian Ladies Golf Tour, said her performance today resembled how she has played since age 16 as a pro in Asia.
"I feel relaxed and I really like this golf course," said Phatlum, who needed only 27 putts today. "My drives were good, so I didn't get into trouble. That makes it easier."
A total of 44 players finished under par after today's first round – a fact that did not surprise Tour veteran Ferrero.
"This is a shoot-out kind of golf course where a lot of birdies can be made," said Ferrero, the former LPGA Tour member who is still looking for her first professional win. "There's a low number out there."
Friday's second round will begin at 7:50 a.m., off the first and tenth tees, with the afternoon tee times starting at 12:30 p.m.
For scores and more information, visit duramedfuturestour.com.
Weather: Mostly cloudy with temperatures dropping from the mid-70s in the morning to the mid-60s in the afternoon with mid-day rain and afternoon wind between 10-12 mph.
LEADING FIRST-ROUND SCORES
Hickory Point golf course, Decatur, Illinois.
6594-yard, par 36-36 - 72
67 Sofie Andersson (Angelholm, Sweden) 35-32.
68 Rebecca Kim (Tigard, Ore.) 35-33.
68 Amanda Blumenherst (Scottsdale, Ariz.) 34-34.
68 Kim Welch (Sacramento, Calif.) 33-35.
69 Pornanong Phatlum (Chaiyaphum, Thailand) 34-35.
69 Jane Chin (Mission Viejo, Calif.) 34-35.
69 Lisa Ferrero (Lodi, Calif.) 33-36.
69 Christi Cano (San Antonio, Texas) 33-36.
69 Nicole Hage (Coral Springs, Fla.) 33-36.
Selected scores
70 Alison Walshe (Westford, Mass.) 36-34.
71 Pernilla Lindberg (Bollnas, Sweden) 36-35.
71 Dewi Claire Schreefel (Diepenveen, Netherland 37-34.
73 Maria Hernandez (Pamplona, Spain) 39-34.
76 Elisa Serramia (Barcelona, Spain) 37-39.