Kristie Smith Goes Low Again on the ALPG, Takes Title from Katherine Hull

Congratulations to Kristie Smith for another scorching summer round down under on the ALPG, this one a 9-under-par 64 that brought her to -16 over 54 holes and gave her a 2-shot victory over Katherine Hull in the Royal Canberra Ladies Classic. Around this time last year, Smith fired a 62 in the 2nd round of the ANZ Ladies Masters, a tournament Hull eventually won. So sweet revenge for Smith and quite an impressive victory for the future Futures Tour standout, who just had a so-so 2009 on that tour. When you make up a 4-shot deficit on a hot Hull, torch Lindsey Wright by 7 shots, and beat other prominent Australian golfers like Sarah Kemp, Sarah-Jane Smith, Sarah Oh, and Stephanie Na just as handily, you know you've already accomplished something pretty significant in 2010. It'll be a challenge to maintain her position on top of the ALPG money list Order of Merit. Let's see what kind of game she brings to the NSW Open this week.

[Update 1 (2/2/10, 1:54 am): Man, I needed the Australian Associated Press to remind me that Smith finished 2nd at LET Q-School and will be Europe-bound once their season starts! Not good.]