Sun Country Golf

Newly minted LPGA Tour player Katie Kempter won the Hawaii State Open with a birdie in the second hole of sudden death — an event she played in while “hanging out” and enjoying warm weather in Hawaii with her friend, University of New Mexico Lobo Women’s Golf Team member Britney Choy.

Kempter stayed with Choy’s family, who lives on Oahu, said Chris Kempter, Katie’s father. Choy caddied for Kempter over two days on the Fazio course and the final day on the Palmer Course. Kempter’s win was worth $1,000.

Kempter was second low medalist in the LPGA Q School in Daytona Beach, Fla., earlier this month. In Hawaii, she was tied for the lead after 54 holes of regulation play Sunday at the Turtle Bay Resort with Xyra Suyetsugu and amateur Cyd Okino, who was trying for her fourth consecutive Hawaii Open win. Kempter shot 75-71-74.

Choy was a standout at Leilehua High School in Waihiawa before going to UNM.

Kempter, who grew up in Albuquerque and now lives in Denver, was expected to return to Albuquerque for the holidays. Her finish at Q School means she’ll likely get into most 2010 LPGA Tour events, not counting invitationals or events based on world rankings. She’ll not likely play in overseas events her first year out, her father said.

(Photo Courtesy Norm Guenther, Hawaii Golf News & Travel)

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Sun Country Golf readers are asking who is Gerina Mendoza?

She’s the Roswell native who finished tied for 30th at the LPGA Q School in Daytona Beach, Fla., in early December and won partial status on the 2010 LPGA Tour.

It’s a fair question, since the New Mexico media largely seems to have ignored the achievements of both Katie Kempter and Mendoza, who battled a field of 106 players to compete for status on the 2010 LPGA Tour.

For just 24 years old, Mendoza has quite the star-powered resume.

She got her start at Goddard High School in Roswell and then played for and graduated from the University of Texas at El Paso. She played on the Duramed Futures Tour, official developmental tour of the LPGA, where in 2009 she played in 16 events, made 13 cuts and had three top-ten finishes.Her best performance was a tie for second. In 2008, she had four top ten finishes.

Mendoza was featured on the Golf Channel’s Big Break Prince Edward Island this year, where she gained a fan in the administrator of the website, “Chickipedia, the Wiki of Hot Women.”

(For a taste of the Chickipedia’s raison d’etre, click on this video, “Chickipedia vs. Wikipedia.”)

Mendoza was the individual winner of the 2003 New Mexico 4-4a golf championship, 2005 winner of the El Paso City Women’s Championship and the individual winner of the 2007 Conference USA Golf Championship.

Back in August, Mendoza was in a grocery store when her cell phone rang. It was LPGA Tour Legend Nancy Lopez, another Roswell native, calling to wish her luck. You can read an article about that phone call on the Futures Tour website.

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The website Zimbio has posted a series of photos of Albuquerque’s Katie Kempter at the LPGA Q School in Daytona Beach, Fla., where she finished second and qualified for her 2010 LPGA Tour card in early December. Caddying for her was Arroyo del Oso head Professional Bill Harvey.

Click here to go to the Zimbio photo page. Zimbio is an online celebrity “wiki” magazine focusing on celebrities.

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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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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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