LPGA Q-School gets underway
BY Bruce Young | LPGA Tour | 2008 LPGA Q-School (California) - Stage One | Round One | 17 Sep 2008
The opening round of Sectional qualifying for the 2009 LPGA Tour has been completed over two courses at Mission Hills in Rancho Mirage in California and Korean Sun-Ju Ahn has taken a three shot lead.
The 21-year-old Ahn has played the Korean LPGA Tour since turning professional but has also competed well in events in Australia and New Zealand finishing inside the top ten at both the 2007 Australian Women’s Open and the ANZ Ladies Masters (4th) and 6th at the 2007 Evian Masters
The Australians in the field have also made good starts with amateur Leanne Bowditch and Western Australian Kristie Smith opening with rounds of 69 to be in a share of second place.
Bowditch, from the Sunshine Coast of Queensland, is the sister of PGA and Nationwide Tour player Steven and has been a member of the Pepperdine University golf team in recent years. Smith turned professional two months ago and is the current Australian Amateur Champion.
Other Australian scores include Priscilla Duffield 75, Clare Choi 78 and Sunny Park 83.
Michelle Wie and Stacey Lewis, two of the highest profile players attending playing this week, opened with 2 under par rounds of 70.
This is the first of two Sectional Qualifying stages, the second later this month in Florida before the final is held in Florida in early December.
