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Golf

Area will be well represented on the LPGA Tour

By Times Staff
Published December 6, 2005

LPGA Tour fans can expect to see more on area players during the 2006 season.

In addition to Seminole's Brittany Lincicome , who retained exempt status in her rookie year; two others can expect to qualify for tournaments based on earning conditional status in last week's qualifier in Daytona Beach.

Brooksville's Kelly Lagedrost , a former USF All-American, and Clearwater's Jenny Gleason earned conditional status. They finished 4-over 364, missing the cut for the playoff for exempt status among the top 24 by a single stroke.

However, capturing a share of fifth will get them and former Gator Naree Song into more tournaments than last season. Gleason was 15th on the priority list this year and Song 16th after tying with 265 in last season's Q-School challenge.

Gleason said she thought salvaging a birdie on Sunday's final hole, the par-4 18th, was going to put her in the playoff for one of the final three spots.

"I had a difficult fairway lie from a divot for my second shot but managed to reach the green, settling about 22 feet from the cup," said Gleason, who was helped along the way by caddie Ryan Gildersleeve , who plays professionally on the mini tours. "When I made that breaking putt, I thought I was in, but I guess it wasn't meant to be. But being fifth on the conditional list will get me into about 12 (LPGA) events next year, which is good.

"I qualified for eight this year," Gleason said. "I'll still play the Futures Tour but probably play more LPGA events. It's a different environment out there, and I need that experience. I'm still confident, but it was a long drive back from Daytona Beach thinking about what happened and what could have been."

Lagedrost and Gleason, both 25, were among 31 former Future Tour players to qualify for exempt or non-exempt status on the LPGA Tour.

Twelve of the 24 exempt players are graduates of that developmental tour, including Vermont's Libby Smith , who took second after finishing with a bogey-free 69 on Sunday. The medalist was Ai Miyazato , 20, of Japan.

Smith, who played basketball at the University of Vermont, said golf is like standing on the free-throw line.

"You can't think too much about what you have to do," she said. "You just have to play."

St.Petersburg's Marilyn Lovander , 50, missed the 72-hole cut to advance to Sunday's final round.

Odessa's Beth Bauer (Bloomingdale High School/Duke) was disqualified after the second round.

PGA TOUR Q-SCHOOL: Entering Monday's finale, several area players remained in the mix for a top-30 and ties score.

That's the mark to gain exempt status for 2006 . (See the C section for final results).

Greg Kraft was tied for 16th at 12-under par. He started fast, firing 6-under 66 at Orange County National in Winter Garden. Dunedin's Bob Heintz was 11 under early Monday afternoon, with the cut hovering at 10 under.

Kentucky's John Holmes , the 2003 winner of the New Year's Invitational at St.Petersburg Country Club, was safely deadlocked for first with one round to play.

Former East Lake Woodlands resident Bill Glasson was tied for eighth at 14-under par. He was hit with a two-stroke penalty for missing his starting time Sunday but recovered with a 2-under 70.

FLORIDA JUNIOR TOUR: Belleair's Andrea Messer carded 76-75-151 to finish second to Vicky Hurst (146) of Melbourne last weekend on Lake Jovita's 5,879-yard course in Dade City.

"Although I haven't played in junior tournaments since August, I'm disappointed I didn't win," said Messer, a Largo High sophomore who was the runner-up in the Class 2A State Championship this fall after a playoff.

"Lake Jovita is a tough course with lots of bunkers, water, doglegs plus fast and hilly greens."

Evan Jensen , Messer's prep teammate, tied for third with a two-day total of 152. Jensen was selected the 2004 FJT girls 13-15 division player of the year. She also tied for second for Largo at state last year.

Their next tournament is the Innisbrook Christmas Classic, Dec.19-21. Messer won the girls title by 10 strokes last season on the Copperhead course.

In the boys division at Lake Jovita, Dade City's Cameron Knight won by nine strokes after shooting 66-68 for an impressive 10-under 134. Matt Cooney of Tampa tied with James Byrd of Windemere for second (143).

PINELLAS INTERCLUB: The Bayou Club will play host to the December match on Monday at noon. The make-up date for the November competition at Cove Cay is set for Jan.5 at noon.

CGA: The better ball of pair team of Roger Flaherty and Lou Cappucci of San Antonio tuned up for this week's County Association Championship by winning at Countryside with a 1-under 71. However, the senior duo of Dennis Williams and Bobby Jolley went two strokes better (69).

The shot of the day was crafted by Safety Harbor's Mark Dinkel . He found the range on the 190-yard No.8 on the Pine course for a hole-in-one.

After the Monday morning round of the annual tournament, Jeff Pett of Seffner took the early lead with an 82 at Fox Hollow under windy conditions from 6,800 yards. Clearwater's Dan Rupp is second (83) and followed by Hugh Forsythe (84).

The round of the day was crafted by Tom Bone of East Lake in the Senior division. With an 18 handicap, he shot 84 for the lead, netting to 65. Jim Hunter is second (85). Malcolm Girffith (86) trails.

The County Golf Association Championship winners since 1989 in the Regular Division (players 55-plus):

1989: Frank Souchak and Lonnie Watson.

1990: Bobby Grace and Tom Jewell. 1991: John Veghte and Jewell. 1992: Jack Veghte and Sandy Sanders. 1993: Dave McDowell and Ed Haver. 1994: Scott Sabadosh and Don Sherer. 1995: Frank Saxon and John Jennings. 1996: Saxon and Spencer Gaylord. 1997: Saxon and Phil Leckey. 1998: Neil Vanleeuwen and Dick Ptomey. 1999: Jim King and Bob Hamilton.

2000: John Cerutti and Wayne Smith. 2001: Not held. 2002: Dalan Farren and John King. 2003: Ernie Muschner and Gil Day. 2004: Jerry Thorn and Mitch Bentley.

[Last modified December 6, 2005, 02:15:34]