http://www.symetratour.com/news/feeds/full-news-and-blogs.aspx en-US Wed, 19 Jun 2013 10:49:15 GMT Wed, 19 Jun 2013 10:49:15 GMT Full News and Blogs Feed - Really Simple Syndicator 1.0 http://www.symetratour.com/golf/blogs/2013/6/making-headlines-south-bend.aspx Katy Harris Comes Home Katy Harris comes home to prepare for the Four Winds Invitational. More>>   Golf of the Gridiron stories: Part 1: Amir Abbas from downtown South Bend to find out all about Golf on the Gridiron. More>> Part 2: Amir Abbas is joined by Jaclyn Sweeney, Elisa Serramia and Frances Bondad. More>> Part 3: Amir Abbas participates in a few golf challenges. More>>   South Bend street name changed in advance of the Symetra Tour coming to town. The best female golfers from around the world are coming to Blackthorn Golf Club in South Bend this week. On Monday, Michigan Street was renamed in their honor. The street was changed to “Four Winds Invitational Drive” in honor of the tournament. There will be 144 women from over 30 countries participating in this year’s event. More>>   Pro Golf event at Blackthorn Blackthorn General Manage Tim Firestone spoke with WSBT about this week's Four Winds Invitational. More>>     Wed, 19 Jun 2013 10:31:00 GMT http://www.symetratour.com/golf/blogs/2013/6/making-headlines-south-bend.aspx http://www.symetratour.com/golf/news/2013/6/south-bend-storylines.aspx Week of June 17, 2013 Four Winds Invitational Blackthorn Golf Club   The Symetra Tour – Road to the LPGA, provides a direct pipeline to the LPGA and continues its 33 rd competitive season at this week’s Four Wind Invitational. Below are a few top storylines for this week’s event.   Top Storylines   Hometown Gals… With the Symetra Tour set to return to Indiana for the 29 th year, several players scheduled to compete this week have strong ties to the Hoosier State. Kari Bellville of Granger, Ind. and Penn High School in Mishawaka, Ind. is one of two recipients of this year’s sponsor invitations gaining her entry into this year’s event. Bellville, who has verbally committed to attend Notre Dame University, competed in last year’s Four Winds Invitational but missed the cut by two strokes. Also from Granger, Ind. Jennifer Hong is competing in her fourth year on the Symetra Tour. The Northwestern University graduate is looking to improve on a career-best T25 which she posted at the 2012 Ladies Titan Tire Challenge. During her time at Northwestern University, Hong recorded six top-five finishes in collegiate competition and was a four-time NGCA All-American Scholar selection (2006-2009). Hone has also finished third at the 2008 Illinois Women’s Open and seventh at the 2010 Michigan Women’s Open. Aimee Neff will also return to her home state of Indiana this week and she calls Carmel, Ind. home. The third year Symetra Tour member has posted two career top-10 finishes including tied for fourth at the 2012 Ladies Titan Tire Challenge. Neff attended college at Michigan State University where she recorded 13 top-10 finishes and was a four-time All-Big Ten Conference selection (2008-2011). She is also the two-time winner of the Illinois Women’s Open (2008, 2009) and won the 2008 Indiana Women’s Golf Association Match Play Championship. A former collegiate golfer at Indiana University, Angela Buzminski will return to her old stomping grounds this week of Indiana to compete in the Four Winds Invitational. During her time at Indiana University, Buzminski recorded 17 top-10 finishes, including runner-up at the 1993 NCAA Women’s Golf Championship. A member of the Symetra Tour since 1995, Buzminkski has notched five career victories including her most recent win at the 2009 Historic Brownsville Open. On this year’s Road to the LPGA, Buzminski’s best finish is tied for third at the Friends of Mission Charity Classic. Former Indiana University Hoosier Laura Martin will also return to Indiana to compete in this week’s Four Winds Invitational. Currently in her third season on the Symetra Tour, this week will serve as Martin’s third event of the season as she looks to improve on a career-best tied for seventh finish which came at the 2012 Challenge at Musket Ridge. During her time at Indiana University, Martin recorded 16 top-10 finishes and was a two-time All-Big Ten Conference selection (2007-2010). She was also a four-time Academic All-Big Ten Conference selection (2007-2010) and won the 2010 Ohio Women’s Amateur Championship. A native of South Bend, Ind. , Harris returns to her old stomping grounds to compete this week. On this year’s Symetra Tour, Harris has posted two top-25 finishes including a season T17 at the Florida’s Natural Charity Classic. Prior to turning professional, Harris won the 1997 Indiana Women’s PGA Open Championship and the 1998 Indiana Women’s Amateur Championship. While playing collegiate golf at Louisiana State University, Harris recorded 20 top-10 finishes including tied for third individually at the 2001 NCAA Women’s Golf National Championship.   Winning Ways… With five tournaments already concluded on this year’s Symetra Tour, the Road to the LPGA has already seen five different winners as players jockey to land inside one of the top-10 spots on the Volvik Race for the Card. Four out of the five winners this season are scheduled to tee-it-up in Decatur. Melissa Eaton had to wait four years to notch her first Symetra Tour victory but after an eagle on the 54 th hole of the Florida’s Natural Charity Classic, the Louisiana State University (LSU) graduate experienced her first trip to the winner’s circle.  The win was good enough to propel the 28-year-old to the top of the Symetra Tour money list and inched her one step closer to obtaining her LPGA Tour card for the 2014 season. Eaton recently slipped to No. 4 in the Volvik Race for the Card standings after a pair of T31’s at the Symetra Classic and Friends of Mission Charity Classic. During her time playing collegiate golf at LSU, Eaton recorded 10 top-10 finishes and was a 2005 Southeastern Conference (SEC) All-Conference First-Team selection. In addition, Eaton was also named the Louisiana Sportswoman of the Year from 2005-2007 and recorded one win on the 2006 Collegiate Players Summer Tour in Louisiana. It took Christine Song nearly three years to return to the winner’s circle but the Fullerton, Calif. native did it in dramatic fashion winning in a two-hole playoff at the Guardian Retirement Championship at Sara Bay. Song fired rounds of 68-72-71 and birdied the second playoff hole to defeat Isabelle Boineau. Song currently stands No. 4 on the Volvik Race for the Card standings and hopes to return to the LPGA. Song earned her LPGA Tour card through the Volvik Race for the Card in 2009 but finished at No. 6, earning her conditional LPGA status for the 2010 season. She then decided to primarily focus on the Symetra Tour in 2010 and won two events which proved to be good enough to land her third on the season-ending Volvik Race for the Card standings earning her full-status on the 2011 LPGA Tour.   Along with her impressive victory, this season Song has posted one additional top-10 finish at the VisitMesa.com Gateway Classic at Longbow Golf Club where finished tied for ninth. Laura Kueny found her way to the winner’s circle for the first-time in her career at the Symetra Classic. The Michigan State University graduate headed into Sunday’s final round trailing by two strokes but fired a 1-under 71 to take home the trophy. This year, Kueny has competed in five out of the first six events on the Symetra Tour schedule but the win and a loss in a playoff at last week’s Decatur-Forsyth Classic lands her No. 2 on the Volvik Race for the Card standings. The Symetra Classic wasn’t the first time Kueny found herself in the winner’s circle of a professional event as she won the 2011 Michigan PGA Women’s Open Championship. Kueny also recorded three victories in collegiate competition while at Michigan State University and also won the 2007 Women’s Trans National Amateur Championship. Giulia Molinaro broke through to become the first rookie to win in 2013 after her victory at the Friends of Mission Charity Classic. The Italian fired rounds of 68-70-65 to earn a commanding 5-stroke victory. Along with her win, Molinaro has carded two additional top-20 finishes and stands inside the top-20 in four statistical categories including eagles, birdies, rounds under par, and scoring average. Molinaro played collegiate golf at Arizona State University where she was named the 2012 PAC 12 Player of the Year. In addition, Molinaro was a 2012 First team All-American selection and 2012 PAC 12 First Team selection. Sue Kim is looking to record back-to-back victories this week as she won last week’s Decatur-Forsyth Classic Presented by Tate & Lyle and Decatur Parks District. Kim shot a final-round 9-under 63 and defeated Laura Kueny in a one hole playoff for her first Symetra Tour win. Also a member of the LPGA Tour, Kim posted a season-best T34 at the Mobile Bay LPGA Classic. Prior to turning professional, Kim was a two-time winner of the British Columbia Junior Girls’ Championship (2005, 2007) and was a two-time runner-up at the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship (2007, 2009).   The Race is Underway… The Volvik Race for the Card kicked-off at the season-opening VisitMesa.com Gateway Classic and Longbow Golf Club and will continue at next week’s Decatur-Forsyth Classic Presented by Tate & Lyle and Decatur Parks District. Beginning in 1999, The Symetra Tour annually awards LPGA membership to its top players on each official season money list. This year marks the second season that the top-10 money winners will receive full, equal status for the following season on the LPGA Tour. With more than 500 alumnae including Lorena Ochoa, Cristie Kerr, and last year’s Rolex Player of the Year Stacy Lewis moving on to the LPGA, former Symetra Tour players have won a total of 371 LPGA titles, including 40 major championships. At the conclusion of the Friends of Mission Charity Classic, players moving into the top 10 spots on the money list are as follows: 1. Jaclyn Sweeney of Bradenton, Fla., $24,046; 2. Melissa Eaton of Port Shepstone, S. Africa, $21,306; 3. Giulia Molinaro of Treviso, Italy, $18,506; 4. Christine Song of Fullerton, Calif., $18,406; 5. Sue Kim of Langley, British Columbia, $16,916; 6. Courtney Massey of Gold Coast, Australia, $16,710; 7. Laura Kueny of Whitehall, Mich., $16,585; 8. Alena Sharp of Hamilton, Ontario, $16,489; 9. Caroline Westrup of Ahus, Sweden, $13,444; 10. Isabelle Boineau of Marseille, France, $13,188   Big Breakers… The cast of Golf Channel’s Big Break Mexico was recently unveiled and a trio of Symetra Tour members including Taylor Collins (@1taylorcollins) , Stefanie Kenoyer (@stefkenoyer) , and Emily Talley (@emtal) will be contestants on the 19 th season of the reality competition series. Big Break Mexico will feature a total of 12 professional golfers – both men and women -- and is scheduled to premiere May 13 th at 9:00 p.m. ET on Golf Channel. During her rookie season in 2012, Taylor Collins played in 15 events, made three cuts and posted a career-best tie for fifth at the Riviera Nayarit Classic. As a collegiate golfer at Nova Southeastern University, Collins won three tournaments and was a three-time member of the NCAA Division II National Championship team (2009-2011). Collins also was the individual winner of the 2011 NCAA Division II National Championship and was named a 2011 NGCA All-American First-Team selection. A member of the Symetra Tour since 2011, Stefanie Kenoyer is coming off a 2012 season that included seven made cuts in 15 events and a season-best T17 at the Sara Bay Classic. As an amateur, Kenoyer competed in four U.S. Women’s Amateur Championships and the 2009 U.S. Women’s Open. While playing collegiate golf at Furman University, Kenoyer was the two-time individual winner of the Southern Conference Women’s Golf Championship (2008, 2009), a four-time All-Southern Conference Team selection (2008-2011), and a two-time winner of the Southern Conference Player of the Year Award (2009, 2010). A rookie on this year’s Symetra Tour, Emily Talley comes into this season with a great deal of experience under her belt. While at the University of Colorado, Talley was named the 2012 University of Colorado Athlete of the Year, a 2012 NGCA and Golfweek All-American Honorable Mention selection and received the 2012 University of Colorado Career Athletic Achievement Award. As an amateur, Talley was the winner of the Norgescup and California Women’s Amateur Championship and represented Team USA at the 2011 World University Games.   A Look Back… Last year’s Four Winds Invitational had fans on the edge of their seats as the inaugural event included a dramatic, down-to-the-wire victory that helped Julia Boland play her way onto this year’s LPGA Tour. The Aussie trailed by three shots heading into the final day but fired a final-round 69 to notch a one-stroke victory over 2005 U.S. Women’s Open winner Birdie Kim and Jenny Suh. “I remember the final hole like it was yesterday,” said Boland. “It's a tough hole, and at the time I couldn't afford a Bushnell with elevation so still to this day I don't know how many yards downhill the second shot plays. I remember hitting my 7-iron in fractionally closer than Birdie Kim, and after her birdie putt came up short, I knew that I had a good chance at winning. My most memorable moment was holing the putt to become the clubhouse leader and a flood of emotion came over me. It was a very special moment, I will never forget my first professional win.” In addition to her win in South Bend, Boland also recorded five additional top-20 finishes. But according to the former Texas A&M Aggie, it was her first Symtra Tour victory that helped move her inside the top-10 on the season-ending Volvik Race for the Card standings and was the key turning point in getting her to the LPGA Tour. “My win last year changed the trajectory of my season,” said Boland. “Up until that point I had played consistently well but without a stellar tournament. I felt like my game was coming together, but I hadn't yet proven that I was ready to win. The win at Four Winds was not only great for me but it was a great way for me to thank my sponsors and team for their support of my career.” A rookie on this year’s LPGA Tour, Boland recorded a season-best T24 at the Kingsmill Championship. While Boland admits to missing her peers on the Road to the LPGA, she feels right at home competing on the LPGA Tour. “Even though I truly miss my mates on Symetra and I am so grateful for the time I spend on the tour, I love playing on the LPGA,” said Boland. “It's a physical, emotional, and professionally challenging but that's what's appealing to me about the game. My year has had its ups-and-downs, and I am learning every time I tee it up. I am so grateful that my win in South Bend gave me the opportunity to play against the world’s best.”    Giving Back… During its inaugural year, the Four Winds Invitational donated $63,000 to charities with $53,000 going to Memorial Children’s Hospital and $10,000 to the Ronald McDonald Family Room. The charitable contributions of the Four Winds Invitational will continue in 2013 with Memorial Children’s Hospital serving as this year’s beneficiary. Outside the Ropes… This year’s Outside the Ropes activity for the Four Winds Invitational will feature several Symetra Tour players touring the Memorial Children’s Hospital. The tour will begin Tuesday, June 18 th at 9:00 a.m. and will last until approximately 10:30 a.m.   Credentials… To obtain media credentials for the week, please stop-by the Symetra Tour mobile office and see Ali Kicklighter.   About the Four Winds Invitational The Four Winds Invitational was established in 2012 as part of the Symetra® Tour — Road to the LPGA, and is sponsored by the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians and its Four Winds Casinos®.  It is held at Blackthorn Golf Club, located at 6100 Nimtz Parkway, South Bend, Ind.  The tournament features a field of professional women golfers from around the world competing for a total prize of $150,000, making it the largest purse on the Symetra Tour.  More information is available at:  www.fourwindsinvitational.com .   Wed, 19 Jun 2013 06:38:00 GMT http://www.symetratour.com/golf/news/2013/6/south-bend-storylines.aspx http://www.symetratour.com/golf/blogs/2013/6/this-week-kono.aspx Each week throughout the year we will spotlight one Symetra Tour player and provide an in depth look into her life - both on and off the course. Up next in "This week is all about..." series is Stephanie Kono. Tue, 18 Jun 2013 16:27:00 GMT http://www.symetratour.com/golf/blogs/2013/6/this-week-kono.aspx http://www.symetratour.com/golf/news/2013/6/kono-player-feature.aspx Stephanie Kono might be a rookie on this year’s Symetra Tour but the UCLA grad isn’t your typical rookie. She comes into this season already possessing a wealth of veteran knowledge. In 2012, Kono competed in her rookie season on the LPGA Tour but failed to make a cut in each of her 14 starts forcing her to compete full-time on the Symetra Tour this season. On this year’s Road to the LPGA, Kono has posted two top-10 finishes including a season-best tied for third at the VisitMesa.com Gateway Classic at Longbow Golf Club.  However rewind several years and Kono was just picking up the game that would later become her profession. At the young age of six, Kono was introduced to the game by her parents. It wasn’t until Kono repeatedly lost to her father on the golf course that she became determined to practice until she could beat her dad. “My parents used to play golf and they introduced me to the game,” said Kono. “My dad and I used to play when I was little and he would beat me and I vowed to practice until I could beat him.” As a junior golfer, Kono’s resume could rival that of any of her competition. A few of her accolades included being a member of the 2007 Junior Solheim Cup team and a semi-finalist at the USGA Girls Junior. Once her junior golf career came to an end, Kono built up a resume good enough to allow her to attend her dream school, UCLA. “UCLA was really my dream school and I was so lucky to be able to go there and experience a great team and great coaches,” said Kono. “I think that’s what really helped me play well because I was so comfortable out there. The school work was manageable and with the help of my teammates, I had a great time there.” During her time at UCLA, Kono recorded 23 top-10 finishes including four victories and was a three-time First Team All-American selection. Still in college, Kono set her sights on the LPGA Final Qualifying School where she finished high enough to become the first UCLA player to earn her Tour card while still in school. While Kono spends countless hours on the golf course with golf serving as her profession, off the course her guilty pleasure comes in the form of the popular television show, Duck Dynasty. “When I’m not playing golf I like to hang out with my friends, eat good food and watch TV shows,” said Kono.” I’m really into Duck Dynasty now, it’s hilarious. I never thought I would be into a show about rednecks but I love it.” Perhaps Kono’s favorite television show wouldn’t seem so atypical if the UCLA grad wasn’t from Honolulu, Hawaii. Despite being a native Hawaiian, Kono admits she is not very typical of your average Hawaiian. “I am the most non-Hawaiian person ever,” said Kono. “I don’t surf, I don’t really go to the beach and I just don’t do a lot of things that a lot of people do in Hawaii. I don’t even know the island very well because I have a bad sense of direction. When I was at home during the winter time my friends took me on a hike next to my house that I’ve never even been to. It’s probably one of the most famous hikes on the island and I’ve never been there.” Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:22:00 GMT http://www.symetratour.com/golf/news/2013/6/kono-player-feature.aspx http://www.symetratour.com/golf/blogs/2013/6/otr-south-bend-hospital.aspx As Symetra Tour players gear up to compete for the tour’s biggest purse of the year at the Four Winds Invitational, the tournament is also preparing to give back to the community of South Bend. During the Four Winds Invitational’s inaugural year in 2012, the tournament donated $63,000 to charities with $53,000 going to Memorial Children’s Hospital. For the second consecutive year, the Four Winds Invitational has designated Memorial Children’s Hospital as its beneficiary. On Tuesday, several players took a break from preparing for the week’s event and visited Memorial Children’s Hospital. “It was great to come back here a year later,” said Jaclyn Sweeney. “They do such an amazing job here and to see the Symetra Tour come back and the money they have raised is really being put to good use. It was great to visit with the nurse from the intensive care unit, she is such a sweet lady and all the employees do such a great job.” With the funds from last year’s tournament, the hospital was able to purchase a new ambulance and with the proceeds from this year, the staff hopes to buy a new advance incubator.  “This is my second time doing this,” said Kendall Dye. “I came last year and it’s great to see the improvements they’ve made within the last year. You don’t really get to see a lot of what our golf brings to the community so to see they are getting the ambulance and incubators is pretty cool.” Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:02:00 GMT http://www.symetratour.com/golf/blogs/2013/6/otr-south-bend-hospital.aspx http://www.symetratour.com/golf/news/2013/6/stree-named-in-south-bend.aspx As the Symetra Tour makes its second annual stop in South Bend, Ind. this week for the Four Winds Invitational, a street in the city’s downtown area received a new name on Monday. South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg was on hand for the unveiling as Michigan Drive was renamed Four Winds Invitational Drive in honor of this week’s event. “We're really proud that the road to the LPGA goes right through South Bend, it's good for local business, it helps us show off Blackthorn which is a terrific city golf course, and it's a great way to boost professional women's sports which is growing in such an inspiring rate in the community,” Buttigieg told WNDU in South Bend. During the tournament’s inaugural year, fans came out in droves to support players on the Road to the LPGA as they played at Blackthorn Golf Club. As the community gears up to support the event again for the second consecutive year, Jaclyn Sweeney, No. 3 on the Volvik Race for the Card standings, admits the added extra support this week makes it nice to come to a community where the tour is embraced. “It’s great to have support where you play,” said Symetra Tour member Jaclyn Sweeney. “The course is in amazing shape, Four Winds obviously supports this tournament tremendously and they are happy to have us back. It’s always nice to play where you’re welcome and we really like having it here. I’m excited to start playing.” Tue, 18 Jun 2013 11:48:00 GMT http://www.symetratour.com/golf/news/2013/6/stree-named-in-south-bend.aspx http://www.symetratour.com/golf/news/2013/6/south-bend-preview.aspx After a successful inaugural year in 2012, the Symetra Tour is gearing up to return to South Bend, Ind. June 21-23 for the second annual Four Winds Invitational. The Four Winds Invitational will feature 144 of the top female professional golfers competing at Blackthorn Golf Club for the highest first-place prize on this year’s Symetra Tour, $22,500. Highlighting this year’s list of players scheduled to compete is Sue Kim, who currently holds the No. 1 ranking in the Volvik Race for the Card standings. Kim won last week’s Decatur Forsyth Classic Presented by Tate & Lyle and Decatur Parks District in dramatic fashion as she fired a 9-under 63 in regulation then defeated Laura Kueny in a one hole playoff. The top-10 players in the Volvik Race for the Card at season’s end will earn membership on the 2014 LPGA Tour. Along with Kim, other 2013 Symetra Tour winners scheduled to compete in Indiana include Jaclyn Sweeney (VisitMesa.com Gateway Classic at Longbow Golf Club), Melissa Eaton (Florida’s Natural Charity Classic), Christine Song (Guardian Retirement Championship), Laura Kueny (Symetra Clasic), and Giulia Molinaro (Friends of Mission Charity Classic). Also scheduled to compete in South Bend are a trio of current cast members on Golf Channel’s highly acclaimed realty series, Big Break. Taylor Collins, Stefanie Kenoyer, and Emily Talley are currently starring on Big Break Mexico which airs Monday night at 9:00 p.m. ET on Golf Channel. Kari Bellville of Penn High School in Mishawaka, Ind. and Geandra Almeida of Bethel College in Mishawaka, Ind. were the recipients of this year’s sponsor invitations allowing them to compete alongside Symetra Tour professionals. Bellville, who has verbally committed to attend the University of Notre Dame, competed in last year’s Four Winds Invitational but missed the cut by two strokes. A native of Brazil, Almeida attended Lee University prior to transferring to Bethel College in 2012. During her time at Lee University, Almeida led her team to their first-ever National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Women’s Golf National Championships. Last year, Almeida led Bethel College to an impressive nine tournament victories. During its inaugural year, the Four Winds Invitational donated $63,000 to charities with $53,000 going to Memorial Children’s Hospital and $10,000 to the Ronald McDonald Family Room. The charitable contributions of the Four Winds Invitational will continue in 2013 with Memorial Children’s Hospital serving as this year’s beneficiary. Tue, 18 Jun 2013 11:18:00 GMT http://www.symetratour.com/golf/news/2013/6/south-bend-preview.aspx http://www.symetratour.com/golf/blogs/2013/6/tools-of-a-winner.aspx The typically outgoing and energetic Sue Kim (@TheSueKim) was overcome with emotions after defeating Laura Kueny on the second playoff hole to secure her first Symetra Tour victory at the Decatur-Forsyth Classic Presented by Tate & Lyle and Decatur Parks District. It seemed all too fitting that Kim would win on Father’s Day as she dedicated her victory to her father who passed away three years ago. It was a personal best day for Kim who had a blemish free scorecard at Hickory Point Golf Club with an impressive nine birdies. See what tools she had in her bag to help her achieve success.  Driver     R1 10 degrees  Fairway woods    Fourteen SF 410 / 3W 16 degrees / 5W 20 degrees  Irons    TC 710 Fourteen  Wedges    Calloway Vintage 60 / 54 / 50 degrees  Hybrid    Adams Super LS Idea 22 degrees  Putter    Scotty Cameron Newport 1.5  Ball    Titleist Pro V1  Grips    iomic 1.8 sticky  Bag    Gauge Design Tour Bag  Shoes    FootJoy Sports  Spikes    Soft Spikes  Glove    Titleist player small  Eyewear    Maui Jim  Apparel    Lacoste and Calvin Klein  Visor    Titleist Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:34:00 GMT http://www.symetratour.com/golf/blogs/2013/6/tools-of-a-winner.aspx http://www.symetratour.com/golf/blogs/2013/6/quick-18-with-stephanie-kono.aspx 1. If you had to pick up one animal to describe you, what would it be and why? A combination of an owl because I am not a morning person, the Tasmanian Devil because I create chaos, and a bear in the winter because I can sleep forever. 2. Describe the best meal you've had while on the road and where you had it. I've had too many good meals to just name one. 3. What's the best piece of advice you have ever received? Never give up. 4. What is your favorite season? Fall. 5. Is there anything you are addicted to or can't live without? Dark chocolate. 6. What is the weirdest thing you have ever eaten? Giant ants in Columbia. 7. Tell us something you hate doing. Why? Cleaning, because I am not very neat. 8. As a child, what did you wish to become when you grew up? A professional golfer and a carpenter. 9. What's your favorite club in your bag? 8-iron. 10. What is your favorite home-cooked meal? Any Japanese food. 11. Describe yourself in one word. Goofy. 12. What movie do you watch again and again? The Bourne Series. 13. Do you have any nicknames? Steph. 14. Three things you would bring to a deserted island and why? Rice (because I love it), water (because I need it), and a handsome guy (because that would make the situation a lot better). 15. If given a complete freedom to start afresh, what profession would you choose and why? The same one because I love it! 16. If a song was played at the first tee, what song would be played for you? Don't Stop Believing. 17. What is always stocked in your refrigerator? Yogurt, fruit, and expired food. 18. What is the biggest strength of your game? My irons. Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:07:00 GMT http://www.symetratour.com/golf/blogs/2013/6/quick-18-with-stephanie-kono.aspx http://www.symetratour.com/golf/news/2013/6/decatur-final-round-notes.aspx Decatur-Forsyth Classic Presented by Tate & Lyle and Decatur Parks District Hickory Point Golf Club Final-Round News & Notes June 16, 2013 Final-Round Recap Volvik Race for the Card Continues Sue Kim Wins Tifosi Optics Sunglasses for Final Round Low Score Tweet of the Day Final-Round Recap The typically outgoing and energetic Sue Kim (@TheSueKim) was overcome with emotions after defeating Laura Kueny on the second playoff hole to secure her first Symetra Tour victory. It seemed all too fitting that Kim would win on Father’s Day as she dedicated her victory to her father who passed away three years ago. It was a personal best day for Kim who had a blemish free scorecard at Hickory Point Golf Club with an impressive nine birdies. “I had a really easy, steady day out there,” said Kim. “I hit 17 greens, I actually had all 17 birdie chances out there, It just came to me, it was a very easy birdie day.” Kim came from behind on Sunday as she entered the day so far behind the leaders in a tie for 36th that she began the final round on the back-nine. The Langley, British Columbia native wasted no time inching her way up the leaderboard on Sunday as she recorded back-to-back birdies on the par-4 10th and par-5 11th then notched two consecutive birdies at the par-3 13th and par-5 14th. “I’m leading,” said Kim a little skeptical after being told she held a 2-stroke lead. “I didn’t realize I’m leading, I haven’t looked at the leaderboard. After nine holes I looked at it and the leaders were on the first hole so I figured, I had no idea.” Kim then cooled off a bit with routine pars until another birdie at the par-4 first moved her to 5-under for the day. Momentum continued to sway in Kim’s favor as she recorded back-to-back birdies at the par-3 fourth and par-4 fifth, then again at the par-3 seventh and par-4 eighth. Kim headed to the final hole of the day with a two-stroke lead and calmly knocked-in a clutch 30-foot par saving putt to take the lead in the clubhouse. Ending the day at 9-under-par and 10-under for the tournament, Kim had her sights immediately set on the Road to the LPGA’s next stop in South Bend, Ind. until she was made aware by the media that she held the tournament lead. “I didn’t even see it until now,” said Kim. “You guys just told me so thank you for the good news. It feels great to make that par on the last hole.” Forced to wait nearly two hours for the remaining groups to finish, Kim witnessed her lead begin to dwindle as Laura Kueny made a charge up the leaderboard. “I watched the U.S. Open,” said Kim when asked what she did during the break. “I was in the pro shop watching the U.S. Open, trying not to think about what was happening because I didn’t want to be nervous thinking about what people are doing. I can’t do anything about it.” The winner of this year’s Symetra Classic, Kueny failed to get in the red numbers on Sunday until she rattled off three consecutive birdies to join Kim atop the leaderboard at 10-under. Kueny then dropped out of the lead after a bogey at the par-3 17th but would quickly recover with a birdie at the par-4 18th after sticking her approach shot from the bunker to 12-feet. “I made bogey on 17, I had a three putt, I have been struggling with the putter all day,” said Kueny. “I had nine straight pars the first nine then I told myself its go time on number 10 and I made four birdies and made things exciting.” The duo headed back to the 370-yard par-4 18th for the first playoff hole where Kueny’s drive found the left rough and Kim’s landed in the center of the fairway. First to play, Kim knocked her approach shot to 5-feet while Kueny left herself with a tricky 35-footer for birdie. In the second playoff this year on the Symetra Tour, Kueny missed her birdie putt leaving the door open for Kim as she calmly rolled-in the putt for her first Symetra Tour victory. “My dad passed away three years ago,” said Kim after her win. “It’s Father’s Day so I want to dedicate my win to him.” Volvik Race for the Card… The highly anticipated Volvik Race for the Card continued at the conclusion of the Decatur-Forsyth Classic Presented by Tate & Lyle and Decatur Parks District. Each year since 1999 players have been playing their way onto the LPGA Tour through the Symetra Tour’s Volvik Race for the Card by finishing atop the season-ending money list. The Volvik Race for the Card spotlights movement on the Tour’s 2013 season money list as players jockey for position among the top-10 money winners. This year marks the second year 10 players will receive fully-exempt status on next year’s LPGA Tour. For the second consecutive tournament, the Volvik Race for the Card standings changed dramatically with Sue Kim overtaking the No. 1 spot after her first career win at the Decatur-Forsyth Classic Presented by Tate & Lyle and Decatur Parks District. Despite already having status on this year’s LPGA Tour, a top-10 finish on the Volvik Race for the Card season would drastically improve her status for next year’s LPGA Tour. “That was my goal for this year to start with,” said Kim. “I worked really hard in the winter to achieve that goal. Having that conditional status on the LPGA helps me to go back-and-forth in between tournaments which is obviously helping me with my game. Gaining that top-10 card would mean a lot to me as I really want to reach out there and play the dream of my life.” At the conclusion of the Decatur-Forsyth Classic Presented by Tate & Lyle and Decatur Parks District, players moving into the top 10 spots on the money list are as follows: 1. Sue Kim of Langley, British Columbia, $31,916; 2. Laura Kueny of Whitehall, Mich., $25,927; 3. Jaclyn Sweeney of Bradenton, Fla., $24,046; 4. Melissa Eaton of Port Shepstone, S. Africa, $21,631; 5. Giulia Molinaro of Treviso, Italy, $19,561; 6. Christine Song of Fullerton, Calif., $19,043; 7. Alena Sharp of Hamilton, Ontario, $18,956; 8. Courtney Massey of Gold Coast, Australia, $17,765; 9. Caroline Westrup of Ahus, Sweeden, $14,081; 10. Isabelle Boineau of Marseille, France, $13,1888 Sue Kim Wins Tifosi Optics Sunglasses for Final Round Low Score For her final-round low score of 9-under 63, Sue Kim of Langley, British Columbia was awarded a pair of Tifosi Optics Sunglasses, an enthusiastic eyewear company, providing technically advanced eyewear to enthusiasts of all sports and outdoor activities. The "Exclusive Sunglasses of the Symetra Tour," Tifosi Optics will provide sunglasses for the season-long promotion Sunday Low Round award. Tweet of the Day… Happy Father's Day to all the great dads out there! Miss my daddy:) # fathersday – Sue Kim (@TheSueKim) Sun, 16 Jun 2013 18:47:00 GMT http://www.symetratour.com/golf/news/2013/6/decatur-final-round-notes.aspx http://www.symetratour.com/golf/news/2013/6/decatur-final-results.aspx Final round scores and money Sunday in the Symetra Tour's $100,000 Decatur-Forsyth Classic Presented by Tate & Lyle and Decatur Parks District at the 6600-yard, par 36-36 - 72, Hickory Point Golf Club. (a-denotes amateur): 1   Sue Kim   (Langley, British Columbia) 72-71-63 - 206 (-10)    $15,000 (playoff) 2   Laura Kueny   (Whitehall, Mich.) 64-73-69 - 206 (-10)    $9,342     T3   Marissa Steen   (West Chester, Ohio) 68-72-67 - 207 (-9)    $6,040       Jackie Stoelting   (Vero Beach, Fla.) 69-66-72 - 207 (-9)    $6,040     T5   Hannah Yun   (San Diego, Calif.) 67-70-71 - 208 (-8)    $3,886       Alejandra Llaneza   (Mexico City, Mexico) 71-67-70 - 208 (-8)    $3,886     7   Brittany Altomare   (Shrewsbury, Mass.) 74-67-68 - 209 (-7)    $2,948     T8   Alena Sharp   (Hamilton, Ontario) 68-73-69 - 210 (-6)    $2,467       Frances Bondad   (Greystanes, Australia) 74-66-70 - 210 (-6)    $2,467     T10   Anya Alvarez   (Tulsa, Okla.) 69-73-69 - 211 (-5)    $1,725       Kim Kaufman   (Clark, S.D.) 73-70-68 - 211 (-5)    $1,725       Caroline Powers   (Bowling Green, Ohio) 71-71-69 - 211 (-5)    $1,725       Elisa Serramia   (Barcelona, Spain) 68-72-71 - 211 (-5)    $1,725       Tzu-Chi Lin   (Chinese Taipei) 70-70-71 - 211 (-5)    $1,725       Lindy Duncan   (Plantation, Fla.) 67-72-72 - 211 (-5)    $1,725       Wei-Ling Hsu   (Chinese Taipei) 69-70-72 - 211 (-5)    $1,725       Candace Schepperle   (Birmingham, Ala.) 68-69-74 - 211 (-5)    $1,725     T18   Kendall Dye   (Edmond, Okla.) 70-71-71 - 212 (-4)    $1,273       Ashleigh Simon   (Johannesburg, South Africa) 71-70-71 - 212 (-4)    $1,273       Marina Alex   (Wayne, N.J.) 70-70-72 - 212 (-4)    $1,273       Jean Reynolds   (Newnan, Ga.) 69-68-75 - 212 (-4)    $1,273     T22   Amy Meier   (Rochester Hills, Mich.) 72-70-71 - 213 (-3)    $1,055       Birdie Kim   (Seoul, South Korea) 72-71-70 - 213 (-3)    $1,055       Carly Werwie   (Kenosha, Wis.) 73-69-71 - 213 (-3)    $1,055       Leah Wigger   (Louisville, Ky.) 70-73-70 - 213 (-3)    $1,055       Giulia Molinaro   (Treviso, Italy) 69-70-74 - 213 (-3)    $1,055       Nicole Vandermade   (Brantford, Ontario) 69-70-74 - 213 (-3)    $1,055       Courtney Massey   (Gold Coast, Australia) 74-71-68 - 213 (-3)    $1,055     T29   Angela Buzminski   (Oshawa, Ontario) 70-72-72 - 214 (-2)    $834       Hye-Min Kim   (Seoul, South Korea) 70-72-72 - 214 (-2)    $834       Samantha Richdale   (Kelowna, British Columbia) 71-71-72 - 214 (-2)    $834       Rachel Rohanna   (Waynesburg, Pa.) 73-68-73 - 214 (-2)    $834       Olivia Jordan-Higgins   (Jersey, Channel Islands UK) 71-70-73 - 214 (-2)    $834       Katy Harris   (Houston, Texas) 68-72-74 - 214 (-2)    $834     T35   Christine Song   (Fullerton, Calif.) 75-68-72 - 215 (-1)    $637       Joy Trotter   (Chino Hills, Calif.) 72-71-72 - 215 (-1)    $637       Ulrika Van-Niekerk   (Cape Town, South Africa) 74-68-73 - 215 (-1)    $637       Nannette Hill   (Pelham Manor, N.Y.) 70-71-74 - 215 (-1)    $637       Jessi Gebhardt   (Bellingham, Wash.) 73-71-71 - 215 (-1)    $637       Kitty Hwang   (Guayaquil, Ecuador) 70-70-75 - 215 (-1)    $637       Katie Kempter   (Albuquerque, N.M.) 72-72-71 - 215 (-1)    $637       Jenni Jenq   (Saratoga, Calif.) 71-73-71 - 215 (-1)    $637       Caroline Westrup   (Ahus, Sweden) 74-71-70 - 215 (-1)    $637     T44   Stephanie Connelly   (Pasadena, Md.) 71-72-73 - 216 (E)    $515       Eileen Vargas   (Ibague, Colombia) 71-73-72 - 216 (E)    $515       Victoria Alimonda Lovelady   (Sao Paulo, Brazil) 73-72-71 - 216 (E)    $515     T47   Emma de Groot   (Coffs Harbour, Australia) 70-71-76 - 217 (+1)    $449       Emilie Burger   (Hoschton, Ga.) 73-71-73 - 217 (+1)    $449       Jean Chua   (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) 73-71-73 - 217 (+1)    $449       Leigh Whittaker   (Baden-Baden, Germany) 73-71-73 - 217 (+1)    $449       Brianna Do   (Lakewood, Calif.) 72-72-73 - 217 (+1)    $449       Jenny Suh   (Fairfax, Va.) 72-72-73 - 217 (+1)    $449     T53   Ashli Bunch   (Morristown, Tenn.) 74-69-75 - 218 (+2)    $378       Peiyun Chien   (Pingtung, Taiwan) 72-71-75 - 218 (+2)    $378       Breanna Elliott   (Yarrawinga, Australia) 71-72-75 - 218 (+2)    $378       Megan Vaughn   (Lake Village, Ark.) 75-69-74 - 218 (+2)    $378       Marita Engzelius   (Oslo, Norway) 73-71-74 - 218 (+2)    $378       Marta Silva   (Santiago de Compostela, Spain) 71-73-74 - 218 (+2)    $378       Alexandra Casi   (East Palestine, Ohio) 74-71-73 - 218 (+2)    $378     T60   Tanya Dergal   (Durango, Mexico) 74-69-76 - 219 (+3)    $325       Ashley Tait   (Littleton, Colo.) 70-72-77 - 219 (+3)    $325       Melissa Eaton   (Port Shepstone, S. Africa) 69-75-75 - 219 (+3)    $325       Emma Jandel   (Dayton, Ohio) 76-69-74 - 219 (+3)    $325       Aimee Neff   (Carmel, Ind.) 75-70-74 - 219 (+3)    $325       Ayaka Kaneko   (Honolulu, Hawaii) 71-74-74 - 219 (+3)    $325     T66   Calle Nielson   (Nashville, Tenn.) 69-73-78 - 220 (+4)    $300       Taylor Collins   (Davie, Fla.) 72-71-77 - 220 (+4)    $300       Cara Freeman   (Chandler, Ariz.) 72-71-77 - 220 (+4)    $300       Misun Cho   (Cheongju, South Korea) 72-73-75 - 220 (+4)    $300     70   Ashleigh Albrecht   (Murrieta, Calif.) 71-73-78 - 222 (+6)    $287     71   Laura Martin   (West Chester, Ohio) 74-70-80 - 224 (+8)    $285     72   Brittany Benvenuto   (Langhorne, Pa.) 71-72-82 - 225 (+9)    $282     --- Missed 36-Hole Cut --- Jaclyn Jansen   (Effingham, Ill.) 73-73      - 146 Tiffany Tavee   (Tempe, Ariz.) 72-74      - 146 Garrett Phillips   (St. Simons Island, Ga.) 74-72      - 146 Hannah Jun   (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.) 70-76      - 146 Ginger Howard   (Bradenton, Fla.) 70-76      - 146 Dawn Shockley   (Estes Park, Colo.) 70-76      - 146 Izzy Beisiegel   (St. Hilaire, Quebec) 75-71      - 146 Tanya Wadhwa   (McKinney, Texas) 74-72      - 146 Inhong Lim   (Melbourne, Australia) 74-72      - 146 Michelle Shin   (Cape Coral, Fla.) 74-72      - 146 Seul-Ki Park   (Northbrook, Ill.) 74-72      - 146 Carling Nolan   (Middletown, Ohio) 72-74      - 146 Kaitlin Drolson   (San Diego, Calif.) 72-74      - 146 Blair O'Neal   (Scottsdale, Ariz.) 74-72      - 146 Mary Narzisi   (Omaha, Neb.) 73-73      - 146   Nathalie Mansson   (Stockholm, Sweden) 73-74      - 147 Catherine O'Donnell   (Ponte Verda, Fla.) 71-76      - 147 Molly Aronsson   (Shelburne, Vt.) 72-75      - 147 Lacey Agnew   (Jonesboro, Ga.) 71-76      - 147 Megan McChrystal   (Stuart, Fla.) 77-70      - 147 Caitlin McCleary   (The Dalles, Ore.) 77-70      - 147 Haley Millsap   (Pace, Fla.) 76-71      - 147 Natalie Sheary   (West Hartford, Conn.) 75-72      - 147 Kendra Little   (Eugene, Ore.) 71-76      - 147 P.K. Kongkraphan   (Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand) 73-74      - 147   Selanee Henderson   (Temecula, Calif.) 73-75      - 148 Hye-Joo Han   (Seoul, South Korea) 73-75      - 148 Sydney Cox   (Edmond, Okla.) 72-76      - 148 Mitsuki Katahira   (Tokyo, Japan) 73-75      - 148 Tracy Stanford   (Midland, Texas) 71-77      - 148 Jenna Pearson   (Wheaton, Ill.) 74-74      - 148 Fiona Puyo   (Paris, France) 75-73      - 148 Kirby Dreher   (Fort St. John, B.C.) 70-78      - 148 Isabelle Boineau   (Harseille, France) 76-72      - 148 Jamie Hullett   (Mesquite, Texas) 75-73      - 148 Cydney Clanton   (Concord, N.C.) 73-75      - 148 Shasta Averyhardt   (Flint, Mich.) 73-75      - 148   Martina Gavier   (Cordoba, Argentina) 73-76      - 149 Sara Brown   (Tucson, Ariz.) 72-77      - 149 Perrine Delacour   (Saint-Cloud, France) 74-75      - 149 Jasi Acharya   (Columbus, Mont.) 75-74      - 149 Sophia Sheridan   (Guadalajara, Mexico) 71-78      - 149 Jaye Marie Green   (Boca Raton, Fla.) 74-75      - 149   Catherine Matranga   (Fort Worth, Texas) 74-76      - 150 Brittany Johnston   (Akron, Ohio) 80-70      - 150 Briana Vega   (Andover, Mass.) 77-73      - 150 Lili Alvarez   (Durango, Mexico) 77-73      - 150 Justina Yu   (Las Vegas, Nev.) 73-77      - 150   Jennifer Hong   (Granger, Ind.) 75-76      - 151 Alexandria Buelow   (Palm City, Fla.) 79-72      - 151 Tara Goedeken   (Dodge City, Kan.) 76-75      - 151 Jordan Hardy   (Sylacauga, Ala.) 76-75      - 151 Amy Eneroth   (Spokane, Wash.) 75-76      - 151 Sehee Son   (Seoul, South Korea) 75-76      - 151 Jordan Ontiveros   (Alamo, Calif.) 74-77      - 151   Britney Hamilton   (Lake Orion, Mich.) 76-76      - 152 Kendall Wright   (Sugar Hill, Ga.) 74-78      - 152   Renee Skidmore   (Everett, Wash.) 75-78      - 153 Marcela Leon   (Monterrey, Mexico) 76-77      - 153 Jordan Rose   (San Angelo, Texas) 76-77      - 153 Joanna Coe   (Mays Landing, N.J.) 81-72      - 153   Marina Choi   (Los Angeles, Calif.) 76-78      - 154   Madeleine Sheils   (Boise, Idaho) 79-76      - 155 Lauren Williams (a)   (Hillsboro, Ill.) 80-75      - 155   Alice H. Kim   (Walnut, Calif.) 79-77      - 156 Xyra Suyetsugu   (Honolulu, Hawaii) 84-72      - 156 Jessica Wallace   (Langley, British Columbia) 78-78      - 156 Alexandra Braga   (Pleasanton, Calif.) 79-77      - 156 Jessy Tang   (Daytona Beach, Fla.) 77-79      - 156   Courtney Mahon   (Lee's Summit, Mo.) 78-80      - 158 Gabbi Schuerman (a)   (Decatur, Ill.) 80-78      - 158   Ashley Knoll   (The Woodlands, Texas) DQ Shannon Fish   (Spring, Texas) DNS Jacey Chun   (Seoul, South Korea) DNS Sun, 16 Jun 2013 18:09:00 GMT http://www.symetratour.com/golf/news/2013/6/decatur-final-results.aspx http://www.symetratour.com/golf/blogs/2013/6/this-week-choy.aspx Each week throughout the year we will spotlight one Symetra Tour player and provide an in depth look into her life - both on and off the course. Up next in "This week is all about..." series is Britney Choy. Sun, 16 Jun 2013 08:29:00 GMT http://www.symetratour.com/golf/blogs/2013/6/this-week-choy.aspx http://www.symetratour.com/golf/news/2013/6/decatur-partial-second-round.aspx Decatur-Forsyth Classic Presented by Tate & Lyle and Decatur Parks District| Hickory Point Golf Club Second-Round News & Notes June 15, 2013 Complete Second-Round Recap Second-Round Partial Recap Happy and In Love Fun Way to Stay In Shape Veteran Knowledge Tweet of the Day Second-Round Complete Recap... Jackie Stoelting currently stands at 9-under to lead the Decatur-Forsyth Classic Presented by Tate & Lyle and Decatur Parks following the completion of round two. Forty-four players returned to Hickory Point Golf Club this morning to finish their round at 7:24 a.m. after play was suspended for darkness Saturday at 7:47 p.m. Looking to secure her first Symetra Tour victory, Stoelting was able to narrowly finish her second round before darkness. The fifth year Symetra Tour member followed-up a first-round 3-under 69 with a second-round 6-under 66 to take a two stroke lead over Jean Reynolds, Candace Schepperle, Hannah Yun, and Laura Kueny heading into today’s final round. The final round of play will begin at 10:15 a.m. off the first and 10 th tees. A total of 72 players made the 36-hole cut which fell at 1-over-par 145.   Darkness forced the suspension of second-round play at the Decatur-Forsyth Classic Presented by Tate & Lyle and Decatur Parks District at 7:47 p.m. on Saturday. A total of 44 players will return to Hickory Point Golf Club at the 7:30 a.m. on Sunday to complete their second round Second-Round Partial Recap.. .It was a race to the finish for Jackie Stoelting (@JackieBGolf) who fired a second-round 6-under 66 to take the lead in the clubhouse at the suspended Decatur-Forsyth Classic Presented by Tate & Lyle and Decatur Parks District. The Vero Beach, Fla. native found herself on the 18 th hole of Hickory Point Golf Club before three horn blasts flooded the air signaling the suspension of play for the day.  Inclement weather rolled-in the Decatur, Ill. area early on Saturday forcing a three hour and four minute delay of the second round. “I played really, really solid,” said Stoelting. “A couple weeks ago I had my U.S. Open qualifier and I played in pouring rain off and on all day then I had to come back and play four holes in the morning. From that I just learned patience and I just thought if I don’t get it in, I don’t get it in so I really didn’t try to rush.”  Stoelting carded seven birdies and one bogey on a day where she needed only 29 putts, hit 12 fairways, and missed only one green. “I was throwing darts out there. I hit almost every single green, I missed one green on the fringe and I was able to putt it so it was really just a good ball striking day.”  The Florida Southern College graduate carded her first birdie at the par-5 second then recorded back-to-back birdies at the par-5 sixth and par-3 seventh before notching her first and only bogey of the day at the par-4 ninth. Everything seemed to take shape for Stoelting on the back-nine beginning with a birdie at the par-5 11 th , followed by two consecutive birdies at the par-3 13 th and par-5 14 th . Stoelting’s final birdie of the day came at the par-4 16 th as she put herself in prime condition to claim her first career Symetra Tour victory.  “On nine, I looked at the leaderboard and three jacked it, which is a three putt,” said Stoelting. “I was kind of frustrated because I hit a really solid shot so from there I was like you know what, I’m going to play golf hole-by-hole. I hit it really close on a couple of holes, I even left a couple out there. It definitely could have been lower but I’m happy with a 66.” Stoelting, formerly known as Barenborg prior to recently getting married, is no stranger to heading into the final day with a lead and plans on sticking to her game plan during the last day in Decatur.  “Honestly, I’ve been in the lead once by a stroke and I kind of struggled,” said Stoelting. “My game plan is just to play golf and not get caught up. If my game is good enough to win then awesome and if it’s not, then it’s someone else’s turn. I’m just going to keep my same game plan and play hole-by-hole and hopefully I’m the winner at the win.” Nipping on Barenborg’s heels at a mere 2-strokes behind are Jean Reynolds, Candace Schepperle, Hannah Yun, and first round leader, Laura Kueny.    Happy and In Love… As the current leader in clubhouse Jackie Stoelting putted out on her final of the day, an arousing applause could be heard from the luxurious grandstands that surround the 18 th hole. It turned out, the applauses weren’t from the average fan, they were from her in-laws who came to support the newest member of the family. Stoelting recently got married to her husband Travis and the wedding bliss seems to be carrying over to the golf course as she finds herself atop the leaderboard at the Decatur-Forsyth Classic Presented by Tate & Lyle. Since Stoelting has gotten married, she finished T10 at the Friends of Mission Charity Classic and qualified for the U.S. Women’s Open.  “Everyone is saying marriage is definitely going well for me,” said Stoelting. “Since getting married I had a tenth place finish in Asheville then qualified for the Open and now this. I guess it’s just being high on love and being really happy so I’m definitely happy with life right now.” While Travis was unable to attend this week’s tournament, his family is keeping him updated as his new bride inches her way to her first Symetra Tour victory.  “My in-laws are here and his aunt and uncle are here,” said Stoelting. “They have watched the last two days and they are keeping him up-to-date every hole. I’m sure he’s driving himself crazy”   Fun Way to Stay In Shape… While most people go to the gym to work on their cardio and fitness, 10 year Symetra Tour Kitty Hwang turns to squash to help her stay in shape. Squash is a racquet game, similar to that of rocket ball, which requires two players to alternate hitting a rubber ball in a small four walled court.  “I practice squash as a part of training for cardio and resistance,” said Hwang. “I love being active all the time and it’s so much fun.” Hwang was born in Guayaquil, Ecuador but it wasn’t until a recent move from California to Florida that her time playing squash began to dwindle.  “I used to play in California but I moved six months ago to Florida and I’ve just been playing golf since I moved there,” said Hwang. “I played squash twice and I love it.” Instead of playing squash, Hwang has been focused on her golf game which proved to pay off on Saturday of the Decatur-Forsyth Classic Presented by Tate & Lyle and Decatur Parks District as she fired her second consecutive 2-under 70 to stand T12.  Her second straight under par round was all the more impressive as the wind steadily howled at Hickory Point Golf Club. Hwang was forced to rely heavily on her experiences in Ecuador to battle the challenging conditions. “It was windy and it started raining after nine holes,” said Hwang. “I love playing in the wind, I grew up playing in the wind and the rain. I also putted really well too but it was tough. I was worried because I didn’t have my rain gear.”    Veteran Knowledge… Playing on the Symetra Tour can be a bit of a learning experience whether it is tackling the registration process or determining the most efficient practice schedule, it can take a bit of time to feel comfortable. Luckily for Brantford, Ontario native Nicole Vandermade, she got a leg up on the competition last season as she set her sights on the Symetra Tour immediately after graduating from the University of Texas. Vandermade played in eight events on last year’s Symetra Tour schedule where she posted a season-best tied for fourth at the Credit Union Classic. The head start helped Vandermade become acclimated to life on the Road to the LPGA as she is set to play a full schedule this season.  “It definitely helped having the last half of last season because I came out here this year and new exactly what to expect,” said Vandermade. “I have some friends that I knew out here, I know how the tournaments are run, I know what to expect at each event and now I know some of the courses out here so I feel more familiar. I think having half of last year really helped calm my nerves and kind of give me an idea of what I needed to work on during the off season last year and that really helped me this year, too.” Looking to improve on a season-best T12 at the Symetra Classic, Vandermade has fired rounds of 69-70 to land tied for sixth.  Vandermade, who ranks third on tour in driving distance, planned on heading straight to the driving range after her second round to straighten out her driver that has plagued her the first two days. “It’s pretty much the same as the last two days,” said Vandermade. “Just try to straighten out my driver after the round and take advantage of that. My length has really helped me on this course, I’m able to go for a couple par-5’s and I’m able to be more aggressive on a couple of the shorter par-4’s. I just need to get the driver straightened out on the tee and I should be alright tomorrow.” Tweet of the Day… This is what @MaritaEngzelius does when play is suspended ... And @Francesbondad doing what she doesbest...! pic.twitter.com/I8CuapDRWm – Giulia Molinaro (@GMolinaroGolf) Sat, 15 Jun 2013 21:28:00 GMT http://www.symetratour.com/golf/news/2013/6/decatur-partial-second-round.aspx http://www.symetratour.com/golf/news/2013/6/decatur-first-round.aspx Decatur-Forsyth Classic Presented by Tate & Lyle and Decatur Parks District| Hickory Point Golf Club First-Round News & Notes June 14, 2013 Laura Kueny Eyeing Second Symetra Tour Victory Not the Typical Childhood Enjoying the Ride Seeking Confidence Tune-In From Decatur Tweet of the Day Laura Kueny Eyeing Second Symetra Tour Victory... Laura Kueny was on fire on Friday as she carded a first-round 8-under-par 64 to grab the first round lead at the 29 th annual Decatur-Forsyth Classic Presented by Tate & Lyle and Decatur Parks District. The combination of good ball striking and a hot putter proved to be the key to success as the former Michigan State University Spartan carded nine birdies and one bogey at Hickory Point Golf Club. The only thing that seemed to slowdown the No. 7 player on the Volvik Race for the Card, were a few wayward drives that forced her to battle the lengthy rough at the site where Lorena Ochoa secured her first professional victory. “My ball striking was good and my putter was hot,” said Kueny. “The combination of those two really can make for a good round. The only thing I struggled with today was my driver and I was kind of all over the place. Luckily this course is pretty wide open and not tree lined and I got a couple of good breaks today and took advantage of it.”  During Friday’s first round, Kueny only missed three greens and recorded 25 putts but her driver proved to be the challenge as she missed seven out of 14 fairways. “I think it’s a pretty fair course,” said Kueny. “It’s very generous off the tee, except when you get in the rough which I was a lot today. The rough is a bit thick and I think that’s what makes this course so challenging. They were very generous with the pin placements today and I think there are a lot of birdie opportunities.”  Kueny wasted little time getting into the red numbers on Friday as she quickly moved to 3-under for the day with three consecutive birdies beginning at the par-5 third. The first and only blemish on her scorecard came at the par-5 sixth, but the third year Symetra Tour member quickly recovered with a birdie at the par-4 eighth to make the turn at 3-under-par. The Whitehall, Mich. native showed no signs of slowing down with a birdie at the par-4 10 th before reeling off another three consecutive birdies starting at the par-4 12 th . Kueny recorded her final birdie of the day at the par-3 17 th to put herself in a familiar position.  Seeing her name atop the leaderboard isn’t unusual for Kueny as she notched her first career Symetra Tour victory at this year’s Symetra Classic. A win this week would not only catapult her up the Volvik Race for the Card standings, but also make her the first repeat winner on tour this year. “It’s not the first time,” said Kueny of seeing her name on top of the leaderboard. “I’ve been in this position before and I know what I have to do. I have to just go out and play golf and leave everything in God’s hands.”  While Kueny tamed the difficult Hickory Point Golf Club on Friday, she missed the cut in 2010 and 2011, and finished T47 in 2012. When asked about her performance in Decatur in previous years, Kueny said she would easily make the cut this year before retracting her statement with her contagious laugh. “The first year I played here I missed the cut and the second year I barely made the cut so this is a good start,” said Kueny. “Hopefully I have a good chance of making the cut, I probably shouldn’t say that because karma will come bite me in the butt.”  Kueny heads into tomorrow’s second round with a three-stroke lead over Lindy Duncan and Hannah Yun. Not the Typical Childhood… While the average four-year-old’s childhood consists of playing with the latest video game or outside frolicking with friends, Laura Kueny’s (@theLittleLou10) experience couldn’t be any more opposite. At the young age of four, Kueny was diagnosed with leukemia, but perhaps the only silver lining of the devastating news came in the form of a golf club.  After the diagnosis, Kueny’s father joined forces with the members and staff at Lincoln Golf Club to hold a benefit to help raise funds for his daughter’s treatments. During the benefit golf outing, Kueny fell in-love with the game after hitting several shots throughout the day. “I started when I was four,” said Kueny after an opening 8-under round in Decatur. “My dad is a head professional at a local club where I’m from and the members and staff there held a benefit scramble to help raise money for my treatments.”  The former Michigan State University Spartan underwent extensive chemotherapy for over two years and it didn’t come until Kueny turned 18-years-old that she received a clean bill of health. “I went two and a half years of chemotherapy, then I had to do routine check-ups every year after that,” said Kueny. “It went from monthly, to quarterly, to twice a year then to once a year until I was 18. They declared I was okay when I hit 18. That was a pretty cool day." With one Symetra Tour victory already under her belt this season, Kueny hopes to raise enough money to one day start her own foundation for cancer patients. Always one to give back, Kueny was able to visit the same hospital in Grand Rapids where she received treatment to give a special token of appreciation to one of her nurses.  “Someday I hope to have my own foundation that will be my number one goal in life,” said Kueny. “Whenever I have a chance to go home I go back to Grand Rapids to the hospital. There’s still one nurse there that took care of me when I was sick and I go back and visit her. I gave her a picture with me and my trophy from last tournament so she could hang it up in the hallways at the hospital and hopefully give other kids inspiration and hope. If they ask who I am, she can fill them in on my story.” After a solid opening round at the Decatur-Forsyth Classic Presented by Tate & Lyle and Decatur Parks District, Kueny admitted she had not yet done the math to determine how much she would need to start her foundation.  “No, I don’t want to do that,” said Kueny with a laugh. “I have to do a lot of winning but that shouldn’t hold me back.” Click here to hear more of Laura Kueny’s story     Enjoying the Ride… Coming off a collegiate golf career at Duke University that included being named a three-time First-Team All-American, Lindy Duncan’s (@LinCan72) professional career is off and running at this week’s Decatur-Forsyth Classic Presented by Tate & Lyle and Decatur Parks District. After firing a first-round 5-under 67, Duncan is relying on experience she gained during her time at Duke University to help her at her first tournament as a professional.  “The whole experience was a ride,” said Duncan of her time at Duke University. “You learn a lot, there are hard times and good times but the golf part of it, I think prepared me well for hopefully playing this summer in the pro events and getting the transition. We played in a lot of tournaments so I feel like I have a lot of tournaments under my belt and hopefully I’m ready.” The Plantation, Fla. native arrived to Decatur, Ill. on Wednesday providing her little time to become acclimated to this week’s Hickory Point Golf Club. While life as a professional golfer can be quite different than that at the collegiate level, Duncan has recent University of Virginia graduate Brittany Altomare by her side this week to help her learn the ropes.  “It was weird because I got here Wednesday so I didn’t have a whole lot of time to get to know the course,” said Duncan. “I’m staying with Brittany Altomare who just graduated as well so it’s been different. I don’t have my mom or my dad here so it’s just me and Brittany and it’s been different, it’s a little bit of an adjustment but I just wanted to play my game and see where I stacked up.” Duncan will have more time to become acclimated to life on the Road to the LPGA at next week’s Four Winds Invitational but the rest of her schedule is still up in the air for weeks following.  “I know what I’m doing this weekend and next weekend and after that I have no idea,” said Duncan. “I’m first alternate for the U.S. Women’s Open so I’m kind of waiting to hear about that. I’d like to play in the New York stretch actually, I’d like to play in all of them. I just don’t know what’s going to happen.” Before this week’s event, Duncan teamed-up with fellow Symetra Tour member Michelle Shin to take part in her favorite hobby, four wheeling.  “My dad has a little piece of land in Florida and we have a four wheeler out there,” said Duncan. “Michelle Shin came over two weekends ago and we actually got stuck in a small pond that we couldn’t see. We were a little crazy but we don’t drive too fast. I’m not super dangerous.” Seeking Confidence… Hannah Yun (@HannahYunGolf) is a full-time member of the LPGA Tour, but the former University of Florida Gator is teeing-it-up in this week’s Decatur-Forsyth Classic Presented by Tate & Lyle in an effort to restore her dwindling confidence.  If Friday’s first-round 5-under 67 is any indication, Yun could be back on track as patience and solid ball striking helped propel her into a tie for second. “I have been working a lot on my ball striking,” said Yun. “I’ve been struggling with that so I’ve been working really hard and I just stayed patient today. I didn’t put too much pressure on myself so I just tried to finish 1-under, 1-under. The last few holes I made some good holes so it turned out better and that’s it.”  In a year on the LPGA Tour that has included missing the cut in each of her six starts, a solid finish in Decatur, Ill. this week could restore her confidence in a game where confidence can be a game changer. “It would be huge especially because I’ve been struggling for a few years now,” said Yun. “I don’t know, I think anytime you play well it’s good for your confidence.” While Yun is signed-up to play in the next two events on the Symetra Tour, the rest of her schedule is still up in the air as her plans seem to be to be ever changing. “I signed-up for this and the next two so we’ll just have to see how it goes on tour and out here,” said Yun. “Everything is just up in the air. I’ve been making plans and they always change so I just stopped making plans.” Tune-In From Decatur… Want to know the latest news of the Symetra Tour? Hear it first here as players went on-air to talk to WSOY before the Decatur-Forsyth Classic Presented by Tate & Lyle and Decatur Parks District’s first round. Watch and Listen>> Tweet of the Day… My in-laws left at 4:30 this morning to get here in time to see my whole round. Glad I played well for them! # luckygirl – Jackie Stoelting (@JackieBGolf) Fri, 14 Jun 2013 18:26:00 GMT http://www.symetratour.com/golf/news/2013/6/decatur-first-round.aspx http://www.symetratour.com/golf/blogs/2013/6/audio-interviews-decatur.aspx Player interviews from Byers & Co on Newstalk 1340 WSOY at the Decatur-Forsyth Classic Presented by Tate & Lyle and Decatur Parks District. Stephanie Connelly - June 14, 2012 Jaye Marie Green - June 14, 2012 Mary Narzisi - June 14, 2012 Isabelle Boineau - June 14, 2012 Aimee Neff - June 14, 2012 Fri, 14 Jun 2013 13:16:00 GMT http://www.symetratour.com/golf/blogs/2013/6/audio-interviews-decatur.aspx http://www.symetratour.com/golf/news/2013/6/molinaro-a-blessed-life.aspx A Blessed Life… Born in Italy and raised in Kenya, Symetra Tour rookie Giulia Molinaro has lived the life most people only see in the latest National Geographic documentary. Molinaro was born in Italy but at just two-months-old, moved to Kenya with her parents so her father could skip the military in Italy. “I was born in Italy and when I was two months old my parents took me to Kenya,” said Molinaro. “That was where my mom and dad lived. My dad moved there when he was 18 years old to skip military service in Italy and fell in love with the place. He decided to live there and finish his medical degree in Italy while still living in Kenya.” While growing-up in Kenya, it wasn’t uncommon for Molinaro to wake-up to the sight of an elephant at her backdoor (Molinaro’s photo included above) or to see things that would only typically be found in the jungle. Molinaro’s childhood consisted of the ocean and nature and she dreams of one day giving that same life to her kids. “It’s a unique experience. I know I’m blessed to have lived that way and I hope to be able to give that life to my kids. I would be surrounded by nature the whole time, I would come back from school to the ocean and on the weekend go on safaris so I was very lucky. I didn’t live the whole big city normal life I was always in the ocean or just in nature in general.” Molinaro came to the United States when she was 16-years-old to attend the highly acclaimed IMG Academy before moving to Arizona where she attended Arizona State University. Molinaro, who still resides in Phoenix, Ariz., is currently in the midst of her rookie season the Symetra Tour and recently became the first rookie to win on tour in 2013 after her victory at the Friends of Mission Charity Classic. After her win, Molinaro took some well-deserved time off then played in a Cactus Tour event in Arizona to keep her game sharp. “I just went home,” said Molinaro of what she did during the break, “I took some time off immediately after Asheville then come back into it. I played a Cactus event and I did good, I just needed to get back into it.” With the Symetra Tour back in action this week at the Decatur-Forsyth Classic Presented by Tate & Lyle and Decatur Parks District, Molinaro admits to liking what she sees in this week’s Hickory Point Golf Club. “I like the course,” said Molinaro. “It’s a big difference between the morning and afternoon with the wind. I know everyone will get the afternoon time one day but we’ll just have to see. You can just never have an estimate on how golf is going to go.” Fri, 14 Jun 2013 09:12:00 GMT http://www.symetratour.com/golf/news/2013/6/molinaro-a-blessed-life.aspx http://www.symetratour.com/golf/blogs/2013/6/five-things-sheils.aspx As the Symetra Tour gears up for its sixth stop on this year Road to the LPGA schedule, rookie Madeleine Sheils heads to Decatur, Ill for the first-time this week for the Decatur-Forsyth Classic Presented by Tate & Lyle and Decatur Parks District. A graduate of the University of Nebraska, Sheils is looking to improve on a career-best tied for ninth finish which came at the VisitMesa.com Gateway Classic and Longbow Golf Club. 1. The most exciting thing Madeleine has ever done was skydive with her college roommate for her 21st birthday. 2. What does she hear whenever she tells people she is from Idaho? “I’ve never met anyone from there.” 3. If Madeleine was not a professional golfer, she would be a movie critic because she loves going to the movies. 4. If you come out to watch Madeleine play, you will always see her with her favorite ball marker, a Buddha. 5. Other sports Madeleine would have chosen to play if she didn’t stick with golf include whitewater kayaking and downhill skiing. Thu, 13 Jun 2013 20:22:00 GMT http://www.symetratour.com/golf/blogs/2013/6/five-things-sheils.aspx http://www.symetratour.com/golf/news/2013/6/decatur-pre-tournament-notes.aspx Decatur-Forsyth Classic Presented by Tate & Lyle and Decatur Parks District Hickory Point Golf Club Pre-Tournament News & Notes June 13, 2013 Tournament Preview Notable First-Round Pairings A Blessed Life Giving Back While Making Birdies Five Things You Didn’t Know About…Madeleine Sheils The Symetra Tour’s annual stop in Decatur, Ill. has become a fixture on the tour’s schedule and this year will prove to be no different as the Road to the LPGA returns to the Midwest, June 14-16, for the Decatur-Forsyth Classic Presented by Tate & Lyle and the Decatur Parks District. In its 29th year, the Decatur-Forsyth Classic Presented by Tate & Lyle and the Decatur Parks District will feature 144 of the top female professional golfers competing for a $15,000 first-place prize at Hickory Point Golf Club. Highlighting this year’s list of players scheduled to compete is Melissa Eaton, who currently holds the No. 2 ranking in the Volvik Race for the Card standings. Eaton recorded her first career Symetra Tour victory at this year’s Florida’s Natural Charity Classic to catapult her inside the top-10. In addition to her win she also finished T24 at the season-opening VisitMesa.com Gateway Classic at T31 at the Symetra Classic and Friends of Mission Charity Classic. The top-10 players in the Volvik Race for the Card at season’s end will earn membership on the 2014 LPGA Tour. Along with Eaton, other 2013 Symetra Tour winners scheduled to compete in Illinois include Christine Song (Guardian Retirement Championship), Laura Kueny (Symetra Clasic), and Giulia Molinaro (Friends of Mission Charity Classic). Also scheduled to compete in Decatur are a pair of current cast members on Golf Channel’s highly acclaimed realty series, Big Break. Taylor Collins and Stefanie Kenoyer are currently starring on Big Break Mexico which airs Monday night at 9:00 p.m. ET on Golf Channel. While a number of players with local Illinois ties will be competing at the Decatur-Forsyth Classic Presented by Tate & Lyle and the Decatur Parks District, Jaclyn Jenson resides a short drive from Decatur in Effingham. Prior to joining the Symetra Tour, Jansen emerged victorious at the 2007 Illinois State Championship and also won the 2010 Women’s Western Championship. A rookie on this year’s Symetra Tour, Jansen earned three collegiate victories while at Baylor University.   Notable First-Round Groups… Group #13 (8:20 a.m. off 1st tee) Laura Kueny (@theLittleLou10):  Kueny claimed her first career Symetra Tour victory this season at the Symetra classic. She has also posted one additional top-25 finish and currently stands No. 7 on the Volvik Race for the Card. Isabelle Boineau: Currently in her rookie season, Boineau has made every cut and posted a career-best runner-up finish at the Guardian Retirement Championship at Sara Bay. The Marseille, France native stands No. 10 on the Volvik Race for the Card standings. Natalie Sheary (@NatSheary):  This season, Sheary has posted two top-12 finishes, including a season-best tied for third at the Guardian Retirement Championship at Sara Bay. Group #15 (8:40 a.m.. off 1st tee) Giulia Molinaro (@GMolinarogolf):  Molinaro potentially carries the most momentum heading into this week as she is coming off a win at the Friends of Mission Charity Classic. The Treviso, Italy native currently leads the Gaelle Truet Rookie of the Year race and stands No. 3 on the Volvik Race for the Card. Izzy Beisiegel (@IzzyBeisiegel):  A member of the Symetra Tour since 2002, Beisiegel has recorded two top-20 finishes this season including a season-best tied for second at the Symetra Classic. She currently stands No. 14 on the Volvik Race for the Card. Jean Chua (@Jeanchuagolf):  This year, Chua has been the epitome of consistent as she has posted top-25 finishes in each of her five starts. Chua joined the Symetra Tour in 2011 and posted a career-best tied for second at the 2012 Riviera Nayarit Classic. Group #38 (1:10 p.m. off 10th tee) Nicole Vandermade (@nvandermade):  Currently in her second year on the Symetra Tour, Vandermade has posted two top-20 finishes this season and stands No. 26 on the Volvik Race for the Card standings. Caroline Westrup (@CarolineWestrup):  After spending a couple years playing full-time on the Ladies European Tour, Westrup is now solely playing on the Symetra Tour where she has already posted two top-5 finishes this season. A season-best runner-up finish at the Symetra Classic helped catapult her inside the top-10 on the Volvik Race for the Card standings at No. 9. Tracy Stanford (@TRACYstanford) A graduate of Texas Tech University, Stanford is coming off a season-best tied for fifth finish at the Friends of Mission Charity Classic.  A Blessed Life… Born in Italy and raised in Kenya, Symetra Tour rookie Giulia Molinaro has lived the life most people only see in the latest National Geographic documentary. Molinaro was born in Italy but at just two-months-old, moved to Kenya with her parents so her father could skip the military in Italy. “I was born in Italy and when I was two months old my parents took me to Kenya,” said Molinaro. “That was where my mom and dad lived. My dad moved there when he was 18 years old to skip military service in Italy and fell in love with the place. He decided to live there and finish his medical degree in Italy while still living in Kenya.” While growing-up in Kenya, it wasn’t uncommon for Molinaro to wake-up to the sight of an elephant at her backdoor (Molinaro’s photo included above) or to see things that would only typically be found in the jungle. Molinaro’s childhood consisted of the ocean and nature and she dreams of one day giving that same life to her kids. “It’s a unique experience. I know I’m blessed to have lived that way and I hope to be able to give that life to my kids. I would be surrounded by nature the whole time, I would come back from school to the ocean and on the weekend go on safaris so I was very lucky. I didn’t live the whole big city normal life I was always in the ocean or just in nature in general.” Molinaro came to the United States when she was 16-years-old to attend the highly acclaimed IMG Academy before moving to Arizona where she attended Arizona State University. Molinaro, who still resides in Phoenix, Ariz., is currently in the midst of her rookie season the Symetra Tour and recently became the first rookie to win on tour in 2013 after her victory at the Friends of Mission Charity Classic. After her win, Molinaro took some well-deserved time off then played in a Cactus Tour event in Arizona to keep her game sharp. “I just went home,” said Molinaro of what she did during the break, “I took some time off immediately after Asheville then come back into it. I played a Cactus event and I did good, I just needed to get back into it.” With the Symetra Tour back in action this week at the Decatur-Forsyth Classic Presented by Tate & Lyle and Decatur Parks District, Molinaro admits to liking what she sees in this week’s Hickory Point Golf Club. “I like the course,” said Molinaro. “It’s a big difference between the morning and afternoon with the wind. I know everyone will get the afternoon time one day but we’ll just have to see. You can just never have an estimate on how golf is going to go.”   Giving Back While Making Birdies… While making birdies in a professional golf event can catapult you up the leaderboard, for Martina Gavier (@Margentina1), making birdies carries a bit more of a  significance to the second year Symetra Tour member. It wasn’t until this February that Gavier followed in the footsteps of her beloved grandfather and accepted a friend’s invitation to join the Rotary Club of Lake Buena Vista. After quickly realizing the organization’s humanitarian efforts, Gavier knew it was time to put her success on the Symetra Tour to a good cause. “It is pretty special especially when you have a heart for the foundation,” said Gavier. “My grandfather, who is the man I most look-up to, was a member back in Argentina. When I got to America I was like wow, it’s here too and I love it, I have a heart for it. It’s not just giving back but it’s giving back to something you have a heart for.” With the help of her mentor, Gavier came up with the idea of supporting the Rotary Foundation by having people donate $1 for every birdie she makes throughout the 2013 Road to the LPGA’s season. After playing in four tournaments on the Symetra Tour this season, 18 people have signed-up to participate and with 34 birdies carded, Gavier has raised over $600 for the Rotary Foundation. As Gavier enters this week’s Decatur-Forsyth Classic Presented by Tate & Lyle and Decatur Parks District, a little motivation will come to the forefront in an effort to make more birdies for the foundation. “I think about it because it’s motivating,” said Gavier. “If I make another birdie it’s more money that’s going to help a good cause. It’s a great way, I have a lot of people interested in it. I like for people to get to know women’s golf and the Symetra Tour and it’s such a good way.”  Five Things You Didn’t Know About…Madeleine Sheils As the Symetra Tour gears up for its sixth stop on this year Road to the LPGA schedule, rookie Madeleine Sheils heads to Decatur, Ill for the first-time this week for the Decatur-Forsyth Classic Presented by Tate & Lyle and Decatur Parks District. A graduate of the University of Nebraska, Sheils is looking to improve on a career-best tied for ninth finish which came at the VisitMesa.com Gateway Classic and Longbow Golf Club. 1. The most exciting thing Madeleine has ever done was skydive with her college roommate for her 21st birthday. 2. What does she hear whenever she tells people she is from Idaho? “I’ve never met anyone from there.” 3. If Madeleine was not a professional golfer, she would be a movie critic because she loves going to the movies. 4. If you come out to watch Madeleine play, you will always see her with her favorite ball marker, a Buddha. 5. Other sports Madeleine would have chosen to play if she didn’t stick with golf include whitewater kayaking and downhill skiing. Thu, 13 Jun 2013 20:07:00 GMT http://www.symetratour.com/golf/news/2013/6/decatur-pre-tournament-notes.aspx http://www.symetratour.com/golf/news/2013/6/decatur-storylines.aspx Decatur-Forsyth Classic Presented by Tate & Lyle and Decatur Parks District Hickory Point Golf Club   The Symetra Tour – Road to the LPGA, provides a direct pipeline to the LPGA and continues its 33rd competitive season at this week’s Decatur-Forsyth Classic Presented by Tate & Lyle ad Decatur Parks District. Below are a few top storylines for this week’s event.   Top Storylines Hometown Gals… With the Symetra Tour set to return to Illinois for the 29th year, several players scheduled to compete this week have strong ties to the Prairie State. Jaclyn Jansen of Effingham, Ill. is currently competing in her rookie season on the Symetra Tour. The Baylor University grad kicked-off this year on a positive note with a career-best T30 at the Florida’s Natural Charity Classic. Jensen went on to finish T67 at the Guardian Retirement Championship at Sara Bay. Prior to joining the Symetra Tour, Jensen was a standout amateur and collegiate player winning the 2007 Illinois State Championship at 2010 Women’s Western Championship. While at Baylor University, Jensen posted three victories in collegiate competition. Seul-Ki Park of Northbrook, Ill. has been a member of the Symetra Tour since 2010 and posted a career-best tied for fourth finish at the Florida’s Natural Charity Classic. During her three years on tour, Park has posted two top-10 finishes. Park swept through the junior and amateur golf ranks of Illinois prior to joining the Symetra Tour, winning the 2004 Illinois Junior Girls Championship, 2006 Northshore Amateur Championship, and earning medalist honors at the 2007 Illinois State Amateur. Park decided to stay in Illinois for college and attended the University of Illinois where she recorded two wins in collegiate competition and was a 2008 All-Big Ten Conference Second Team selection. Jenna Pearson of Wheaton, Ill. returns to Decatur where she finished T35 in 2011. A member of the Symetra Tour since 2007, Pearson’s career-best finish is T17 which she recorded at the 2008 Greater Richmond Duramed FUTURES Classic. Pearson has good history when playing in her home state of Illinois as she fired a 68 to win the LPGA State Farm Classic’s Monday Qualifier and earn a spot into the event located in Springfield. Pearson also won the 2006 and 2011 Women’s Illinois Open. While playing collegiate golf at the University of South Carolina, Pearson posted four top-10 finishes and competed individually in the 2005 NCAA Women’s Golf Championship.   Winning Ways… With five tournaments already concluded on this year’s Symetra Tour, the Road to the LPGA has already seen five different winners as players jockey to land inside one of the top-10 spots on the Volvik Race for the Card. Four out of the five winners this season are scheduled to tee-it-up in Decatur. Melissa Eaton had to wait four years to notch her first Symetra Tour victory but after an eagle on the 54th hole of the Florida’s Natural Charity Classic, the Louisiana State University (LSU) graduate experienced her first trip to the winner’s circle.  The win was good enough to propel the 28-year-old to the top of the Symetra Tour money list and inched her one step closer to obtaining her LPGA Tour card for the 2014 season. Eaton recently slipped to No. 2 in the Volvik Race for the Card standings after a pair of T31’s at the Symetra Classic and Friends of Mission Charity Classic. During her time playing collegiate golf at LSU, Eaton recorded 10 top-10 finishes and was a 2005 Southeastern Conference (SEC) All-Conference First-Team selection. In addition, Eaton was also named the Louisiana Sportswoman of the Year from 2005-2007 and recorded one win on the 2006 Collegiate Players Summer Tour in Louisiana. It took Christine Song nearly three years to return to the winner’s circle but the Fullerton, Calif. native did it in dramatic fashion winning in a two-hole playoff at the Guardian Retirement Championship at Sara Bay. Song fired rounds of 68-72-71 and birdied the second playoff hole to defeat Isabelle Boineau. Song currently stands No. 4 on the Volvik Race for the Card standings and hopes to return to the LPGA. Song earned her LPGA Tour card through the Volvik Race for the Card in 2009 but finished at No. 6, earning her conditional LPGA status for the 2010 season. She then decided to primarily focus on the Symetra Tour in 2010 and won two events which proved to be good enough to land her third on the season-ending Volvik Race for the Card standings earning her full-status on the 2011 LPGA Tour. Along with her impressive victory, this season Song has posted one additional top-10 finish at the VisitMesa.com Gateway Classic at Longbow Golf Club where finished tied for ninth. Laura Kueny found her way to the winner’s circle for the first-time in her career at the Symetra Classic. The Michigan State University graduate headed into Sunday’s final round trailing by two strokes but fired a 1-under 71 to take home the trophy. This year, Kueny has competed in four out of the first five events on the Symetra Tour schedule but the win and additional top-25 finish at the Florida’s Natural Charity Classic lands her at No. 7 on the Volvik Race for the Card standings. The Symetra Classic wasn’t the first time Kueny found herself in the winner’s circle of a professional event as she won the 2011 Michigan PGA Women’s Open Championship. Kueny also recorded three victories in collegiate competition while at Michigan State University and also won the 2007 Women’s Trans National Amateur Championship. Giulia Molinaro broke through to become the first rookie to win in 2013 after her victory at the Friends of Mission Charity Classic. The Italian fired rounds of 68-70-65 to earn a commanding 5-stroke victory and move to No. 3 in the Volvik Race for the Card. Along with her win, Molinaro has carded two additional top-20 finishes and stands inside the top-20 in four statistical categories including eagles, birdies, rounds under par, and scoring average. Molinaro played collegiate golf at Arizona State University where she was named the 2012 PAC 12 Player of the Year. In addition, Molinaro was a 2012 First team All-American selection and 2012 PAC 12 First Team selection. The Race is Underway… The Volvik Race for the Card kicked-off at the season-opening VisitMesa.com Gateway Classic and Longbow Golf Club and will continue at next week’s Decatur-Forsyth Classic Presented by Tate & Lyle and Decatur Parks District. Beginning in 1999, The Symetra Tour annually awards LPGA membership to its top players on each official season money list. This year marks the second season that the top-10 money winners will receive full, equal status for the following season on the LPGA Tour. With more than 500 alumnae including Lorena Ochoa, Cristie Kerr, and last year’s Rolex Player of the Year Stacy Lewis moving on to the LPGA, former Symetra Tour players have won a total of 371 LPGA titles, including 40 major championships. At the conclusion of the Friends of Mission Charity Classic, players moving into the top 10 spots on the money list are as follows: 1. Jaclyn Sweeney of Bradenton, Fla., $24,046; 2. Melissa Eaton of Port Shepstone, S. Africa, $21,306; 3. Giulia Molinaro of Treviso, Italy, $18,506; 4. Christine Song of Fullerton, Calif., $18,406; 5. Sue Kim of Langley, British Columbia, $16,916; 6. Courtney Massey of Gold Coast, Australia, $16,710; 7. Laura Kueny of Whitehall, Mich., $16,585; 8. Alena Sharp of Hamilton, Ontario, $16,489; 9. Caroline Westrup of Ahus, Sweden, $13,444; 10. Isabelle Boineau of Marseille, France, $13,188 Big Breakers… The cast of Golf Channel’s Big Break Mexico was recently unveiled and a trio of Symetra Tour members including Taylor Collins (@1taylorcollins) , Stefanie Kenoyer (@stefkenoyer) , and Emily Talley (@emtal) will be contestants on the 19th season of the reality competition series. Big Break Mexico will feature a total of 12 professional golfers – both men and women -- and is scheduled to premiere May 13th at 9:00 p.m. ET on Golf Channel. During her rookie season in 2012, Taylor Collins played in 15 events, made three cuts and posted a career-best tie for fifth at the Riviera Nayarit Classic. As a collegiate golfer at Nova Southeastern University, Collins won three tournaments and was a three-time member of the NCAA Division II National Championship team (2009-2011). Collins also was the individual winner of the 2011 NCAA Division II National Championship and was named a 2011 NGCA All-American First-Team selection. A member of the Symetra Tour since 2011, Stefanie Kenoyer is coming off a 2012 season that included seven made cuts in 15 events and a season-best T17 at the Sara Bay Classic. As an amateur, Kenoyer competed in four U.S. Women’s Amateur Championships and the 2009 U.S. Women’s Open. While playing collegiate golf at Furman University, Kenoyer was the two-time individual winner of the Southern Conference Women’s Golf Championship (2008, 2009), a four-time All-Southern Conference Team selection (2008-2011), and a two-time winner of the Southern Conference Player of the Year Award (2009, 2010). This week’s field information: Decatur-Forsyth Classic Presented by Tate & Lyle and Decatur Parks District 2013 Symetra Tour Rookies (21) Isabelle Boineau  Nathalie Mansson Frances Bondad Caitlin McCleary Perrine Delacour  Giulia Molinaro Kaitlin Drolson Catherine O’Donnell Beanna Elliott  Rachel Rohanna Marita Engzelius Madeleine Sheils Jaye Marie Green Marta Silva Wei-Ling Hsu  Tanya Wadhwa Jaclyn Jansen  Carly Werwie Jenni Jenq Leigh Whittaker Kendra Little   Volvik Race for the Card Top 10: 9/10 Top 20: 16/20 International Countries Represented (20) Argentina Japan  Australia Malaysia Brazil  Mexico Canada  Norway Chile  South Africa Chinese Taipei South Korea Colombia  Sweden Denmark   Taiwan France Thailand Italy United Kingdom   Current LPGA Tour Members (19) Marina Alex P.K. Kongkraphan Frances Bondad  Amelia Lewis Cydney Clanton Inhong Lim Perinne Delacour  Alejandra Llaneza Brianna Do Haley Millsap Breanna Elliott Garrett Phillips Marita Engzelius Sophia Sheridan Meaghan Francella Ashleigh Simon Mitsuki Katahira Hannah Yun Sue Kim     Past Champions 2012 Kristie Smith 2002 Lorena Ochoa  1993 Margaret Platt 2011 Valentine Derrey  2001 Angela Buzminski 1992 Kristal Parker 2010 Jennifer Song  2000 Nicole Jeray  1991 Marianne Morris 2009 Mina Harigae 1999 Lisa Jensen  1990 Denise Baldwin 2008 Vicky Hurst 1998 Nicole Jeray  1989 Vickie Moran 2007 Emily Bastel 1997 Jennifer Feldott 1988 Lois Ledbetter 2006 Salimah Mussani  1996 Marilyn Lovander 1987 Wendy VerBrugge 2005 Jenny Gleason 1995 Lisa Grimes 1986 Tammie Green 2004 Aram Cho 1994  Laura Broadbent  1985 Tammie Green 2003 Stephanie George           Wed, 12 Jun 2013 15:30:00 GMT http://www.symetratour.com/golf/news/2013/6/decatur-storylines.aspx http://www.symetratour.com/golf/news/2013/6/decatur-coverage-watch-and-listen.aspx This weekend during the Decatur-Forsyth Classic Presented by Tate & Lyle and the Decatur Parks District fans will be able to watch and listen thanks to NewsTalk 1340 WSOY-AM. Be sure to tune-in to tournament coverage Saturday, June 15th at 2pm CST until approximately 4pm CST. Coverage begins Sunday, June 16th at 12:00pm CST until the end of the tournament and check presentation. Times of broadcast are subject to change should the tournament need to adjust start times due to weather concerns. Please check back for updates.   The Link to listen to live coverage during those times: http://v5.player.abacast.com/v5.1/player/index.php?uid=6326   A webcam and audio stream of 18 both days so fans can watch and listen live http://www.ustream.tv/channel/Byers-Co-Briancam If you missed an interview - Listen Now>>   These links will also be available on the WSOY-AM website:  www.wsoyam.com Wed, 12 Jun 2013 11:05:00 GMT http://www.symetratour.com/golf/news/2013/6/decatur-coverage-watch-and-listen.aspx http://www.symetratour.com/golf/news/2013/6/choy-player-feature.aspx If you step onsite at a Symetra Tour event, don’t be surprised if you’re stopped in your tracks by the sound of one talented tour member playing the Ukulele. Britney Choy does not only possess an immense amount of athletic ability, but the Wahiawa, Hawaii native has the musical talent that would rival even the most popular musician. While most people make the voyage to Hawaii for vacation, Choy is one of the lucky few to call the Aloha State home. According to Choy, her childhood growing up in Hawaii was everything anyone could have imagined including daylong trips to the beach, wearing shorts no matter the matter season, and short drives to any destination. “I am so grateful that I was born and raised in Hawaii,” said Choy. “I could not have asked for a more wonderful childhood and teenage life. I grew up playing outside every day in shorts and a t-shirt in 80 degree weather.”  “My dad taught me how to love and respect the ocean through surfing, diving, and fishing. I never owned a pair of jeans until I was a senior in high school. The longest car ride I had before I went to college was no more than two hours, and that's just because of bad traffic or we took a joy ride around the island.  What more could a kid ask for? Hawaii is an amazing place to grow up with lots to see and do.”    Already engulfed in a number of sports, Choy turned her attention to golf at the age of seven when her dad took her to the course for the first-time. Once Choy’s father realized her potential and natural talent, she immediately started taking lessons and played in her first tournament at the age of 10. “I started playing golf when I was about 7-years-old,” said Choy. “I was already into a lot of other sports, but I really wanted to be with my dad all the time. I begged my dad to take me to the golf course with him so he brought me to the driving range and saw "potential". I took a few lessons here and there while playing other sports and finally played in my first golf tournament when I was 10-years-old. The rest is history.”   The rest was history indeed for Choy as she went on to win the 2004 Hawaii State High School Championship and was a three-time Player of the Year at Leilehua High School (2004-2006). After a decorated high school career, it was time for Choy to narrow down her choices of colleges. While many thought the third year Symetra Tour member would stay in her homestate, the Hawaiian decided on the University of New Mexico for their golf courses and practice facility. “I asked myself the same question my freshman year,” said Choy when asked why she chose the University of New Mexico. “It was a difficult transition at first, but New Mexico grew on me and I ended up loving it and even staying an extra year after I graduated.” “I chose to go there because of the golf courses and the amazing practice facility we had to ourselves.  I knew it was a great team to play for and the people there were amazing. It was easy to stay focused on school and golf because Albuquerque isn't a big city, but there were fun things to do and see.”   During her time at the University of New Mexico, the accolades continued to roll-in for Choy who was individual runner-up at the 2009 Mountain West Championship. She also was selected to the 2008 Mountain West Conference (MWC) All-Conference First Team and was a three-time member of the winning MWC Women’s Golf Championship team (2008-2010). After graduating college with a degree in Public Relations, Choy headed out to the Road to the LPGA where she earned a career-best T11 finish at the 2011 Teva Championship. Golf however isn’t the only passion for Choy who followed in her father and brother’s footsteps and learned how to play the ukulele. The 24-year-old learned how to play the popular Hawaiian instrument from her father and was able to first showcase her talent after joining a ukulele club in elementary school. “My dad is a talented guy and he taught himself to play the guitar and ukulele pretty well,” said Choy. “As a young girl I remember my dad playing the guitar and ukulele and singing Hawaiian songs with him all the time.  He would teach me chords here and there, but it wasn't until elementary school when I joined the ukulele club that I really learned how to play the basic stuff.” As a member of the ukulele club from the third to fifth grade, Choy would perform around the island at holiday festivals and other events.   “I really enjoyed performing at a young age, it was also fun to make people happy through music,” she said. “My older brother, Ryan, is like Mozart on the ukulele and he inspired me to get better at an older age, which is how I got myself playing the ukulele again in college.” While the schedule of a professional golfer can get a bit daunting at times, Choy finds reprieve from the daily grind when playing her ukulele. During this year’s 15 tournament Symetra Tour schedule, Choy’s ukulele will be along for the ride with her at each stop. “I travel on the road with my ukulele in tow and I play it a few times a week around my host-housing or just in my room,” said Choy. “I recently bought my first guitar and have been thinking about bringing that along on the road too. Playing the ukulele and guitar brings me to my happy place and reminds me of my childhood growing up.”   “I do get to play for some of my friends out on the Symetra Tour and its fun when it turns into jam sessions with others who have instruments too,” added Choy. “I play for them mostly when we are at housing BBQs or during the off season when I get together with some players and we hang out. I try not to overdo it because I don't want to be THAT GIRL that annoys people with my music.” While Choy’s repertoire of songs is constantly changing, she is scheduled to play live at the upcoming Decatur-Forsyth Classic Presented by Tate & Lyle and Decatur Parks District’s pro-am party. “I have a few favorite songs and it changes every time I pick up a new tune to play,” said Choy. “Right now my favorite song to play is Wagon Wheel by Darius Rucker because it is such a fun song and everyone knows it so it turns into a sing-along! One of my all-time favorite songs to play is Hero/Heroine by Boys Like Girls because that is one of the first songs I taught myself to play in college and it kept me interested in learning to play more mainstream songs.”   Tue, 11 Jun 2013 10:58:00 GMT http://www.symetratour.com/golf/news/2013/6/choy-player-feature.aspx http://www.symetratour.com/golf/news/2013/6/symetra-returns-to-decatur.aspx The Symetra Tour’s annual stop in Decatur, Ill. has become a fixture on the tour’s schedule and this year will prove to be no different as the Road to the LPGA returns to the Midwest, this week, for the Decatur-Forsyth Classic Presented by Tate & Lyle and the Decatur Parks District. In its 29 th year, the Decatur-Forsyth Classic Presented by Tate & Lyle and the Decatur Parks District will feature 144 of the top female professional golfers competing for a $15,000 first-place prize at Hickory Point Golf Club.  Highlighting this year’s list of players scheduled to compete is Melissa Eaton, who currently holds the No. 2 ranking in the Volvik Race for the Card standings. Eaton recorded her first career Symetra Tour victory at this year’s Florida’s Natural Charity Classic to catapult her inside the top-10. In addition to her win she also finished T24 at the season-opening VisitMesa.com Gateway Classic at T31 at the Symetra Classic and Friends of Mission Charity Classic. The top-10 players in the Volvik Race for the Card at season’s end will earn membership on the 2014 LPGA Tour. Along with Eaton, other 2013 Symetra Tour winners scheduled to compete in Illinois include Christine Song (Guardian Retirement Championship at Sara Bay), Laura Kueny (Symetra Classic), and Giulia Molinaro (Friends of Mission Charity Classic). Also scheduled to compete in Decatur are a pair of current cast members on Golf Channel’s highly acclaimed realty series, Big Break. Taylor Collins and Stefanie Kenoyer are currently starring on Big Break Mexico which airs Monday night at 9:00 p.m. ET on Golf Channel. While a number of players with local Illinois ties will be competing at the Decatur-Forsyth Classic Presented by Tate & Lyle and the Decatur Parks District, Jaclyn Jenson resides a short drive from Decatur in Effingham. Prior to joining the Symetra Tour, Jansen emerged victorious at the 2007 Illinois State Championship and also won the 2010 Women’s Western Championship. A rookie on this year’s Symetra Tour, Jansen earned three collegiate victories while at Baylor University. Tue, 11 Jun 2013 10:27:00 GMT http://www.symetratour.com/golf/news/2013/6/symetra-returns-to-decatur.aspx http://www.symetratour.com/golf/news/2013/6/on-other-tours-park-wegmans.aspx Rolex Rankings No. 1 Inbee Park held off a surging Catriona Matthew, sinking an 18-foot birdie putt on the third hole of a sudden-death playoff at the Wegmans LPGA Championship to capture her seventh-career victory and third major championship. Matthew shot a final-round 4-under 68 to force a playoff with Park, who finished with a 3-over 75 including 3 bogeys in her last six holes. Park has won the first two majors of the 2013 season, having also captured the Kraft Nabisco Championship back in April. “I didn't know that I was going to be able to do it today,” said Park. “I was hitting the ball everywhere today on the final round.  It just made my day so much tougher. But just putting my name on the Wegmans LPGA championship trophy just means so much to me.  And this is my third win in a major championship.  So that means a lot.  And getting a lot closer to my goals set for my golf career.” It was a marathon of a day on Sunday at Locust Hill Country Club in Pittsford, NY. The final 36 holes of the major championship had to be played on the final day of the event after rain postponed the start of the event a day. Park started the third round sitting one shot behind second-round leader Morgan Pressel, who looked to take command of the lead early on in the round thanks to three consecutive birdies on Nos. 7, 8 and 9. But Park got things going on the back nine, carding four birdies and no bogeys to finish the third round with a one-shot lead. Pressel bogeyed the 10 th and 12 th holes and trailed Park by one with 18 holes to play. A 25-minute break separated the two rounds for the leaders and Park did not waste much time to extend her lead. She birdied the fifth hole to extend her lead to two shots, but followed it up with bogeys on the 6 th and 8 th holes. After hitting her second shot into a tree on No. 8, Pressel battled back with a birdie of her own for a two-shot swing that created a tie atop the leaderboard at 7-under-par.. The makings looked to be in place for a back-nine duel between Pressel and Park but Pressel would drop shots on Nos. 10 and 12 while Park birdied the par 5 11 th hole and held a three-shot lead with six holes to play. The South Korean would find herself in trouble in the rough on the remaining holes and opened the door for the Scotland native, Catriona Matthew, to make a move two groups ahead of her. Matthew birdied the 17 th hole and made a solid two-putt par on 18 to finish at 5-under. She then waited to see how the final groups played out. “The last I looked at the scoreboard, Inbee had a solid lead, so I was quite surprised when suddenly I looked at the leaderboard on 18 and two putts would get me in a playoff,” Matthew said. “When I started today the last round I probably didn't realize I could win. So to play well and get into the playoffs was obviously pretty good.  Obviously when you get into it, it's pretty disappointing but overall pretty good week.” Park bogeyed Nos. 14, 16 and 18 to drop to 5-under and was faced with a playoff with the 19-year Tour veteran, although she found a way to come through with a victory. “I could have made one more putt maybe on 17 or 16, but I've made some amazing up‑and‑downs before that,” said Park. “So I mean bogeys were bound to come with the way I've been striking the ball today.  I mean if you miss the fairways here, you really can't avoid bogeys here. And I knew that I had good plans, but I really didn't expect to win with the way I was playing today.  I mean I was really trying to be calm, and you know, not to get mad even if I don't win.” Mon, 10 Jun 2013 14:06:00 GMT http://www.symetratour.com/golf/news/2013/6/on-other-tours-park-wegmans.aspx http://www.symetratour.com/golf/blogs/2013/6/quick-18-with-britney-choy.aspx 1. If you had to pick up one animal to describe you, what would it be and why? I would be a dolphin...even though it is a mammal.  I would want to be a dolphin because they are friendly and playful, yet they can be aggressive and protective when needed. 2. Describe the best meal you've had while on the road and where you had it. The best meal I had on the road was last season in Richmond, Virginia.  My host-housing took me, Amy Eneroth, and Gloriana Soto to a fancy steakhouse.  I ordered a really nice piece of steak with lump crab meat on top and a vermouth sauce with mushrooms.  It was divine.  I ate it all.  I think about that meal quite often. 3. Name two things you consider yourself to be really good at. Talking to people & playing the ukulele. 4. What is your favorite season? Summer.  I follow the sun! 5. Is there anything you are addicted to or can't live without? My ukulele and guitar. 6. What is the weirdest thing you have ever eaten? Well, to me it's not weird, but to everyone else it might be weird.  When eating sushi and you order shrimp and it comes with the whole head deep fried..nobody usually eats it.  They all think its for presentation, but to me, its the best part of the whole meal! I eat it all! 7. Tell us something you hate doing. Why? I do not enjoy being lazy.  I hate laying around the house not doing anything productive.  I like to move around and get things done. 8. As a child, what did you wish to become when you grew up? A professional golfer.  Woohoo! 9. What's the best piece of advice you have ever received? If theres a will, theres a way. 10. What movie do you watch again and again? Rookie of the Year. 11. What is always stocked in your refrigerator? Eggs, almond milk, cheese. 12. What is the biggest strength of your game? My biggest strength of my game is probably my short game.  I love to practice my chipping and pitching around the greens. 13. Do you have any nicknames? B-Choy. 14. What story does your family always tell about you? My parents always tell the story about me when I was three or four years old and we had just come home from a trip.  Apparently I was hungry and I kept bugging my dad about how hungry I was on the airplane.  So when we got home and my parents were unpacking, they didn't realize I had left.  My neighbors called my house and asked my parents if they were missing a daughter.  I guess I was that hungry, so I walked to my neighbors house, knocked on their door and asked them to make me food. 15. If given a complete freedom to start afresh, what profession would you choose and why? I would enjoy being a food critic - because I love food, all kinds of food! Or a beer critic - because I love trying different types of microbrews. 16. Describe yourself in one word. Happy. 17. What is your favorite home-cooked meal? Whatever my dad cooks.  My dad is the best chef, ever.  He can cook anything and everything.  He gets real fancy in the kitchen, especially with seafood! 18. What's your favorite club in your bag? I really like my 56 degree wedge. Mon, 10 Jun 2013 12:40:00 GMT http://www.symetratour.com/golf/blogs/2013/6/quick-18-with-britney-choy.aspx http://www.symetratour.com/golf/blogs/2013/6/alum-sj-smith-wegmans.aspx Seventh-year Tour member and Symetra Tour Alum Sara Jane Smith admitted to having a little nervous energy earlier this week with the pressure of performing in a major championship weighing on her. Smith is coming off two missed cuts in her last two LPGA events and said she was truly unsure how she would play this week. “Yesterday I felt -- I was pretty nervous teeing off,” said Smith. “I haven't been doing well.  And the practice rounds are great.  My coach is here, and we had really good preparation, but you're still always a little bit nervous to see how it's going to go.  So once I got going, then I felt a bit more comfortable and then everything was a bit more relaxed.” Smith, whose season-best finish of T15 came at the season-opening ISPS Handa Australian Women’s Open, said her work of the tees this week have helped her with scoring opportunities.   “I've always liked this golf course, and obviously the rough is tough,” said Smith. “But one of my best things is my driver, so that's sort of a good thing for me.  I don't really mind it being rough, because I haven't been in it too much.” Smith is playing for her first-career victory and looking to improve on her best finish in a major championship: a T14 at the 2010 Wegmans LPGA Championship at Locust Hill. “I haven't really been this high in a major,” said Smith. “I've played decent here a couple of times, but never at this point. Just take it easy this afternoon, and I think we have to do laundry.  And then get ready for tomorrow.” Sun, 09 Jun 2013 07:31:00 GMT http://www.symetratour.com/golf/blogs/2013/6/alum-sj-smith-wegmans.aspx http://www.symetratour.com/golf/blogs/2013/6/alum-choi-leads-wegmans-rd1.aspx South Korea’s Chella Choi fired a 5-under 67 in wet and soggy conditions at Locust Hill Country Club to take a one-shot lead at the Wegmans LPGA Championship. Choi carded six birdies in her first 10 holes and made just one bogey in her round and leads Jiyai Shin and Morgan Pressel, who both shot opening rounds of 4-under 68. The first round of the Wegmans LPGA Championship kicked off a day late after heavy rain postponed play before it began on Thursday. A total of 2 ½ inches of rain fell in the Pittsford, New York area over 24 hours on Thursday and there were questions as to whether play would be able to resume on time on Friday. Thanks to some tremendous work by the Locus Hill grounds crew staff, players teed off on time at 7:15 a.m. on Friday morning although there were still plenty of challenges with the rain having made the course play even longer than expected. Early in the week the talk was all about the thick, heavy rough and the rain certainly didn’t make it any easier. Many of the players in the field cited the need to keep the ball in the fairway and it’s no surprise that the first-round leader did just that. Choi hit all 14 fairways on Friday and only missed three greens  “I hit a really good driver today,” said Choi. “I hit 14 fairways.  So I'm really happy.  My goal is just keep fairway.” The fifth-year Tour member, who is still seeking her first-career victory, played through rainy conditions for the majority of her round and battled steady rain on the back nine. Still she managed to limit her mistakes to just the one bogey on the par-4 13th. Pressel held the clubhouse lead for much of the day after closing out her round with four consecutive birdies. She’s tied for second with Jiyai Shin, who had four birdies and no bogeys in her opening round. Shin won at Locust Hill back in 2009, the year before the LPGA Championship moved here. “I played pretty well out there,” said Pressel, who shot 68 for the first time since the first round of the 2012 Mobile Bay LPGA Classic. “I didn't put myself really in any bad trouble which you can certainly find on this golf course.  I hit a lot of fairways, which you need to do.  I only missed I think two or three maybe, and the couple that I did, I most of the time saved par.” Five-time LPGA Tour winner Brittany Lincicome is two shots back at 3-under-par and in solo fourth place. American Jessica Korda and LPGA and World Golf Halls of Famer Se Ri Pak are in a tie for fifth at 2-under-par. Korda is playing for her second LPGA win while Pak is seeking her 26th victory and sixth major championship. Pak is a three-time LPGA Championship winner. Sat, 08 Jun 2013 07:50:00 GMT http://www.symetratour.com/golf/blogs/2013/6/alum-choi-leads-wegmans-rd1.aspx http://www.symetratour.com/golf/blogs/2013/6/martina-rotary-birdies.aspx Let me share with you how it all came about. One of the things I've always loved and admired about America is community life experienced through churches and diverse organizations that promote the convergence of people for service purposes and the greater good of all. At the beginning of the year, I realized I wanted to get involved with one these organizations. So in February I decided to accept a friend's invitation to join the Rotary Club of Lake Buena Vista and quickly came to love the heart of the club and its people.  Rotary is the world's premier international humanitarian service organizations. It consists of a diverse global network of community, business, and professional leaders who address relevant social causes to change lives and build goodwill and peace at home and abroad. With the start of the 2013 Symetra Tour season fast approaching, the idea of supporting The Rotary Foundation through my golf career began to entertain my mind. My mentor and I then came up with a program that consists of pledging $1 to the foundation for every birdie I card throughout the 2013 Symetra Tour season. This gives people who enjoy women's professional golf and enjoy following me on tour the opportunity to support The Rotary Foundation and its six areas of focus, which include the eradication of polio, provision of basic education through literacy projects, promotion of peace and conflict resolution, reduction of child mortality through sanitation projects, and the global fight against hunger. The Foundation is an international not-for-profit corporation supported solely by voluntary contributions from Rotarians and friends of the Foundation who share its vision of a better world. As of now, 18 people have signed up and I've carded 34 birdies in four tournaments, which amounts to over $600 going to the Rotary Foundation!!! It's been a great way to create a following for me on tour and stay in touch with my friends and fans while at the same time advancing the support of The Rotary Foundation. I appreciate their support so much!!!  Fri, 07 Jun 2013 15:45:00 GMT http://www.symetratour.com/golf/blogs/2013/6/martina-rotary-birdies.aspx http://www.symetratour.com/golf/blogs/2013/6/this-week-jean-reynolds.aspx Each week throughout the year we will spotlight one Symetra Tour player and provide an in depth look into her life - both on and off the course. Up next in "This week is all about..." series is Jean Reynolds. Fri, 07 Jun 2013 06:29:00 GMT http://www.symetratour.com/golf/blogs/2013/6/this-week-jean-reynolds.aspx http://www.symetratour.com/golf/news/2013/6/st-lpga-wegmans.aspx The LPGA Tour is set to make its return to Rochester, N.Y. this week for the Wegmans LPGA Championship and a large contingent of Symetra Tour alums will be amongst the 144-player field. Cristie Kerr, the 2010 Wegmans LPGA Championship winner, highlights the list of alums scheduled to compete this year. The 16-time LPGA Tour winner won the 2010 championship by 12-strokes which marked the largest margin of victory in tournament history. Another Symetra Tour alum to watch-out for this week is Karrie Webb who is coming off her 39 th career LPGA Tour victory at last week’s ShopRite LPGA Classic Presented by Acer. The Hall of Famer played on the Symetra Tour in 1995 where she divided her time between the Road to the LPGA and the Ladies European Tour. Also scheduled to compete this week are Paz Echeverria and Sue Kim who have both played in a number of events on the Symetra Tour this season. Chile native Echeverria has played in three Symetra Tour events in 2013 and posted a season-best T18 at the Guardian Retirement Championship at Sara Bay. On the LPGA Tour, Echeverria is in the midst of her rookie season where she notched a season-best T34 at the Mobile Bay LPGA Classic. Despite only playing in four events this season on the Symetra Tour, Kim has propelled to No. 5 on the current Volvik Race for the Card standings after two top-five finishes. She also ranks inside the top-10 in four statistical categories including birdies, rounds under par, scoring average, and putting average. This year on the LPGA Tour, Kim has played in two events and posted a season-best T34 at the Mobile Bay LPGA Classic. Thu, 06 Jun 2013 10:10:00 GMT http://www.symetratour.com/golf/news/2013/6/st-lpga-wegmans.aspx http://www.symetratour.com/golf/news/2013/6/massy-earn-volvik-award.aspx DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA, June 4, 2013 - Volvik, the #1 Color Golf Ball on Tour and sponsor of the Symetra Tour’s Race for Card, awarded Courtney Massey of Gold Coast, Australia, with the season’s first Volvik Bright and Bold Performance Award. The award recognizes the player, who plays the trademark color Volvik ball, with the lowest scoring average through the first five events. Players needed to play in a minimum of ten rounds over the five tournaments. Massey will be presented a $2,500 check at the Tour’s next stop in Decatur, Ill. at the Decatur-Forsyth Classic Presented by Tate & Lyle and Decatur Parks District. “This is my first year with Volvik and I am quickly seeing results,” said Massey. “The balls are not only a stand-out color wise but also performance wise around the greens. The Volvik golf ball has helped me control my distances, spin and feel, and I can’t ask for anything more.” "Courtney Massey is a very deserving winner of the Volvik Bright and Bold Performance Award," said Jon Claffey, National Director of Sales and Marketing for Volvik USA. "She is a very talented player who has been very consistent so far this year. It has been a  a lot of fun to watch her compete for a spot on the LPGA Tour and especially fun to see her hit a pink golf ball as far as she does. She absolutely crushes the ball." In her second year on the Symetra Tour, Massey recorded a 71.00 scoring average in 12 rounds to earn the award. Massey has played in four tournaments this season and currently stands No. 6 in the Volvik Race for the Card standings after notching three top-10 finishes including a season-best tied for second at the Florida’s Natural Charity Classic. Tue, 04 Jun 2013 10:03:00 GMT http://www.symetratour.com/golf/news/2013/6/massy-earn-volvik-award.aspx