LPGA QUALIFYING TOURNAMENT STAGE II
CANADIAN McKINNON LEADS BY TWO
VENICE, Florida – Canadian Brogan McKinnon (Mississauga, Ontario) held firm and maintained her lead at the LPGA Qualifying Tournament Stage II by shooting a second-round 1-under 71 to move to 7-under 137 (66-71) after 36 holes at Plantation Golf and Country Club.
McKinnon holds a two-stroke advantage over Minjee Lee (Perth, Australia), Ginger Howard (Bradenton, Florida) and Celine Herbin (Santander, Spain). Carly Werwie (Kenosha, Wisconsin) is in solo fifth at 4-under 140.
“It was a good day,” said 19-year-old McKinnon. “Just like yesterday, all parts of my game were working well. I made three birdies on the front nine after a bogey and my putting was great again. I feel like my game is in pretty good shape.”
With the 36-hole lead in hand, McKinnon will now aim for medalist honors.
“It would be nice to get my first professional win at Qualifying Tournament, but top 80 is every player's goal and if I need to play it safe I will, but I will try and win now.”
McKinnon played in seven Symetra Tour events and one LPGA Tour event in 2014.
She did not advance to Stage III of Qualifying Tournament in 2013.
The top 80 players plus ties advance to Final Stage of LPGA Qualifying Tournament, which will take place at LPGA International in Daytona Beach from December 3 through December 7. Final stage is a five-round event with a cut after round four.
MINJEE LEE CARDS 5-UNDER 67: Minjee Lee (Perth, Australia) is mature beyond her years. At just 18-years-old she has already played in some of the biggest events on the LPGA Tour including the Kraft Nabisco Championship, the International Crown, the U.S. Women’s Open and The Evian Championship.
On Wednesday at LPGA Qualifying School Stage II, Lee fired a bogey-free 5-under 67 to improve to 5-under through two days.
“I started off well with five birdies in a row so that really helped me,” said Lee, who carded birdies from the 12th hole through the 16th hole. “During that stretch, I hit some really good shots and everything was working for me.”
Lee, who started on the back nine of the Bobcat Course, made her lone birdie on the front nine on the par-4 second hole.
Lee has had several impressive finishes on the LPGA Tour this year. She finished T24 at the Kraft Nabisco Championship, T22 at the U.S. Women’s Open (which would have earned her just over $40,000 if she was a professional at that point) and T16 at The Evian Championship, which earned her a paycheck of $42,329.
The Evian Championship was her first LPGA Tour event as a professional.
“I have played in LPGA majors and I think I just need more opportunities to play and learn from the top players in the world,” said Lee, who was the #1 ranked amateur in the world by WAGR before turning professional. “Ever since I joined the Australian National Team when I was 14-years-old I wanted to get my card to play on the LPGA Tour.”
The last month has been a whirlwind for Lee, who played her final event as an amateur in Japan at the Women’s World Amateur Team Championship. She fired a 7-under 65 to help Australia win.
Lee also represented Australia in the inaugural International Crown earlier this year.
“It was great to be teamed with Karie (Webb) and represent Australia. Karie has done so much for women’s golf in Australia and she was somebody I looked up to when I was growing up.”
Her mother, who was a golf teaching professional in Korea, introduced Lee to the game of golf.
GINGER HOWARD TRYING TO WIN AGAIN: In 2011, Ginger Howard carded a four-day total of 15-under-par to earn medalist honors at the LPGA Qualifying Tournament Stage II. She carded a 5-under 67 on Wednesday to move from T28 to T2.
“I was hitting it pretty solid and made more putts than I did yesterday,” said Howard, who shot an even-par 72 on Tuesday. “I just had the putter rolling today.”
Howard is hoping to relive 2011.
“I have a lot of positive vibes here at Plantation Golf and Country Club. I have some good memories.”
Howard said she has played both courses well over twenty times. She is also very comfortable with the person driving the cart this week, her sister, Robbi.
KARRIE WEBB GIVES JAYDE PANOS UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY:
Each year, Aussie legend Karrie Webb gives two top amateur golfers from Australia the opportunity to shadow her at the U.S. Women’s Open.
This year, Jayde Panos (Perth) was one of the players that had the once-in-a-lifetime chance to stay with Karrie and follow her every move. On Wednesday, Panos shot a 4-under 68 to move to 1-over 145. Panos shot a 5-over 77 on Tuesday.
“What Karrie does for the week is have two players come stay with her in the house she rents and we just spend the week with her,” said Panos, who is graduating from Oklahoma State in December. “We pretty much follow her for the whole week.”
This week, Karrie also helped Panos find a caddie.
“My caddie cancelled last week and I called Karrie and I told her that I really need a caddie. She (Karrie) called me back within five hours and had two people that could help me.”
31-YEAR-OLD HERBIN CONTINUES STRONG PLAY: Celine Herbin followed her 3-under 69 on Tuesday with a 2-under 70 on Wednesday and is 5-under through two days.
“I played much better today than I did yesterday, I hit five greens more than yesterday,” said Herbin. “Today is much more of the statistics I expect based on my season this year.”
Herbin is in a tie for second after two days.
“I may want to win a little bit more than yesterday, but it is still not the goal. I just want to be in the top 80. If I win, it is a bonus like a cherry on top of the cake. This tournament is so different than most, I am not here to win.”
Herbin feels like she is peaking at the right time.
“The pressure forces me to be much more focused on my game. I am arriving playing well – I played well in Sweden, played well in the Spanish Open and that was very good practice for this event. It was the same type of grass – bermuda – that we are playing here. We are not used to playing bermuda in Europe.”
| SCORES>> | RESULTS>> | THIRD-ROUND PAIRINGS>> |
VENICE, Florida – Canadian Brogan McKinnon (Mississauga, Ontario) held firm and maintained her lead at the LPGA Qualifying Tournament Stage II by shooting a second-round 1-under 71 to move to 7-under 137 (66-71) after 36 holes at Plantation Golf and Country Club.
McKinnon holds a two-stroke advantage over Minjee Lee (Perth, Australia), Ginger Howard (Bradenton, Florida) and Celine Herbin (Santander, Spain). Carly Werwie (Kenosha, Wisconsin) is in solo fifth at 4-under 140.
“It was a good day,” said 19-year-old McKinnon. “Just like yesterday, all parts of my game were working well. I made three birdies on the front nine after a bogey and my putting was great again. I feel like my game is in pretty good shape.”
With the 36-hole lead in hand, McKinnon will now aim for medalist honors.
“It would be nice to get my first professional win at Qualifying Tournament, but top 80 is every player's goal and if I need to play it safe I will, but I will try and win now.”
McKinnon played in seven Symetra Tour events and one LPGA Tour event in 2014.
She did not advance to Stage III of Qualifying Tournament in 2013.
The top 80 players plus ties advance to Final Stage of LPGA Qualifying Tournament, which will take place at LPGA International in Daytona Beach from December 3 through December 7. Final stage is a five-round event with a cut after round four.
MINJEE LEE CARDS 5-UNDER 67: Minjee Lee (Perth, Australia) is mature beyond her years. At just 18-years-old she has already played in some of the biggest events on the LPGA Tour including the Kraft Nabisco Championship, the International Crown, the U.S. Women’s Open and The Evian Championship.
On Wednesday at LPGA Qualifying School Stage II, Lee fired a bogey-free 5-under 67 to improve to 5-under through two days.
“I started off well with five birdies in a row so that really helped me,” said Lee, who carded birdies from the 12th hole through the 16th hole. “During that stretch, I hit some really good shots and everything was working for me.”
Lee, who started on the back nine of the Bobcat Course, made her lone birdie on the front nine on the par-4 second hole.
Lee has had several impressive finishes on the LPGA Tour this year. She finished T24 at the Kraft Nabisco Championship, T22 at the U.S. Women’s Open (which would have earned her just over $40,000 if she was a professional at that point) and T16 at The Evian Championship, which earned her a paycheck of $42,329.
The Evian Championship was her first LPGA Tour event as a professional.
“I have played in LPGA majors and I think I just need more opportunities to play and learn from the top players in the world,” said Lee, who was the #1 ranked amateur in the world by WAGR before turning professional. “Ever since I joined the Australian National Team when I was 14-years-old I wanted to get my card to play on the LPGA Tour.”
The last month has been a whirlwind for Lee, who played her final event as an amateur in Japan at the Women’s World Amateur Team Championship. She fired a 7-under 65 to help Australia win.
Lee also represented Australia in the inaugural International Crown earlier this year.
“It was great to be teamed with Karie (Webb) and represent Australia. Karie has done so much for women’s golf in Australia and she was somebody I looked up to when I was growing up.”
Her mother, who was a golf teaching professional in Korea, introduced Lee to the game of golf.
GINGER HOWARD TRYING TO WIN AGAIN: In 2011, Ginger Howard carded a four-day total of 15-under-par to earn medalist honors at the LPGA Qualifying Tournament Stage II. She carded a 5-under 67 on Wednesday to move from T28 to T2.
“I was hitting it pretty solid and made more putts than I did yesterday,” said Howard, who shot an even-par 72 on Tuesday. “I just had the putter rolling today.”
Howard is hoping to relive 2011.
“I have a lot of positive vibes here at Plantation Golf and Country Club. I have some good memories.”
Howard said she has played both courses well over twenty times. She is also very comfortable with the person driving the cart this week, her sister, Robbi.
KARRIE WEBB GIVES JAYDE PANOS UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY:
Each year, Aussie legend Karrie Webb gives two top amateur golfers from Australia the opportunity to shadow her at the U.S. Women’s Open.
This year, Jayde Panos (Perth) was one of the players that had the once-in-a-lifetime chance to stay with Karrie and follow her every move. On Wednesday, Panos shot a 4-under 68 to move to 1-over 145. Panos shot a 5-over 77 on Tuesday.
“What Karrie does for the week is have two players come stay with her in the house she rents and we just spend the week with her,” said Panos, who is graduating from Oklahoma State in December. “We pretty much follow her for the whole week.”
This week, Karrie also helped Panos find a caddie.
“My caddie cancelled last week and I called Karrie and I told her that I really need a caddie. She (Karrie) called me back within five hours and had two people that could help me.”
31-YEAR-OLD HERBIN CONTINUES STRONG PLAY: Celine Herbin followed her 3-under 69 on Tuesday with a 2-under 70 on Wednesday and is 5-under through two days.
“I played much better today than I did yesterday, I hit five greens more than yesterday,” said Herbin. “Today is much more of the statistics I expect based on my season this year.”
Herbin is in a tie for second after two days.
“I may want to win a little bit more than yesterday, but it is still not the goal. I just want to be in the top 80. If I win, it is a bonus like a cherry on top of the cake. This tournament is so different than most, I am not here to win.”
Herbin feels like she is peaking at the right time.
“The pressure forces me to be much more focused on my game. I am arriving playing well – I played well in Sweden, played well in the Spanish Open and that was very good practice for this event. It was the same type of grass – bermuda – that we are playing here. We are not used to playing bermuda in Europe.”
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