Amateur Victoria Park Leads After Opening Round

Of Futures Qualifying Tournament


WINTER HAVEN, Fla., Nov. 2, 2010 - Amateur Victoria Park shook off her nerves and fired a 7-under-par 65 today in the opening round of this week's 12th annual LPGA Futures Tour Qualifying Tournament.
Playing at Ridgewood Lakes Golf & Country Club in Davenport, Fla., one of the three courses used in this week's Q-school, Park's round was highlighted by six birdies and an eagle-3 on the par-5, 490-yard ninth hole. She hit a driver and a hybrid-5 wood to five feet, converting her putt for eagle.
But the Oklahoma State University sophomore stayed focused after the nine-hole turn and made a birdie on the 10th hole from 10 feet. She added three more birdies on three of her last four holes. Today's low round of 65 ties her score last month in a college tournament.
"My putting was really pretty awesome today and I missed only two greens," said Park, 19, of Irvine, Calif. "I was nervous, but I got more relaxed. My mom and [six-year-old] sister were following me and my sister gave me high-fives after each birdie."
Three players are tied for second at 5-under 67. Amateur Sara Maude Juneau of Quebec, Canada, rookie pro Pamela Ontiveros of Gomez Palacio, Mexico and Lene Krog of Lier, Norway, all moved into a share of second following their opening rounds at Lake Region Yacht & Country Club, Ridgewood Lakes Golf and Country Club and Lake Wales Country Club, respectively.
Juneau, one of 23 Canadians in this week's tournament field of 308 players, celebrated her 23rd birthday on Monday and spoke to her former University of Louisville teammate Cindy LaCrosse prior to her first round of Q-school. The Tour's 2010 Player of the Year wished Juneau good luck and told her to chase some birdies today.
"I've always looked up to Cindy and she made me feel like playing well here is possible," said Juneau, a Louisville senior and former Canadian National Team member, who is playing as an amateur this week. "This feels great."
Juneau recently competed for Canada at the Women's World Amateur Team Championship in Argentina and said her performance there was disappointing. But the Canadian made up for lost shots today at Lake Region with seven birdies, two bogeys and couple of critical par saves.
Ontiveros, who played as a rookie on this year's LPGA Futures Tour, also struggled with nerves early this morning. The former Oral Roberts University collegian took bogey on the first hole, but reminded herself to be "confident and calm." She came back with six birdies, including five birdies in a span of seven holes.
"Being a rookie this year helped a lot," said Ontiveros, who hit 15 greens, every fairway and used only 28 putts today in her round at Ridgewood Lakes. "I know what I have to do and I know it's a long week."
A second-year pro who played collegiately at the University of Virginia, Krog took a gamble that paid off today. She switched to using a belly putter two weeks ago in her search for confidence on the greens and rolled in 25 putts in today's opening round at Lake Wales.
Krog carded six birdies and only one three-putt bogey. Her last three birdies of the day came from some serious scrambling from 20 feet on the 13th hole, a chip-in from 10 yards on the 14th and a 30 footer from off the green on the 17th. That kind of performance gave the Norwegian confidence that her gamble was working.
"All season was a struggle for me, so I needed to try something different," said Krog, 23, of Lier, Norway. "I know this is an important week and it's important to believe in myself again. Now I see that it's there. I went low today and I can do it again."
Amateurs Jessica Korda of Bradenton, Fla., and Paz Echeverria of Santiago, Chile are tied for fifth at 4-under 68.
Six players, including UCLA All-American Sydnee Michaels of Temecula, Calif., are tied for seventh at 3-under 69.
A total of 31 players scored under par today, while 53 players posted scores of even-par 72 or better in the opening round of this year's LPGA Futures Tour Qualifying Tournament.
A field of 308 players from 38 nations is competing in Central Florida this week on three courses for 2011 LPGA Futures Tour playing status.
A tournament cut will be made after 54 holes. The cut field of 90 players and ties will return to Lake Region only for the final round on Friday.

Weather: Mostly cloudy and humid with intermittent sprinkles of rain and temperatures in the mid-80s.

JODI EWART CADDIES FOR COLLEGE FRIEND

Rookie professional Britney Choy of Wahiawa, Hawaii needed a helping hand on her golf bag this week for the LPGA Futures Tour Qualifying Tournament, so she asked a former University of New Mexico teammate to serve as her caddie. Futures Tour rookie Jodi Ewart of Great Britain was happy to help and brought some confidence to the bag after notching her first professional win last week in a Sun Coast Tour event in Central Florida.
"I played four years of college golf with Jodi and she's my best friend," said Choy, who is one of six players tied for seventh at 3-under 69 after her opening round at Lake Region Yacht and Country Club. "She knows me, so when I got really nervous today, she told me to just breathe. It all worked out."