Durdin leads LPGA Sectional Qualifying Tournament after opening-round 66

PALM SPRINGS, Calif., Sept. 17, 2009 – Tamie Durdin leads the field of 139 players after the opening round of the first LPGA Sectional Qualifying Tournament in Palm Springs, Calif. The Australian player carded a 6-under-par 66 on the Palmer Course at Mission Hills Country Club.

Durdin has an accomplished amateur background, which includes wins at the South Australian Amateur and the Tasmanian 72-Hole Stroke-Play, a runner-up finish at the Australian Amateur in 1996, and a win at the Australian Junior in 1995.

“I played really good today,” said Durdin. “I was really excited about this week, and just wanted to have a good opening day. The little things worked out well for me today, so I am happy with how I played.”

Durdin has professional playing experience on the Japan Ladies Professional Golf Association (JLPGA), where she won at this year’s Fujisankei Classic.

Finishing one stroke back of Durdin is Canada’s Christina Lecuyer, who finished at 5-under-par 67. Lecuyer was a four-time Academic All-American and five-time winner from the University of Central Arkansas, where she was a member of the women’s golf team from 2004-07. Lecuyer was thrilled to get off to such a good start in the opening round at Mission Hills, and looks forward to the rest of the week.

“I had a really good day,” she said. “I have been playing quite well. I knew I could play well, and I have been looking forward to this week. On number one, I had a bad drive into the trees, so didn’t start off too well. On number two, I had a really good drive, and it got me fired up for sure. This is my second time here; I made it through in 2007. Last year I wasn’t playing well. This year, I have been playing really well, and it’s really exciting to be back. It could be a good week.”

Lecuyer’s past professional experience includes three runner-up finishes on the Cactus Tour in 2008-09, a third-place at the Texas Open, and a fifth-place at the Michigan Open, both in 2009. As an amateur, the Canadian was the winner of the 2002 Women’s City Amateur Championship in Edmonton, and was a two-time Club Champion, and a three-time Ladies Jazz Pro-Am winner.

Former Duke University standout Amanda Blumenherst recorded a 2-under-par 70 on the Dinah Shore Course at Mission Hills Country Club, and is tied for 10th after the first round of play. Among the many accolades Blumenherst has to her name are the 2008 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship, a four-time American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) Rolex All-American with 14 AJGA victories, and a three-time NCAA Player of the Year (2006-08). She was also the low amateur at the 2008 Kraft Nabisco Championship on the Dinah Shore Tournament Course at Mission Hills Country Club.

The 72-hole sectional is the first of two sectional qualifiers, and is being played on the Palmer and Dinah Shore Courses at Mission Hills Country Club. The Dinah Shore Course is the host site of the Tour’s first major of the season, the Kraft Nabisco Championship. The field will be cut to the low-70 players and ties after 36 holes. After four rounds, the top-30 players and ties will advance to the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament, Dec. 2-6, 2009, at LPGA International in Daytona Beach, Fla.

The second LPGA Tour Sectional Qualifying Tournament will be Sept. 29-Oct. 2, 2009, at Plantation Golf and Country Club’s Bobcat and Panther Courses in Venice, Fla. The top-30 finishers and ties from the Venice qualifier will join the top-30 players and ties from this week’s sectional qualifier at the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament. Making up the rest of the field in Daytona Beach will be current LPGA Tour members attempting to improve their priority standing and eligible Duramed FUTURES Tour players who automatically advanced based on their position on the 2009 season-ending money list.

Durdin leads 2009 LPGA Sectional Qualifying Tournament

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