KirkwoodGolf: KATIE BURNETT LEADS AT LPGA QUALIFYING STAGE 2 TOURNAMENT

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

KATIE BURNETT LEADS AT LPGA QUALIFYING STAGE 2 TOURNAMENT

LPGA Qualifying Tournament – Stage II
Plantation Golf and Country Club (Bobcat and Panther Courses)
Venice, Fla.



FROM THE LPGA TOUR WEBSITE
Symetra Tour professional Katie Burnett fired a blistering 4-under par 68 to take the second-round lead of the LPGA Qualifying Tournament stage two.
The former University of South Carolina Gamecock notched one eagle, five birdies and three bogeys to fire her second consecutive 4-under par 68.
“I’ve been putting well the last two days,” said Burnett. “I didn’t really hit it super close. I did a couple times when I had a wedge in my hands but I made a lot of putts.”
Playing the Plantation Golf and Country Club’s Bobcat Course, Burnett recorded her first birdie of the day at the par-4 second then quickly notched another one at the par-5 fourth. It wasn’t until the 392 yard par-4 seventh that Burnett faltered with a bogey to make the turn at 1-under par.
Burnett then recorded another bogey at the par-4 10th but recovered quickly with two consecutive birdies at the par-5 13th and par-4 14th. The Brunswick, Georgia native notched her third and final bogey of the day at the par-3 15th then kicked it into full gear down the stretch.
The 22-year-old birdied the 508 yard par-5 16th then knocked in a pitching wedge from 125 yards for eagle at the par-4 17th.
“I can’t remember the last time I made an eagle hitting it in from the fairway,” said Burnett. “It’s been a while, probably not since college.”
Playing in her first LPGA Qualifying Tournament, Burnett’s nerves were quickly calmed after a first-round 68 landed her near the top of the leaderboard.
“I think yesterday it took a little bit of the pressure off,” said Burnett. “I made a few mistakes today because I had three bogeys but I kind of came in this tournament feeling like if I just played well I’d be fine. I really like final stage’s courses so I was like if I get past this stage I would good in final stage.”
Burnett recently graduated from the University of South Carolina in May then quickly set her sights on the Symetra Tour where she played in six events and finished in the top-20 three times.
Burnett currently holds a two-stroke lead heading into tomorrow’s third round over Symetra Tour professionals Kelly Jacques and Taylor Karle, amateurs Breanna Elliott and Marina Stuetz, and five-time winner on the Ladies European Professional Tour (LET) Lee-Anne Pace.
The top 70 and ties on Friday will advance into the final Qualifying Tournament Stage III.
The final Stage III Q-school will be contested over 90 holes Nov. 28 through Dec. 2, on both the Champions and Legends courses at LPGA International in Daytona Beach, Fla. Top finishers in the final stage will earn 2013 LPGA membership (total number of cards TBD) and all others who make the cut will receive Symetra Tour status.
Of Note… First-round leader Fiona Puyo followed-up a first-round 7-under par 65 with a second-round 5-over par 77 and currently stands tied for second…Four-time LET winner Melissa Reid sits tied for seventh on five-under 139  after a second-round 2-under par 70; Felicity Johnson has scored 71-69 so far for 140 and is T10; Rachel Connor is T30 on 143 (71-72) and Vikki Laing is T69 on 146 (71-75)… Amateur and winner of the first stage, Moriya Jutanugarn, slipped into a tie for 49th after a second-round 2-over par 74.

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