Madalitso Muthiya | Sun Country Golf

Kempter Wins LPGA Tour Card; Herron, Others Lose Cards

Unheralded Katie Kempter of Albuquerque finished strong in the final round of the LPGA Q School to tie for second, winning full exemption to the 2010 LPGA Tour.

Kempter, a Denver University and Sandia High School graduate, finished with a final 68 to card a 353 (70-69-73-73-68) in the rain-delayed five-round event in Daytona Beach, Fla., two shots behind Amanda Blumenhurst. Roswell’s Gerina Mendoza, with at 362 (77-72-72-70- 71), finished 30th, winning limited exemption for the 2010 season. Albuquerque’s Dorothy Delasin had a horrendous Q School and won no status for the 2010 season. Click here for the LP GA Tour’s final 2009 Q School Leaderboard.

Kempter told the story of her quest for a card in the winter issue of Sun Country Golf. Click here for that issue of the magazine, and scroll to Page 15.

At the PGA Tour Q School in West Palm Beach, Fla., players with New Mexico connections did not fare as well. Shane Bertsch won his 2010 Tour Card, tying for 15th, but Tim Herron, D.J. Brigman and Madalitso Muthiya fell short. Bertsch rallied from a tie for 50th in the sixth and final round of that rain-delayed event to shoot 65 and leapfrog much of the field. Click here for the PGA Tour 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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N.M. Open Delayed; Muthiya in Hunt

Chris Thompson led the New Mexico Open after Day Two, but in the hunt were Travis Reid, tied for second and four strokes back, and former Lobo Madalitso Muthiya, tied for sixth, five strokes back.

Play Thursday was suspended due to darkness. Eighteen players were set to finish the second round Friday morning.

Play was suspended earlier in the second round at 5:05 p.m, due to rain, and was restarted at 6:20 p.m. The final six groups were unable to finish and were expected to finish on Friday morning.

The top 50 players and ties will make the cut upon completion of the second round. On Thursday night, the projected cut was 1-over.

Within that margin were Trent Romann of Rio Rancho (1-under) Lobo Steve Saunders (2-under), former Aggie Steve Haskins (3-under) and 2008 champion Brian Kortan of Albuquerque (4-under).