REPORT FROM US FUTURES TOUR

Choi goes two shots clear with eight-under 64

in New England Golf Classic

NEWS RELEASE FROM THE US DURAMED FUTURES TOUR
By LISA D MICKEY
After six attempts in LPGA Monday Qualifying this season, third-year player Song Yi Choi of Seoul, South Korea finally decided to settle down and focus on the Duramed Futures Tour. The travel between both tours was killing her and the lack of success in the weekly qualifying crapshoot for two spots in LPGA tournament fields was doing a number on her confidence.
But Choi's number was the one the rest of the field was staring at after the first round of the $100,000 ING New England Golf Classic.
Choi blistered Wintonbury Hills Golf Course with a score of 6-under-par 64 on the par-70 course just outside the (state) capital city of Hartford. She carded seven birdies and one bogey, tying her season-low score of 64 (-8), set at the season-opening tournament in Winter Haven, Florida, where she finished second.
"I have battled confidence with my putter in the last few tournaments," said Choi, who has two top-10 finishes in nine events this year. "These greens are really hard with some big mounds, so I just tried to hit the centre and not make any three-putts. I was able to see the line well today.
Choi needed 28 putts on the tricky Pete Dye-designed course that measures only 6,087 yards but has large, severely undulated greens built on the rolling Bloomfield terrain.
Choi hit 15 greens in regulation and missed only one fairway to tame a tract that could easily tally strokes in a hurry on the greens alone.
Second-year professional Gerina Mendoza of Roswell, New Mexico, rookie Kristie Smith of Perth, Australia, and Tour veteran Nicole Jeray of Berwyn, Illinois, are all tied for second at 4-under 66.
"You have to trust your swing and your yardages and play to the right part of the green," said Mendoza, who posted a four-birdie, bogey-free round. "This course is shorter than normal, but with it being par 70, it's pretty legit."
Smith, 20, showed the kind of game that enabled her to win just about every top Australian amateur title before turning professional this year. She hit 13 greens and needed only 27 putts in a round that was highlighted by seven birdies, one bogey and one double-bogey.
"I hit a lot of wedges into par-4s, but there are big swells everywhere on the greens, so you have to miss it in the right spot," said Smith. "I think the key here on this course is to minimise the three-putts and if you can hole a couple of long ones, you can gain some shots on the field."
Wintonbury Hills features a unique combination of 10 par-4s, five par-3s and three par-5 holes.
"It's tricky stuff out there, but I didn't make a lot of mistakes," said Jeray, a three-time Tour winner. "I also hit it close to the pins today."
Sofie Andersson of Angelholm, Sweden, Hannah Jun of San Diego, and top-ranked Jean Reynolds of Newnan, Ga., are tied for fifth at 3-under 67.
"The course is very scoreable, but you definitely have to miss on the correct side of the hole," said Reynolds, a two-time winner this season. "If you can get the speed down on these greens, you can shoot lights out here."
Reynolds, who remained in the top three for 54 holes of last week's US Women's Open Championship, said she felt "a little draggy," as if she were "in slow motion all day." Still, the Georgian who got a standing ovation from the US Women's Open crowd as she putted out on her final green last Sunday, called today "normal."
"It's so different between that atmosphere and now," she said. "That was like a dream. This feels laid back to me – just normal."
A total of 26 players carded rounds under par in today's first round, while 42 players finished at even-par 70 or better.
For scores and more information, visit www.duramedfuturestour.com.
Weather: Partly sunny, becoming mostly cloudy with temperatures reaching the high 80s with afternoon rain. Light winds around 6 mph.

NOW HERE'S A GOOD IDEA ...

Just like the leader of the Tour de France cycle race wears a yellow jersey to let the watching fans know who he is and where he is in the pack, the Duramed Futures Tour is adding to the idea in a "Fan-Friendly Top Ten" programme.
The top 10-ranked players, i.e. leaders in the money-winners' table will be identified on the course during competitions in several ways. Player caddies will wear bright yellow caddie bibs designated with a "Top Ten" logo.
An official golf cart following each of the top-10 players will display a yellow flag bearing the programme's logo. The logo also will be displayed beside the names of players ranked in the top 10 on tournament scoreboards and leaderboards.