Jodi Ewart (left) and Rachel Connor (right)

Jodi Ewart jt sixth, Rachel Connor jt

68th in Futures Tour Qualifying in Florida

Yorkshire's Jodi Ewart finished joint sixth from a starting field of close on 300 for the five-round US Futures Tour qualifying tournament, played over four courses at Winter Haven, Central Florida.

Jodi, in her final year as a student at the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, had rounds of 69, 73, 73, 67 and 74 for a four-under-par total of 356.

She finished 12 shots behind the winner, a member of the opposing US team in last year's Curtis Cup match over the Old Course, St Andrews, Tiffany Joh.

Now a professional, Tiffany had scores of 67, 69, 72, 67 and 732 for a 12-under-par total of 338.

Miss Ewart, by all accounts, intends to turn professional after next May's Curtis Cup match at Essex County Club, Massachusetts.

Competing in the Futures Tour qualifying tournament, was a way of ensuring that she would have somewhere to play as a pro from late May 2010 onwards. It's an awkward time to turn professional in that the Qualifying Schools for the LPGA Tour and Ladies European Tour are not held until December.

The other English international amateur who made it through to the final day in Florida was Rachel Connor, daughter of the Scots-born Manchester club professional Brian Connor. Rachel finished joint 68th after a good start to the five rounds. Her scores were 73, 72, 69, 80 and 81 for 15-over-par 375.

There is no indication of Rachel's plans to turn pro but she would get starts on the Futures Tour if she wanted to.

LEADING FINAL TOTALS

Par 360

348 Tiffany Joh (US) 67 69 72 67 73.

349 Danielle Mills (Canada) 67 71 69 68 74.

353 Laura Bavaird (US) 71 69 71 71 71.

355 Mallory Blackwelder (US) 71 74 66 70 74, Kitty Hwang (Ecuador) 70 72 71 73 69.

356 Jodi Ewart (England) (am) 69 73 73 67 74, Jane Rah (US) (am) 74 70 71 71 70.

Selected scores:

365 Valentine Derrey (France) (am) 74 71 70 72 78 (jt 18th).

366 Miriam Nagl (Germany) 76 73 70 72 75 (jt 24th).

374 Caroline Westrup (Sweden) 75 73 72 74 80 (jt 62nd)

375 Rachel Connor (England) (am) 73 72 69 80 81, Benedicte Grotvedt (Norway) 75 74 75 74 77 (jt 68th).

378 Stephanie Oukeo (France) 74 73 77 73 81 (jt 87th).

380 Lene Krog (Norway) 71 74 78 76 81 (jt 91st).