Gemma (77), Katy (78) make slow start

to United States Futures Tour Q School

Glasgow exile Gemma Webster and Carnoustie's Katy McNicoll did not make the best of starts to the United States Futures Tour Qualifying School in Polk County, Central Florida today.
Gemma, pictured right, a Hilton Park Golf Club member who turned pro in the States after playing four years on the American women's college golf circuit as a student at Ohio State University, marked up a five-over-par 77 at Bridgewater, one of four courses being used for the five-round tournament. That placed her joint 167th overall in the field of 287 from 40 countries.
Rookie pro Katy McNicoll, also played four years of US college golf as a student at Lynn University, Boca Raton in Florida. Katy, who won the North of Scotland women's amateur championship at Newmachar this past summer, had a six-over-par 78, also at the Bridgewater course. Katy is in joint 196th position.
Curtis Cup player Jodi Ewart from Yorkshire, in her final year as a student at New Mexico University, did best of the Brits with a 69 at Bridgewater, which placed her joint fifth overall.
Rachel Connor, daughter of the Scots-born pro at Manchester Golf Club, playing as an amateur had a one-over 73 at Huntington Hills. She is lying joint 57th
Tilly Magill, an uncapped amateur from Milton Keynes, was on the 78 mark alongside Katy McNicoll.
Americans Tiffany Joh and Danielle Mills lead the huge field on the five-under-par 67 mark, Joh playing the Lake Region course and Danielle at Ridgewood Lake. There will be a cut after each player has played the four courses, bringing the field down to the leading 90 and ties.
LEADING SCORES

Par 72

67 Tiffany Joh (US), Danielle Mills (US).

68 Chelsea Curtis (US), Laura Kueny (US).

Selected scores:

69 Jodi Ewart (Eng) (a).

73 Rachel Connor (Eng) (a).

75 Caroline Westrup (Swe).

77 Gemma Webster (Sco).

78 Katy McNicoll (Sco), Tilly Magill (Eng) (a).

DURAMED FUTURES TOUR NEWS RELEASE

WINTER HAVEN, Florida. Nov. 2, 2009 - A pair of Duramed Futures Tour rookies grabbed the first-round lead in the start of today's 11th annual Duramed FuturesTour Qualifying Tournament. Tiffany Joh of San Diego and Danielle Mills of Pointe-Claire, Quebec each carded rounds of five-under-par 67.
Joh, a former All-American at UCLA, opened her week at Lake Region Yacht & Country Club, while Mills, who just graduated in May from Elon University (North Carolina), played today's round at Ridgewood Lakes Golf & Country Club. Four courses are being used in this week's qualifier.
"I'm pretty stoked because I was just trying to shoot even-par or better," said Joh, 22, a two-time winner of the U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links Championship, who launched her professional career this summer. "I was pretty nervous this morning and it was a very quiet 40-minute car ride to get here."
But Joh let her putter do the talking today, needing only 26 putts for her round that included six birdies and one bogey. Her iron play also was steady, allowing the former U.S. Curtis Cupper to play the course's five par-3s at four under.
Mills hit 14 greens in regulation and needed only 28 putts in her round that was highlighted by seven birdies and two bogeys. Like Joh, the Canadian graduated in May, but played amateur golf until August. A rookie on the LPGA's developmental tour, Mills got into three Duramed Futures Tour events this year, with a season-best tie for 18th in Albany, New York State.

"This is my second time at this Q-School and now I know what it's all about," said Mills, 22, the 2007 Quebec Women's Match Play Provincial Championship winner. "It's great to get off to a good start and today was a pleasant day, but there are four rounds left."
Amateur Laura Kueny of Whitehall, Michigan, and recent Georgetown University graduate Chelsea Curtis of New Seabury, Massachusetts, are tied one shot off the lead at 4-under 68. Kueny carded her round at Ridgewood Lakes, while Curtis posted her round at The Golf Club at Bridgewater.
"My putter was hot today," said Kueny, 21, a senior at Michigan State University, who recorded 28 putts in her round. "I felt good over the ball all day, so I just tried not to get ahead of myself or think about my score."
Curtis was particularly pleased in her "first time around" at qualifying. She didn't turn professional until the first week of October, finishing third in the New England Open and seventh in the Maryland Open to get ready for this week's Q-School. She got the ball rolling with a 35-foot birdie putt on the fourth hole, and then holed out from a greenside bunker on the 16th hole for two of her six birdies today. The New Englander also hit nine approach shots within 15 feet for birdie opportunities.
"I was knocking down a good amount of pins today," said Curtis, 22, who was bogey-free on her front nine holes. "But I was really happy with being able to control my nerves and stay patient. This is a long week."
Eight players are tied at 3-under 69, including Stephanie Connelly of Pasadena, Maryland, who was the medalist at the recent LPGA Sectional Tournament in Venice, Florida. A rookie on the Duramed Futures Tour this summer after graduating from the University of Central Florida, Connelly has advanced into the LPGA's Final Qualifying Tournament. A

nd like Joh, who also qualified for the LPGA Q-School Finals, she is using this week's five-round Q-school as a tune-up for the LPGA's final stage next month.
"After winning the sectional, I gained a lot of confidence and experience," said Connelly, 22, who recorded four birdies and one bogey today. "I certainly want to win this tournament, but I've never played five days of stroke play. This is good preparation for LPGA Q-School Finals. I'm still a young professional and I have lots to learn."
A total of 37 players scored under par today, while 56 players posted scores of even-par 72 or better in the opening round of this year's Duramed Futures Tour Qualifying Tournament.
A field of 287 players from 38 nations is competing in Central Florida this week on four courses for 2010 Duramed Futures Tour playing status. The 90-hole tournament will continue on Tuesday at Winter Haven's Lake Region Yacht & Country Club, Ridgewood Lakes Golf & Country Club in Davenport, Florida, and Lakeland's Huntington Hills Golf & Country Club and The Golf Club at Bridgewater.
A tournament cut will be made after 72 holes. The cut field of 90 players and ties will return to Lake Region only for the final round on Friday.

For scores and more information, visit www.duramedfuturestour.com .
Weather: Partly cloudy with a slight breeze. Temperatures in the low-80s.