VOLVIK RACE FOR THE CARD UPDATE
After stepping into the winner’s circle for the first time in her professional career at the Garden City Charity Classic, Allyssa Ferrell (Edgerton, Wisconsin) launched 48 spots in the Volvik Race for the Card to No. 21 to earn our “Move of the Week.”
Her previous season-best finish was tied for eighth at the Sioux Falls GreatLIFE Challenge the week prior.
“The beginning of the season was not going well and when you aren’t making cuts week after week, you start to think about how long you are going to do this, especially being my fourth year,” said Ferrell, who has accumulated $33,896 across 16 starts this season. “I decided to keep fighting, finish out the year and see what happens. It paid off, my game showed up when I started working a little harder and focusing a little more on putting and fine-tuning my swing.”
The top-10 in the Volvik Race for the Card after the Epson Tour Championship earn full LPGA Tour membership for 2019. Meanwhile, those from Nos. 11-30 qualify for Q-Series. With four events remaining on the schedule, the battle is getting into the heat of the race.
Prior to the 18th tournament on the official qualifying tour of the LPGA, the top-10 in the Volvik Race for the Card saw a decent amount of changes. Dottie Ardina (Laguna, Philippines) still holds a commanding advantage at No. 1 with $74,616. From there the same three players follow in succession starting with Linnea Ström (Hovas, Sweden) at $59,939, then Stephanie Meadow (Jordanstown, Northern Ireland) just $1,148 back of that mark and Charlotte Thomas(Guildford, England).
Checking in at No. 5 is Elizabeth Szokol (Winnetka, Illinois) after a tied for fifth result in the Garden City Charity Classic. The showing moved her up two places in the standings, having earned $53,878 through 16 events played. Behind the University of Virginia alumna is Jenny Haglund (Karlstad, Sweden), who stays put, and Isi Gabsa (Munich, Germany), down two spots from her previous position. A difference of just $1,960 stands between Szokol and Gabsa.
New to the group is Pavarisa Yoktuan (Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand), making her top-10 debut this season at No. 8 with $49,220 in season prize money. Rounding out the upper tier is Stephanie Kono (Honolulu, Hawaii) and Eun Jeong Seong (Yongin, Republic of Korea).
“I’m really happy for what I have accomplished the last two weeks and bumped up my ranking to No. 8,” said Yoktuan, who is coming off back-to-back top-five finishes. “This is my first time being in the top-10 this season and I’m very motivated to play the last four events well and secure my full LPGA Tour card for next year.”
Every member of the top-10 is in El Dorado, Ark. this week for the Murphy USA El Dorado Shootout from Sept. 14-16 at Mystic Creek Golf Club.
“Two months ago I wasn’t even thinking about being in the top-30,” Ferrell said. “I was just worried about being in the top-80 to keep my status for next year. Now, focusing on one tournament at a time and not getting too far ahead is the key. I want to stay in the moment because once you starting thinking about other things, that’s when you put pressure on yourself.”
)
)
)
)
