Both players card an even-par 72 to complete the 144-player field
BATTLE CREEK, Mich., June 1, 2015 – Big Break Florida contestant Kristi O’Brien (Fishers, Ind.) and Rochester Hills, Michigan native Christine Meier both carded an even-par 72 to win the FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship Monday Qualifier at Battle Creek Country Club. O’Brien and Meier complete the field for the second annual event, which begins on Friday, June 5.
O’Brien, who Monday Qualified for the Kingsmill Championship on the LPGA Tour in mid-May, made one birdie and one bogey on both nines while Meier also made a pair of birdies and a pair of bogeys to finish at 72.
O’Brien, who drove up from Fishers, made 14 starts on the Epson Tour in her rookie season last year. Following a tough rookie season, her status suffered. This will be her first Epson Tour event of the year.
“I got bad status after last year and I’ve just been doing some LPGA Monday Qualifiers,” said O’Brien, who nearly Monday Qualified for last weeks ShopRite LPGA Classic. “I’m excited, I actually like this course and this is the event that I made my first cut at last year so that is a little sentimental. It is also close to home so I expect a lot of people to come up and watch.”
“I have a lot of confidence over the last couple weeks after qualifying for my first LPGA event,” O’Brien continued. “My game is feeling good.”
Meier has a similar story to O’Brien. She was a rookie on the Epson Tour last year and played in 11 events. She made seven cuts and finished 130th on the money list and now has “I” status. This will be her second event of the season. She missed the cut at the Mission Health Wellness Classic.
“I was on the alternate list this week and this gave me a nice opportunity to play my way into the field,” said Meier, who had her sister Amy as her caddie. “I was excited to put together a solid round so I didn’t have to wait and see if I got in off the alternate list.”
Meier said the putter was the difference.
“My putter was working so much better than it had been,” said Meier. “My sister was on the bag and it was nice to just hang out with her down the fairway. Rachel Rohanna (another Epson Tour member) caddied for her sister (Emily) and I’ve known Rachel forever so it was fun.”
Christine’s older sister, Amy, has two career top 10 finishes and currently ranks 60th on the Volvik Race for the Card money list. Both sisters are in the field this week.
They also both have caddying experience. Amy caddied for Christine when she competed in the 2012 U.S. Women’s Open, while Christine was on the bag for Amy when she qualified for the 2013 U.S. Women’s Open and finished T57.
Christine graduated from Michigan State in 2014. She had seven career top 10 finishes and led MSU to four NCAA Regional appearances.
Qualifier Results
Chrsitine Meier - 72
Kristi O’Brien - 72
Sandra Angulo Minarro - 73
Allyssa Ferrell - 73
Alexandria Jacobsen - 75
Ana Menendez - 75
Jenna Pearson - 75
Trisha Witherby - 76
MacKenzie Puryear - 77
Gabrielle Shipley - 80
Melissa Yeazell - 82
Emily Rohanna - 87
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