BEAUMONT, CALIFORNIA, March 25, 2017 – Anne-Catherine Tanguay (Quebec, Canada) and Daniela Darquea (Quito, Ecuador) made 13 total birdies while playing in the same group on Saturday and both moved into a share of the lead at 7-under, 137. Later in the day, Briana Mao (Folsom, Calif.) posted a 4-under, 68 to get to 7-under. Tanguay, who has six career top 10’s including a T10 to open the year at the Florida’s Natural Charity Classic, posted a 4-under, 68 while Darquea, a rookie playing in just her second career event, turned in a 5-under, 67.
There are five players just one off the lead including Burbank native Emily Tubert. There are 11 players within three shots of the leaders.
The cut was made at 2-over, 142 and 72 players will play on Sunday. The first group will tee at 7:30 a.m. while the final group of Darquea and Mao will tee at 1:10 p.m.
“I just really got my putting going today, I made a bunch of 10 and 12 footers,” said Tanguay, who attempted 29 putts. “I made some up-and-downs on the par 5’s, which was key so overall it was a solid round.”
Tanguay decided this past offseason to stay in Florida to prepare for the season and said it was her best offseason to date. She only took about a week off.
“Two weeks before the season started, I was getting itchy to play because I’ve worked a lot on short game, chipping and putting and made some equipment changes that are helping my game,” said Tanguay. “I got some new wedges and I got some more distance off the tee with a new driver.”
Tanguay also said that she will have her boyfriend on the bag full-time this year and the duo works well on the course.
“It gets stressful sometimes on the road and it is good to have someone that helps me relax,” explained Tanguay. “He knows my game well, he knows me well and I think we make a great team on the course.”
The 26-year-old has made ten birdies against just one bogey this week. She did have a double bogey on Saturday on the 17th hole.
Tanguay’s low finish on Tour is a tie for fourth. She’ll go for her first win on Sunday.
“My mission this year is to be a little lighter on the golf course and have more fun,” said Tanguay. “It’s definitely nice to be in this position and I’ve been here before and I know how it feels and I think I can do better this time around.”
Darquea will try to become the first player from Ecuador to ever win on the Symetra Tour.
“I putted really well today,” said Darquea, who finished 17th in her pro debut at the Florida’s Natural Charity Classic. “On the 20-footers and in I made a lot of them, however on the really long putts I wasn’t as confident. I actually three-putted three times.”
Darquea, who took medalist honors at Stage I of LPGA Qualifying Tournament in 2016, turned professional after three seasons at Miami.
“I’m super excited how I am playing,” said Darquea. “I love to play golf and so far the start to my
professional career has been fun. I’m really happy that I am playing well.”
When Darquea was little, her parents bought a membership to a golf club in Quito and she started playing when she was four years old.
“I just fell in love with the game and I couldn’t stop playing,” explained Darquea. “I went to college and then turned professional so golf has pretty much been my entire life.”
Darquea said that taking advantage of the par-5 holes will be critical on Sunday.
Mao, who trains in Palm Desert at La Quinta PGA West, made four birdies over her first seven holes and five total for a 68.
“I was hitting it really well and had a lot of good looks including birdie opportunities on each of the first six holes,” explained Mao. “I was feeling good going into the back nine, but just kind of lost my rhythm. I started swinging too fast and missed some fairways.”
Just like Tanguay and Darquea, Mao will also go for her first win.
“I’m going to go work on ball striking a little and then I’ll be fully prepared for Sunday,” said Mao, an All-ACC performer at the University of Virginia. “There are a bunch of good players towards the top so who knows what will happen.”
EMREY POSTS CAREER LOW ROUND: Allison Emrey (Charlotte, N.C.) carded a career low 6-under, 66 on Saturday to jump from T33 to a tie for fourth at 6-under for the tournament.
She made seven birdies against just one bogey.
“I played really consistent and I hit the ball well and capitalized on that and made the putts,” said Emrey, who attempted 28 putts. “I had a great group and we were talking all day so that put me at ease.”
Emrey played with Elizabeth Szokol (Winnetka, Ill.) and Kim Welch (Sacramento, Calif.).
The 23-year-old finished 51st on the Volvik Race for the Card money list as a rookie and feels ready to improve upon that.
“I feel like it is definitely easier your second year because you’ve seen all the courses before and you know all the players and you know what is going to happen each week,” explained Emrey. “I’m staying with my same host family from last year so it is really nice to come back to Beaumont.
She will likely improve upon her finish last year at Morongo Golf Club at Tukwet Canyon when she closed T55.
LACROSSE GETTING CLOSE AFTER NEARLY A YEAR OFF: Cindy LaCrosse, who won three times on the Symetra Tour in 2010 and has made 88 career starts on the LPGA, feels her game is headed in the right direction. This week is a good sign as she posted a 2-under, 70 on Saturday and stands at 6-under, 138.
“I played really well, if a few more putts had dropped it could have been even lower,” said LaCrosse, who only played in two Symetra Tour events last year. “I’m hitting the ball really well and I’ve done a lot over the last year with swing changes and they are really starting to feel comfortable.”
LaCrosse played in the first Symetra Tour event last year and then withdrew from the rest to make big changes. She started working with Justin Sheehan out of Tampa, who also coaches Brittany Altomare and a few other professionals.
“I told him that I’ll do whatever you tell me with the golf swing so it took a long time,” said LaCrosse. “Even at Q-School, I was still uncomfortable. I knew if I wanted to keep playing I needed to do something drastic.
LaCrosse was the Symetra Player of the Year in 2010. She hasn’t had a top 50 LPGA finish since 2013.
FRANCE’S RICORDEAU PLAYING SYMETRA TOUR FOR FIRST TIME: Marion Ricordeau (Laon, France) posted a 1-under, 71 to move to 3-under for the tournament. She played six years on the Ladies European Tour (LET) and then earned partial LPGA Tour status through Q-School in 2015 and played the LPGA in 2016. She finished T23 at the LOTTE Championship in Hawaii, but struggled the remainder of the season. She has decided to focus on the Symetra Tour in hopes of returning to the LPGA.
“I tasted it (LPGA) and I loved it so obviously I want to try and get there again,” said Ricordeau, who made 14 starts on the big tour last year. “I want to do my best each week to try and get my card through Symetra (Tour), if not then Q-School.”
Ricordeau finished 48th on the LET Order of Merit in 2015 when she last played in Europe. She has three career top 10’s on the LET.
“It’s pretty motivating on the LPGA when you can’t play average to make a living, you have to give your best every week,” explained Ricordeau. “I started to work (on my game) more than I ever have in the past because I had to against the competition.”
Ricordeau confirmed that she likely won’t play in many LET events because she doesn’t want to travel back-and-forth between the states and Europe.
During off weeks, Ricordeau will spend time with her coach, Patricia Meunier-Lebouc, in Jupiter, Florida. Meunier-Lebouc won twice on the LPGA Tour including the 2003 Kraft Nabisco Championship.
OF NOTE
• Stanford products Lauren Kim (-4) and Mariah Stackhouse (-3) are both in the top 10.
• Brittany Benvenuto, who finished 3rd at Tukwet Canyon in 2015, is T10 with back-to-back 70’s.
• Rookie Lindsey Weaver, who finished fourth at the Florida’s Natural Charity Classic, is ninth heading into the final round at 5-under, 139.
Birdie. Birdie. Birdie. That’s how Vancouver’s Stuart Macdonald finished his first qualifying school Friday to secure status on this year’s Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada circuit. That would be your textbook definition of clutch.
The 22-year-old member of Point Grey Golf & Country Club, who is a member of Canada’s national amateur team, finished the 72-hole Q school at the Country Club at Soboba Springs in San Jacinto, Calif., tied for ninth place at three-under par. That guarantees him the first four starts of the Mackenzie Tour season and means he won’t be an amateur much longer.
Macdonald was proud of the way he closed his round. He sensed he needed a big finish to secure status. “I was tied for 18th going into today and I definitely wanted to finish, if not top five, then inside the top 16,” Macdonald said over the phone after his round. “So I had to make something happen down the stretch. I had a sense I had to make some birdies and it happened.”
American Jake Knapp, who won Q-School by seven strokes with a score of 16-under par, earned fully exempt status. The rest of the top five are exempt through the first eight events of the Mackenzie Tour season. Players finishing ninth through 16th are guaranteed the first four starts of the season.
Macdonald was even-par for his round through 15 holes before his birdie binge, which began on one of the toughest holes on the course. “The 16th is a par 4 that is normally a par 5,” Macdonald said. “It’s about 485 yards, with lots of trouble, and it was playing straight into the wind. It was probably playing 500 yards today. I hit a good drive and a good 5-iron to about 12 feet and made the putt.
“The 17th hole is a pretty straightforward par 4. I hit my drive into the left rough, hit a pretty good shot to about 14 feet above the hole and my putt trickled on into the cup. The 18th is a ‘gettable’ par 5. I didn’t hit a great drive. I hit it in the rough so I couldn’t go for it, but I laid up to a good yardage and hit it to about six feet and made the putt. It is definitely a confidence-booster knowing that I can make a few birdies when I have to.”
Macdonald plans to hold off turning pro for another month or so. He will play in a couple of high-profile amateur events in the United States and also represent British Columbia Golf at a tournament next month in Peru.
He said he will likely turn pro just before the Mackenzie Tour begins its season. He could make his pro debut at a very familiar place, as the first event of the season — the $175,000 Freedom 55 Financial Open — goes June 1-4 at Point Grey.
“I think I’ve been a member there since I was nine or 10 years old,” Macdonald said of Point Grey. “I have probably played there a thousand times.”
Macdonald played four years of collegiate golf at Purdue University. He graduated with a management degree this past December and has been working hard on his game this winter in the southern California desert.
“Ever since I left Purdue in December, I’ve been down here in the Palm Desert area. My parents have a place here and it’s been nice having lots of time to work on your game with no school work to worry about. My game has been trending in the right direction for quite some time now. This will give me some confidence going forward. My game is in a good place and I’m sure I will do some good things out there.”
Macdonald said his first Q-School experience was not as nerve-wracking as he imagined. A three-under 68 in Tuesday’s opening round helped calm any nerves, although he had to survive some anxious moments in Thursday’s third round when he shot a three-over 74.
“I had some bad luck,” Macdonald said. “I lost a ball in a tree. My ball got stuck in a tree and I made a double, but I hung in there and stayed patient. I was probably less nervous today starting off than I was the other three days. My heart got racing pretty good there at the end.”
Click here for final Q-School scores
Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada
THE RECAP: Costa Mesa, California’s Jake Knapp cruised to victory on Friday at the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada’s USA West #2 Q-School, shooting a 3-under 68 at the Country Club at Soboba Springs to earn medallist honours and exempt status on the Mackenzie Tour in 2017.
The 22-year old finished the week seven strokes ahead of Valencia, California’s Nick Delio, taking advantage of his length off the tee and an improved wedge game to conclude the week at 16-under 268.
“I had the advantage on a lot of the holes to be able to take some of the hazards out of play, so if I knew if I could drive it straight and have a lot of shots between 100-150 yards, that would give me opportunities to make birdies,” said Knapp.
After playing his way onto the Tour mid-way through last season, Knapp made two of seven cuts and said he’s looking forward to having another chance at competing in Canada this Summer.
“Overall, getting a little redemption back,” said Knapp of his goals for the season, speaking optimistically after working on tightening his wedge game in the offseason. “My game’s changed enough now where I think it’s going to fit the courses a little bit better. It’s about being able to score a little better and ideally put myself in a position to win.”
Vancouver, British Columbia’s Stuart Macdonald was the top Canadian, closing with three straight birdies for a closing 68 and a T9 finish to earn exempt status for the first four events of the season.
FINAL SCORES FOR MACKENZIE TOUR STATUS: After 72 holes this week, every player inside the top 40 and ties earned Mackenzie Tour status for 2017. Below is a breakdown of the cut-offs for status:
1st (Exempt for 2017 season): -16/1st
5th (Exempt for first 8 events, subject to 2nd reshuffle): -6/5th
16th (Exempt for first 4 events, subject to 1st reshuffle): E/T16*
*(Dearborn, Michigan’s Evan Bowser prevailed in 4-for-1 playoff)
40th (Conditional status): +7/T36
THEY SAID IT:
“I love Winnipeg. That’s where my family’s actually from, and I get to stay with family that week and go out to Gimli and hang out with them.” – Jake Knapp, on which city and tournament (Players Cup) he’s looking forward to most in 2017.
“I really enjoyed my time on that Tour, and it’s helped me develop my game a lot. I’m really excited to get back up there and have some guaranteed starts, especially at the start of the year.” – Jake Johnson, who closed with a 6-under 65 to finish solo fifth.
“I was thinking, ‘you can do this, just stay strong.’ I was little disappointed to be in the playoff, because I was only one shot away, but everyone could find one shot to pick up somewhere, so I said ‘it’s okay, you have a chance right here.’” – Evan Bowser on prevailing in a 4-for-1 playoff to secure exempt status for the first four events.
PLAYER NOTES:
Below are notes on the top 16 players from this week’s Q-School:
JAKE KNAPP: Former standout at UCLA, where he recorded two individual wins and qualified for the 2015 U.S. Open. Made two of seven cuts on the Mackenzie Tour last season.
NICK DELIO: 2008 California Amateur Champion won the Dakotas Tour Order of Merit in 2013.
KEVIN LUCAS: Played collegiate golf at the University of Nevada-Reno and won the Money List on the 2014 eGolf Tour.
CAMERON DAVIS: Turned pro in 2016 after a standout amateur career that included individual wins at the 2015 Australian Amateur and 2016 World Amateur. Finished T15 at the PGA TOUR’s OHL Classic at Mayakoba in 2016.
JAKE JOHNSON: Played college golf at Sacramento State and held Mackenzie Tour status each of the last two seasons, making three cuts in nine starts.
CHASE WRIGHT: Won the Indiana State Open in 2010 and record six top-10 finishes on the Web.com Tour from 2014-16.
FEDERICO ZUCHETTI (a): Texas Tech Senior won the 2013 Italian International Amateur and the 2015 St. Andrews Links Trophy.
CHRIS KILLMER: Former University of Washington Husky won the Players Cup in 2012 and has earned conditional status on the Web.com Tour each of the last two years.
STUART MACDONALD (a): Member of Golf Canada’s National Amateur Team and recent Purdue University graduate. Finished third at the 2016 Canadian Amateur Championship.
JAMIE MARSHALL: University of Arkansas grad helped the Razorbacks to a runner-up finish at the 2009 NCAA Championship. Owns one pro win on the Adams Tour.
WYNDHAM CLARK (a): University of Oregon Senior is currently the No. 1 ranked player in Golfweek’s Men’s Collegiate Rankings on the strength of two individual wins this season.
MATT HANSEN: Two-time NCAA All-American at UC-Davis finished 66th and 67th, respectively, on the Order of Merit the last two seasons on the Mackenzie Tour.
JARED SAWADA: Played collegiate golf at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. He has played in the PGA TOUR’s Sony Open in Hawaii twice, including a T69 finish in 2017.
NAHUM MENDOZA III (a): Current San Diego State senior was named a 2nd team NCAA All-American in 2016 and represented the United States in the Palmer Cup.
NIGEL LETT (a): University of Oregon Senior helped the Ducks to NCAA Team Championship last year along with close friend and Mackenzie Tour alum Aaron Wise.
EVAN BOWSER: Played collegiate golf at Oakland University and qualified three times for the U.S. Amateur Championship.
Miscellaneous notes:
- Weather: 21 degrees Celsius, sunny, winds 14 km/h.
- Former PGA TOUR member Matt McQuillan finished with a 7-under 64 to move up 41 spots into a tie for 22nd.
- Canadians to earn status (5): Stuart Macdonald (-3/T9), Eric Banks (E/T16), Matt McQuillan (+3/T22), Raoul Menard (+4/T25), David Rose (+5/T28)
- Click here for scores.
Denver, Colorado’s Wyndham Clark and Sydney, Australia’s Cameron Davis each opened with a 5-under 66 on Tuesday at the Country Club at Soboba Springs to share the first round lead at the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada’s USA West #2 Q-School.
Clark, a senior at the University of Oregon playing as an amateur, carded three birdies, two eagles and three bogeys, while Davis, the reigning World Amateur Individual champion, rebounded from an early double bogey with seven birdies to co-lead by one over Costa Mesa, California’s Jake Knapp and Mililani, Hawaii’s Jared Sawada through one round.
Clark was 1-over through eight holes before making an eagle on the 18th hole (his ninth), part of a stretch that saw him go 7-under for six holes.
“The eagle really got my round started. I had it really going for about six holes after that. It was good,” said Clark.
Davis, meanwhile, bounced back from his early stumbles with a flawless finish to his round to reach 5-under.
“I was hitting the ball pretty well all day,” said Davis. “I had a bit of a stumble on the third hole – I hit it right up against a tree I was actually aiming for. After that I played the back nine really well and didn’t make any mistakes.”
Golf Canada National Amateur Squad member Stuart Macdonald of Vancouver opened with a 3-under 68. Read his Q&A with the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada here.
CURRENT SCORES FOR MACKENZIE TOUR STATUS: After 72 holes this week, every player inside the top 40 and ties will earn Mackenzie Tour status for 2017. Below is a breakdown of where the cut-offs stand:
1st (Exempt for 2017 season): -5/T1
5th (Exempt for first 8 events, subject to 2nd reshuffle): -3/T5
16th (Exempt for first 4 events, subject to 1st reshuffle): -1/T7
40th (Conditional status): +1/T35
Tyler Costigan/ Golf Canada
Canada’s top-ranked male amateur Jared du Toit continued his impressive streak on Monday, nabbing his fourth NCAA top-5 finish in his last five events at the Thunderbird Invitational.
The Kimberley, B.C., product opened an early lead in the 54-hole event with a tournament-low 64 (-7) on Sunday, highlighted by an eagle on the par-5 14th. He went on to card two rounds of 70 (-1) to close the event at 9-under par, four strokes back of medallist Collin Morikawa.
du Toit, the captain of Arizona State, put forward one of many strong efforts by the host Sun Devils, with all five members finishing inside the top-10. The all-aronud team effort led the Sun Devils to a convincing 20-stroke margin—their second victory of the season.
du Toit will lead the Sun Devils into action again from April 8-9 at the Western Intercollegiate in Santa Cruz, Calif.
Click here for full scoring.
Tyler Costigan/ Golf Canada
Canada’s top-ranked female amateur Maddie Szeryk was dialed in once again on Wednesday, closing a wire-to-wire run at the NCAA’s Dr. Donnis Invitational to post a convincing four-stroke victory in Hawaii.
Szeryk, a third-year member of Team Canada’s Amateur Squad, opened the 54-hole event with rounds of 67-71 over 36 holes on Tuesday, giving her the advantage heading into Wednesday’s final. The Texas A&M junior went on to card a 69 (-2), pulling away from the field to finish at 9-under par, recording her second NCAA victory to date—she won the Florida State Match-Up in 2016.
Szeryk’s efforts lifted the Aggies to the team victory at Kanohe Klipper course, finishing with a 15-stroke margin over runner-up Oklahoma State. Her impressive play of late has put her in the spotlight, winning her second consecutive SEC Golfer of the Week honour earlier in March.
The 20-year-old sits at No. 26 on the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR).
Fellow Team Canada teammate Naomi Ko of Victoria, B.C. was also in action, posting a 6-over score to finish T26.
Szeryk will look to lead the Aggies in action once again when they tee-it-up from March 31-April 2 at the Clemson Invitational in Sunset, S.C.
Click here for full scoring.
Bath, Ont. product Augusta James capped a busy few days by Monday qualifying for the LPGA’s Bank of Founders Cup, running later this week from March 16-19.
The long-standing Team Canada athlete—and current Young Pro Squad member—dialed in a 7-under 65 to finish atop the 83-player field. She was joined by American Kaylin Yost as the two competitors to earn their spots at Wildfire Golf Club.
James, who currently holds partial status on the LPGA Tour, aims to play her way into events through Monday qualifiers where her schedule permits. She’s coming off one day’s rest, having finished T18 at the Symetra Tour season opener which concluded on Sunday.
She’s set to tee it up with fellow Canadians Brooke Henderson, Alena Sharp, Maude-Aimee Leblanc and Jennifer Ha.
Golf Canada and adidas Golf today announced an agreement that will see adidas Golf become the official apparel and headwear outfitter for Golf Canada’s National Team Program.
The adidas Golf performance products will be worn by Team Canada athletes, coaches and sport science staff in training as well as during competition at domestic and international golf championships.
“We are honoured to be a part of the Team Canada program—supporting the next generation of elite Canadian golfers,” said Lesley Hawkins, Brand Director for adidas Golf. “A key area of focus for adidas Golf is the growth of the game through the pyramid of influence, and Golf Canada has done a tremendous job connecting with these athletes. We’re very excited to kick off the 2017 season together.”
The partnership marks the second Golf Canada program to be supported by adidas Golf, who are also the official apparel partner of the Golf Fore the Cure program.
“The adidas mark is rooted in elite athlete performance and we are thrilled to have them align their brand with Team Canada as our official apparel outfitter,” said Golf Canada Interim Chief Executive Officer Jeff Thompson. “Performance is the foundation of our partnership and the athletes and coaches are excited to train and compete in adidas Golf’s leading edge competitive apparel.”
LAS VEGAS – National Amateur Squad member Jared du Toit continued his impressive run on Wednesday, finishing in a tie for third at the Southern Highlands Collegiate.
The 21-year-old senior (and captain) at Arizona State closed the event at 5-under par—one stroke off the lead. His final-round scorecard included a hole-in-one on the par-3 2nd hole, lifting him into contention down the stretch.
du Toit, a Kimberley, B.C., product, is coming off a hot streak which includes a victory, a T1 (playoff loss), T11 and now T3 in his last four collegiate events with the Sun Devils. His efforts helped him earn Pac-12 Golfer of the Month for February; he’ll look to keep rolling when Arizona State plays host of the ASU Thunderbird Invitational from March 18-19.
Click here for full scoring.
