From Canada to the LPGA Tour
Sara-Maude Juneau narrowly squeaked inside the Volvik Race for the Card top-10, earning the last LPGA card given on last year’s Epson Tour, but look for this Quebec, Canada native to consistently post red numbers this year on the LPGA Tour.
In the 43 rounds Juneau played on the 2012 Epson Tour, she shot under-par 20 times and ranked tied for eighth on Tour in birdies with 128. Juneau’s impressive play could largely be contributed to her crisp iron play and steady putting stroke as she ranked seventh on tour in greens in regulation (1.82) and tied for 16th in putts per green (1.667).
While Juneau failed to record a win this year, her ability to post solid finishes when it mattered most is what earned her a spot on the LPGA Tour in 2013. Out of the 16 events she played in, Juneau posted six top-10 finishes including a tie for second at the season-opening Florida’s Natural Charity Classic and a third and a T4 finish at the final two tournaments.
Juneau’s Road to the LPGA was a bit of a winding one. Juneau secured a spot in the Race early in the season, as she posted a tied for second finish at the season-opening event. She went on to remain inside the top-10 for the first seven weeks of the year until a missed cut at the Northeast Delta Dental International dropped her out of the Race.
Juneau regained her spot inside the top-10 two weeks later when she finished tied for second at the Credit Union Challenge in Week 10. But just as soon as she returned to the top-10, she fell out once again -- this time for a lengthy four weeks.
Juneau then reentered the Race at No. 10 after she finished third at the Vidalia Championship, the second-to-last event of the season. The 24-year-old then secured her spot on next year’s LPGA Tour with a T4 finish at the Daytona Beach Invitational. Juneau spent a total of 10 weeks inside the top-10 in 2012 and is the only player to drop out of the rankings and work her way back in twice this season.
Prior to turning professional, Juneau played collegiate golf at the University of Louisville where she recorded five wins and was named the 2010 Big East Conference Player of the Year. While Juneau has a distinct French accent, if you talk to her on next year’s LPGA Tour don’t be surprised to hear a faint Southern draw that she picked up during her four years in Kentucky.
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