Blumenherst Wins LPGA Sectional Qualifying

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PALM SPRINGS, Calif. - Former Duke University women's golf standout Amanda Blumenherst capped an impressive four days in Palm Springs, Calif., by winning the LPGA Sectional Qualifying Tournament on Sunday by six strokes at the Mission Hills Country Club Dinah Shore Tournament Course.

Ignited by a seven-under-par, 65 on Saturday, Blumenherst turned in a two-under-par, 70, in the final round to post a 72-hole total of 272, which was 16-under-par. Azahara Munoz was second (278), while Lehua Wise (279), Emma Cabrera-Bello (280) and Ashley Knoll (281) rounded out the top five. Over the four days, Blumenherst carded rounds of 70, 67, 65 and 70.

"I was just playing like it was a normal tournament," said Blumenherst. "I was playing the best I could, and I didn't think about making the cut or posting a certain score. I just continued to play my game. I have been hitting my shots really good lately, so my goal was to just keep positive and just play my game."

The Scottsdale, Ariz., native finished the final day with three birdies and one bogey. The top-30 players and ties after 72 holes advance to the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament at LPGA International in Daytona Beach, Fla., Dec. 2-6.

"Well, I have one more tournament to play, then I will just continue working on my game," commented Blumenherst. "I will probably continue working on my chipping. I need to maintain the same ball striking, which I have been doing very well lately. I will work more on my short game as well."

Former Duke golfer Jennie Lee closed her four days off with a ledger of 78 to finish tied for 61st with rounds of 72-73-76-78=299. Two-time letterwinner Rebecca Kim also finished tied for 61st with rounds of 76-71-77-75=299.

The first two days, players competed on both the Palmer and Dinah Shore Tournament Courses at Mission Hills Country Club, playing each of the courses once before the cut was made to the low 70 and ties after 36 holes. The final two rounds were played on the Dinah Shore Tournament Course.

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.

-d-u-k-e-

Final round scores Sunday in the LPGA Tour's
LPGA SECTIONAL QUALIFIER
at the 6442-yard, par 36-36 - 72, Dinah Shore,
Mission Hills Country Club,Rancho Mirage
(a-denotes amateur):
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1   Amanda Blumenherst   (Scottsdale, Ariz.) 70-67-65-70 - 272 (-16)

2   Azahara Munoz   (San Pedro Alcantara, Spain) 70-66-71-71 - 278 (-10)

3   Lehua Wise   (Kauai, Hawaii) 70-68-74-67 - 279 (-9)

4   Emma Cabrera-Bello   (Gran Canaria, Spain) 72-73-68-67 - 280 (-8)

5   Ashley Knoll   (The Woodlands, Texas) 71-73-70-67 - 281 (-7)

T6   Yuko Mitsuka   (Japan) 69-68-76-69 - 282 (-6)
    Esther Choe   (Scottsdale, Ariz.) 69-70-69-74 - 282 (-6)
    Mallory Blackwelder   (Versailles, Ky.) 72-68-67-75 - 282 (-6)

9   Hannah Jun   (San Diego, Calif.) 71-70-71-71 - 283 (-5)

10   Tamie Durdin   (Adelaide, Australia) 66-74-73-71 - 284 (-4)

T11   Maria Jo Uribe   (Colombia) 74-69-71-71 - 285 (-3)
    Kazu Yazaki   (Chiba, Japan) 70-67-74-74 - 285 (-3)
    Jane Chin   (Mission Viejo, Calif.) 68-70-71-76 - 285 (-3)

T14   Il Hee Lee   (Seoul, South Korea) 70-72-75-69 - 286 (-2)
    Kirby Dreher   (Fort St. Johns, Canada) 70-74-71-71 - 286 (-2)
    Libby Smith   (Essex Junction, Vt.) 75-67-71-73 - 286 (-2)
    Ryann O'Toole   (San Clemente, Calif.) 68-70-75-73 - 286 (-2)
    Ayaka Kaneko (a)   (Honolulu, Hawaii) 70-73-68-75 - 286 (-2)

19   Selanee Henderson   (Apple Valley, Calif.) 71-74-70-72 - 287 (-1)

T20   Hwanhee Lee   (Las Vegas, Nev.) 72-75-70-71 - 288 (E)
    Iben Tinning   (Fredensborg, Denmark) 74-68-73-73 - 288 (E)
    Nanette Hill   (Pelham Manor, N.Y.) 72-73-69-74 - 288 (E)

T23   Kathleen Ekey   (Sharon Township, Ohio) 74-74-70-71 - 289 (+1)
    Kitty Hwang   (Guayaquil, Ecuador) 72-75-71-71 - 289 (+1)
    Beatriz Recari   (Pamplona, Spain) 74-72-71-72 - 289 (+1)
    Cindy Lacrosse   (Tampa, Fla.) 68-72-77-72 - 289 (+1)

T27   Katie Kempter   (Albuquerque, N.M.) 77-70-74-69 - 290 (+2)
    Dawn Shockley   (Estes Park, Colo.) 74-72-74-70 - 290 (+2)
    Tanya Dergal   (Durango, Mexico) 73-72-72-73 - 290 (+2)
    Stephanie Kirchmayr (a)   (Pocking, Germany) 70-74-72-74 - 290 (+2)

--- Top-30 and Ties Advance to the Final Qualifying Tournament ---

31   Christina Lecuyer   (Edmonton, Canada) 67-74-76-74 - 291 (+3)

T32   Sofie Andersson   (Angelholm, Sweden) 74-71-74-73 - 292 (+4)
    Elizabeth Stuart   (Tampa, Fla.) 71-73-75-73 - 292 (+4)
    Marianne Skarpnord   (Sarpsborg, Norway) 71-70-78-73 - 292 (+4)
    Maria Hernandez   (Pamplona, Spain) 72-74-72-74 - 292 (+4)
    Eileen Vargas   (Ibague, Colombia) 70-74-72-76 - 292 (+4)

T37   Juli Erekson   (Chicopee, Mass.) 73-75-73-72 - 293 (+5)
    Caryn Wilson   (Rancho Mirage, Calif.) 74-70-74-75 - 293 (+5)

T39   Veronica Felibert   (Caracas, Venezuela) 74-73-75-72 - 294 (+6)
    Kelly Froelich   (Raizeux, France) 70-74-77-73 - 294 (+6)
    Sara Brown   (Tucson, Ariz.) 73-74-73-74 - 294 (+6)
    Nicole Smith   (Riverside, Calif.) 71-76-73-74 - 294 (+6)
    Jessica Gebhardt   (Chandler, Ariz.) 74-71-74-75 - 294 (+6)
    Min Seo Kwak   (Seoul, South Korea) 74-73-71-76 - 294 (+6)
    Kylie Walker (a)   (Glasgow, Scotland) 70-71-75-78 - 294 (+6)

T46   Heather Angell   (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 75-73-72-75 - 295 (+7)
    Diana Ramage   (Auburn, Ala.) 74-74-72-75 - 295 (+7)
    Kristie Smith   (Perth, Australia) 74-68-78-75 - 295 (+7)
    Jennifer Gleason   (Clearwater, Fla.) 72-74-73-76 - 295 (+7)

T50   Stephanie Connelly   (Pasadena, Md.) 72-75-77-72 - 296 (+8)
    Lisa Ferrero   (Lodi, Calif.) 76-71-76-73 - 296 (+8)
    Paola Moreno   (Cali, Colombia) 76-71-75-74 - 296 (+8)

T53   Miriam Nagl   (Berlin, Germany) 75-73-77-72 - 297 (+9)
    Shayna Miyajima   (Maui, Hawaii) 76-72-75-74 - 297 (+9)
    Rucy Kim   (Overland Park, Kan.) 71-77-75-74 - 297 (+9)
    Tiffany Tavee   (Tempe, Ariz.) 71-75-75-76 - 297 (+9)
    Vanessa Brockett   (Los Angeles, Calif.) 73-68-79-77 - 297 (+9)

T58   Sophie Jang   (South Korea) 71-76-78-73 - 298 (+10)
    Caroline Westrup   (Ahus, Sweden) 76-70-77-75 - 298 (+10)
    Jasi Acharya   (Columbus, Mont.) 73-72-78-75 - 298 (+10)

T61   Aimee Cho   (Orlando, Fla.) 74-74-78-73 - 299 (+11)
    Leanne Bowditch (a)   (Peregian Bch, Australia) 70-78-77-74 - 299 (+11)
    Rebecca Kim   (Tigard, Ore.) 76-71-77-75 - 299 (+11)
    Blair O'Neal   (Scottsdale,Ariz.) 73-74-77-75 - 299 (+11)
    Jennie Lee   (Henderson, Nev.) 72-73-76-78 - 299 (+11)

66   Jessica Carafiello   (Coral Springs, Fla.) 71-76-78-75 - 300 (+12)

T67   Malinda Johnson   (Eau Claire, Wis.) 72-75-74-80 - 301 (+13)
    Briana Vega   (Andover, Mass.) 69-77-75-80 - 301 (+13)

T69   Cassandra Blaney   (Champions Gate, Fla.) 69-78-81-74 - 302 (+14)
    Seema Sadekar   (Toronto, Canada) 74-73-79-76 - 302 (+14)

71   Grace Woo   (Los Angeles, Calif.) 76-71-78-78 - 303 (+15)

--- Missed 36 Hole Cut ---
Lauren Doughtie   (Suffolk,Va.) 78-71      - 149
Tara Goedeken   (Dodge City, Kan.) 76-73      - 149
Jenny Kim   (Los Angeles, Calif.) 76-73      - 149
Caroline Martens (a)   (Oslo, Norway) 75-74      - 149
Tiffany Chudy   (Miramar, Fla.) 75-74      - 149
Yuka Kuriyama   (Osaka, Japan) 74-75      - 149
Carrie Riordan   (Spring Valley, Ill.) 72-77      - 149
Adrienne White   (Red Deer, Alberta Canada) 72-77      - 149

Ling-Ti Chiu (a)   (Taiwan) 77-73      - 150
Perry Swenson   (Charlotte, N.C.) 74-76      - 150
Sara Ovadia   (Santa Barbara, Calif.) 74-76      - 150

Justina Yu   (Las Vegas, Nev.) 78-73      - 151
Sara Wikstrom   (Jonkopin, Sweden) 75-76      - 151
Stephanie Na   (Adelaide, Australia) 75-76      - 151
Jennifer Ackerson   (Dallas, Texas) 74-77      - 151
Cassie Castleman   (Portland, Ore.) 74-77      - 151
Carmen Alonso   (Madrid, Spain) 73-78      - 151
Sung Ea Lee   (Tacoma, Wash.) 71-80      - 151

LeAnna Wicks   (Brighton, Mich.) 80-72      - 152
Brit Hayes   (Polson, Mont.) 79-73      - 152
Jenny Lee   (La Canada, Calif.) 78-74      - 152
Mary Moan   (New Haven, Conn.) 77-75      - 152
Clarissa Childs   (Columbia, S.C.) 77-75      - 152
Sydney L Cox (a)   (Edmond, Okla.) 77-75      - 152
Kelly Wilson (a)   (Cameron Park, Calif.) 77-75      - 152
Jennifer Kovach   (Flowery Branch, Ga.) 77-75      - 152
Carling Coffing   (Middletown, Ohio) 70-82      - 152

Megan Heckeroth   (Los Angeles, Calif.) 80-73      - 153
Tonya L Choate   (Mt. Vernon, Mo.) 79-74      - 153
Liebelei Lawrence   (Athens, Greece) 79-74      - 153
Stacey Bieber   (Winnipeg, Manitoba) 77-76      - 153
Olivia Chung (a)   (Auckland, New Zealand) 77-76      - 153
Nikki Garrett   (Shelly Beach, Australia) 75-78      - 153
Alexandra Braga   (Pleasanton, Calif.) 73-80      - 153
Mary J Kim   (Seoul, South Korea) 73-80      - 153

Kendall Dye   (Edmond, Okla.) 80-74      - 154
Benedikte Grotvedt   (Nesbru, Norway) 78-76      - 154
Caroline Larsson   (Stockholm, Sweden) 78-76      - 154
Noon Huachai   (Bangkok, Thailand) 78-76      - 154
Elena Kurokawa   (Redondo Beach, Calif.) 75-79      - 154

Jenna Pearson   (Wheaton, Ill.) 78-77      - 155
Marina Choi   (Los Angeles, Calif.) 76-79      - 155
Y.J. Jin   (Seoul, South Korea) 76-79      - 155
Lucy Davies   (Northridge, Calif.) 76-79      - 155
Sae Hee Son   (Seoul, South Korea) 75-80      - 155
Jackie Gonzalez   (Valencia, Venezuela) 73-82      - 155

Jutta Degerman   (Kauniainen, Finland) 82-74      - 156
Heather LeMaster (a)   (Sacramento, Calif.) 81-75      - 156
Tsai Pei-Ying (a)   (Pingtung, Taiwan) 81-75      - 156
Jayne Pardus   (Charleston, S.C.) 79-77      - 156
Lilly Kobayashi   (Santa Monica, Calif.) 77-79      - 156
Mari Chun   (Pearl City, Hawaii) 76-80      - 156

Jaclyn Burch   (St.Louis, Mo.) 85-72      - 157
Gemma Webster   (Glasgow, Scotland) 80-77      - 157
Erika Ilagan   (Cypress, Calif.) 77-80      - 157

Tiffany Joh   (San Diego, Calif.) 75-83      - 158

Meredith Taylor (a)   (Lexington, S.C.) 82-77      - 159

Esther Moon   (Nashville, Tenn.) 80-81      - 161

Angel Sze   (San Marino, Calif.) 78-86      - 164

Sabina Imboden   (Cran Sur Sierre, Switzerland) 86-79      - 165
Debbie Munoz   (Boca Raton, Fla.) 82-83      - 165

Jillian Wyne   (Calgary, Alberta Canada) 82-84      - 166
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Shinah Ham   (Seoul, South Korea) WD
Jeannine Fiorito   (Bellevue, Wash.) WD
KyLee Brown   (Salt Lake City, Utah) WD
Hydi Dixon   (Kennebunkport, Maine) WD