Katie Kempter | Sun Country Golf

LPGA Q School Day 3 Rained Out; PGA Tour Q School Fares Better

The third round of the LPGA Q School in Daytona Beach, Fla., was washed out early Friday when lightning suspended morning play, then heavy rains made the course unplayable. Play was to resume at 9 a.m. (MST) Saturday.

Sun Country Golf, in an earlier post, failed to note participation at the LPGA Q School field of Roswell’s Gerina Mendoza, who entered Round 2 tied for 58th and was listed in a tie for 53rd when play was suspended.

Additionally, long-time LPGA pro Dorothy Delasin of Albuquerque was having a rough time in this year’s Q School, shooting 90-95 and languishing in 103rd position in the 103-player field still in the five-round competition for 40 spots with some eligibility on the 2010 LPGA Tour.

Meanwhile, Albuquerque’s Katie Kempter resumes play Saturday on No. 4 of the Legends Course of the LPGA International Golf Course. She remained in a tie for 3rd, one shot behind the leaders, Nikki Garrett and Jane Chin. Kempter was at 4-under, after giving up a shot early in the rain-shortened third round. Check out the LPGA Q School leaderboard here.

Bad weather also washed out play in the PGA Tour Q School in West Palm Beach., Fla., although most players completed the third of six rounds in that competition.

Players with New Mexico connections include Tim Herron, Spencer Levin, D.J. Brigman, Madalitso Muthiya and Shane Bertsch.

For scores and rankings, check out the PGA Q School Leaderboard.

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Kempter 3rd After Q School Day 2; Herron, Brigman and Muthiya Improve, while Berstch Slips

Albuquerque’s Katie Kempter improved on Day 2 of the LPGA Q School in Daytona Beach, Fla., Thursday, posting a 3-under round of 69 to jump from seventh place (70-69) to within one shot of the co-leaders, Jane Chin and Nikki Garrett, who were at 6-under.

Outplaying all but two players in the 106-player field, the Denver University and Sandia High School graduate has three more rounds to play in her bid to get her LPGA Tour card for 2010. Unofficial results can be seen at the LPGA Leaderboard.

In Friday’s third round, Kempter tees off with the co-leaders at 7:28 a.m. (MST).

At the PGA Tour Q School in West Palm Beach, Fla., here is how players with New Mexico connections fared:

Shane Berstch carded 71-71 after day 2, falling from a tie for 7th to a tie for 18th. The leader, Troy Merritt, was 8-under at 136 after Day 2.

Tim Herron scored 74-70 to move from a tie for 55th to a tie for 39th.

With a strong 68 on Day 2 to make up for a dismal 78 on Day 1, Madalitso Muthiya moved up from a tie for 140th to a tie for 68th.

With 73-74, D.J. Brigman moved from a tie for 86th to a tie for 35th.

The PGA Tour Q School lasts six rounds. The top 25 finishers get their 2010 PGA Tour cards.

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Kempter in Hunt at Q School; Brigman, Herron Trailing

Albuquerque’s Katie Kempter was 2-under Wednesday in a four-way tie for seventh, five back from the leader, after Day 1 at the LPGA Q School in Daytona Beach, Fla., with 72 holes to go.

Kempter’s story is on the cover of the current issue of Sun Country Golf. Check out that story by clicking here. The top 40 finishers gain some eligibility to the 2010 LPGA Tour. For more details on the leaderboard, click on the LPGA official site.

Shane Bertsch, who has New Mexico connections, was in the hunt after Day 1 at the PGA Tour Q School at Bear Lakes Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Fla., but former Lobos Tim Herron and D.J. Brigman had some work to do and Madatitso Muthiya needed to work some magic. For details, check out the PGA Tour Q School site.

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Lobo Ewart Makes Futures Tour

University of New Mexico senior women’s golfer Jodi Ewart last week finished in a tie for sixth place at the Duramed FUTURES Tour 2010 Qualifying Tournament in Winter Haven, Fla.

She finished the five-round Q School at 4-under 356 (69-73-73-67-74) and gained full exemption to the 2010 Futures Tour. Ewart will be able to turn pro in spring 2010 after completing her collegiate eligibility.

After leaving UNM, Ewart will play on the Futures Tour for the remainder of the 2010 season. If she finishes in the top-10 of the money list on the Futures Tour, she could earn her LPGA Tour card without having to go to Q-school in December of 2010.

Another Albuquerque golfer, former Denver University Pioneer Katie Kempter, who turned pro during the summer, missed the cut in the fourth round of the Futures Q School after shooting 82. However, she will attend the final stage of the LPGA’s Q School in December by virtue of finishing in the top 30 in an earlier stage in Rancho Mirage, Calif.

Kempter’s quest for her LPGA Tour card is the cover story for the winter issue of Sun Country Golf magazine, about to hit newstands.

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Kempter Through LPGA Q School First Stage; Next Stop Florida

Sandia High and recent University of Denver graduate, Katie Kempter has advanced through the first sectional qualifier in LPGA Q School.

The Arnold Palmer and Dinah Shore courses in Mission Hills Rancho Mirage, Calif., pared the 139 contestants down to the top 30 finishers and ties who will move on to the final stage held in December at the LPGA International courses in Dayton Beach, Fla.

Kempter carded a2-over par 290 for the four-round event (77-70-74-69). “It was a rough start, but I got the job done” Kempter said of her efforts which allow her to sit out the next sectional event.

She is the daughter of UNM Chamoionship Men’s Association player Chris Kempter. Katie Kempter recently caddied for teacher and mentor Bill Harvey at the Sun Country Players’ Championship at Isleta Eagle Golf Course.

The LPGA “Q-School” final includes the top 30 players and ties from the two sectional tournaments held on either coast, current LPGA professionals who did not earn enough to maintain their status, and top money winners from the Futures Tour. The top 20 players following 90 holes of play will earn their full player exemption with the LPGA for the 09-10 tournament season.