Sunday, September 6, 2009

Futures Tour Finale: Song Yi Choi Hangs on for the Win

It wasn't pretty, but Song Yi Choi's 71 was just good enough for her 1st win of the season on the Futures Tour at Albany's ILOVENY Championship. She edged one of my dad's favorite players, Libby Smith, who came back from 3 bogeys in her 1st 6 holes to post a 68, by 1 shot and a host of players by 2, including Alison Walshe (who went 34-31 today), money-list champion Mina Harigae (who bogeyed 2 of her last 3 holes to fall off the pace), and Samantha Richdale (who also bogeyed the 17th). I was sad to see Nontaya Srisawang (73) and Angela Oh (74) fall off the pace, but happy to see Hannah Yun and Pernilla Lindberg crack the top 15 with their 69s today.

Be sure to check out Lisa Mickey's accounts of how the 1st 2 rounds played out. And don't miss the video on youtube!

I'll be back once the FT people have updated their web site.

[Update 1 (7:36 pm): Here's the final Futures Tour money list; players in spots #1 through #5 have full LPGA status in 2010, while those in #6 through #10 get fairly low status but a free pass into the final qualifying round at Q-School.

1. Mina Harigae $86.4K
2. Jean Reynolds $76.6K
3. Misun Cho $61.1K
4. Samantha Richdale $59.3K
5. Song Yi Choi $42.9K

6. Whitney Wade $41.4K
7. Angela Buzminski $37.0K
8. Christine Song $35.1K
9. Alison Walshe $34.2K
10. Dewi Claire Schreefel $30.6K

Pernilla Lindberg ($29.8K) got knocked out of the top 10 today, but she'll do well in LPGA and/or LET Q-School. She earned her money in only 10 events, having started after the end of the college season. I think she'll make the LPGA and have a better rookie season than Anna Nordqvist. You heard it here 1st!]

[Update 2 (9/7/09, 8:09 pm): Brian Heard does his usual thorough and insightful job on the 10 Futures Tour graduates.]

No comments: