SAGSTROM CLOSING IN ON RECORD / LPGA: Madelene Sagstrom (Enkoping, Sweden) carded a 5-under 67 on Thursday and is just two shots off the lead. Sagstrom is one win away from a Battlefield Promotion to the LPGA.
The 23-year-old leads the Volvik Race for the Card money list with wins at the Chico’s Patty Berg Memorial and the Self Regional Healthcare Foundation Women’s Health Classic. She is $864 short of the single-season earnings record.
The highlight of her day was an eagle on the second hole. She used a 9-iron from 131 yards.
“I got up to the green and I was like ‘oh no, where did the ball go’ because it looked so good off the club,” said Sagstrom. “I think it was headed a little right and just bounced and went in.”
Sagstrom had her first rough week of the season at the Epson Classic in Charlotte last week when she missed the cut.
“I got very focused on results and scores last week,” said Sagstrom. “I was thinking about shooting low and I just can’t think that way obviously. Today was just about playing and I found the stroke with the putter again.”
Is a third win on her mind?
“Obviously, I would get really excited if it happened,” said Sagstrom. “But, I’m not worried about that. I learned from last week that if I worry about it, it isn’t going to happen.”
Sagstrom was in the Golf Channel studios on Monday taping segments for Morning Drive that aired on Tuesday.
“I was really glad that it wasn’t live because I feel like that would have stressed me because I know they would have been more like ‘let’s, let’s go’,” said Sagstrom. “They were so cool and I really felt like they were excited to have me there.”
NEWNAN’S REYNOLDS IN HUNT AFTER DAY 1: Jean Reynolds (Newnan, Ga.) carded a 2-under 70 and is in a tie for ninth.
“It’s nice to be able to play at home and I think a lot of people from home are coming tomorrow,” said Reynolds. “My dad is here watching and that is awesome.”
Reynolds made the turn at 3-under, but made bogey on two of her final three holes.
MARTINDALE TRYING TO FOLLOW HER TRAVEL BUDDY: On Sunday night, Kendall Martindale (Jefferson City, Tenn.) called her travel buddy and close friend on Tour Erica Popson, who had just won the Epson Classic.
“You know it’s possible (to win), but when you see a close friend do it you realize that it is totally doable,” said Martindale. “When I called her, she was so excited. I’m just really proud of her.”
Martindale and Popson played some junior golf together on the AJGA circuit and then they played college golf against each other in the SEC (Martindale - Vanderbilt, Popson - Tennessee). Popson also still spends some time in Knoxville, which is just thirty minutes from Martindale’s hometown.
“We practice together from time-to-time and even when she graduated, I would see her out at my home course,” said Martindale. “We kept in touch and then I asked if I could travel with her. I’m glad I have someone like Erica that has done it before and has even played on the LPGA.”
Martindale wants to write her own winning script this weekend and got off to great start with a 4-under 68. The Tour rookie was on fire to start with birdies on four of her first five holes. She made a short birdie putt on 18 to make the turn at 5-under.
“The back nine is a little shorter and I had a couple wedges in and stuck them pretty tight,” said Martindale. “The front nine is longer for me, but I made some great up-and-down’s and kept the momentum.”
Martindale said it was her best round of the season. Her previous low score was a 3-under 69 last week at the Epson Classic.
She has made the cut in three of five events and her best finish is a tie for 12th at the Chico’s Patty Berg Memorial.
Yesterday, Martindale made a switch to a Scotty Cameron putter. She was thinking about switching to the Seemore putter at the beginning of the week.
“My putting has been a little inconsistent and I haven’t had any confidence,” said Martindale. “I putted really well today and that gives me great confidence.”
Martindale’s good luck charm may have been her dad, Rick, who was on the bag for the first time.
“We are a lot alike so he knows just to stay out of the way,” Martindale joked. “It was a lot of fun with him.”
QUICK NOTES
• Veteran LPGA Tour member Kristy McPherson (Conway, S.C.) had her best round of the 2016 season with a 3-under 69. McPherson has 16 career top 10 finishes on the LPGA Tour.
• Erica Popson, who won the Epson Classic last week, posted a 3-under 69 and is in a tie for sixth.
• 3-time Epson Tour winner Simrita Mehra (India) carded a 1-under 71. She became the first player from India to play on the LPGA in 1997.
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