Richdale Earns First Professional Win At
The Gettysburg Championship
8/24/08
GETTYSBURG, Pa., Aug. 24, 2008 – Samantha Richdale of Kelowna, B.C., earned her first professional win by two strokes with a finish of 1-over-par 73 in today’s final round at the $100,000 Gettysburg Championship.
Richdale finished with a three-round score of 5-under-par 211, holding off four-time Tour winner Vicky Hurst (72) of Melbourne, Fla., who closed two shots back at 3-under-par 213.
Fellow Canadian Jessica Shepley of Oakville, Ontario, and Lisa Ferrero of Lodi, Calif., each carded final rounds of 1-over-par 73 to tie for third at 214 (-2).
Richdale was doused on the 18th green by fellow players who showered her with water bottles. Shortly after being escorted to the awards ceremony by generals from the reenactment soldiers of the Battle of Gettysburg, Richdale received the crystal cannon trophy from Pennsylvania native and LPGA and World Golf Hall of Fame member Betsy King. King served as the honorary chairperson at The Gettysburg Championship.
Richdale also received an Accutron diamond watch and moved from 50th to 17th on the season money list with a $14,000 paycheck.
“I’m really excited,” said Richdale, whose previous career-best finish was a tie for 17th at the Jalapeno Duramed FUTURES Golf Classic earlier this year. “It’s unbelievable. I wouldn’t have told anyone that I could win one of the last few tournaments of the season.
Richdale closed out her win with a birdie on the 18th hole, placing her 56-degree wedge approach shot eight feet away from the flagstick, then converting her birdie putt straight into the cup.
The Canadian had to overcome a pair of double bogeys after carding only two bogeys through her first 36 holes. Her second double-bogey of the day on No. 13 dropped her back into a tie with Hurst at 4-under par. Her first double-bogey on the fifth hole gave Gerina Mendoza of Roswell, N.M., a one-stroke advantage.
“I got a little bit down on myself,” said Richdale after her first double bogey on No. 5. “I struggle in the bunkers as it is, and to get those two lies was really unfortunate. It was a tough pin placement and I just knew there were some birdies still out there.”
Richdale’s first birdie of the day was a 25-footer on the par-3, sixth hole. She added back-to-back birdies on No. 10 and 11, from distances of eight and 10 feet, respectively.
The third-year Tour pro competed in her first LPGA Tour event last week at the CN Canadian Women’s Open, tying for 52nd.
“It was really scary getting into the rough in Canada,” Richdale said. “I learned to lay up on par-5s so I can get favorable yardages instead of going for the green in two. That helped today.”
Richdale has been working closely with seven-time Duramed FUTURES Tour winner Lori Atsedes of Ithaca, N.Y., to strengthen her mental game as the season has progressed.
Now, she has a chance to break into the Tour’s top 10 to finish out the year in Albany, N.Y.
“I don’t want to put expectations out there,” said Richdale, clad in Nike gear provided by Prasco, her new sponsor. “I just need to focus and not be result-oriented.”
Hurst had a chance to tie for the lead on the 18th green before Richdale’s group came through, but the Tour’s top-ranked player missed a birdie putt as it trickled left of the hole.
“My game wasn’t where I wanted it to be today,” Hurst said. “I started very well, but after a bogey on No. 9, I couldn’t really get that back.”
The Duramed FUTURES Tour closes out its regular season Sept. 5-7 at the ILOVENY Championship in Albany, N.Y.
The Tour’s top 10 finishers on the season money list will be awarded 2009 LPGA Tour membership cards at the conclusion of the final round of the ILOVENY Championship. Five exemptions into this year’s LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament will also be presented.
For complete scores and more information, visit www.duramedfuturestour.com
Mo Martin Wins iPod Touch With Sunday’s Low Round
Mo Martin of Altadena, Calif., was surprised that her round of 2-under-par 70 was enough to secure an Apple iPod Touch in Duramed’s season-long promotion of the Sunday Low Round Award. The two-time Tour champion carded three birdies and one bogey on her way to an eighth-place tie.
“I was putting well and hitting it solid today,” said Martin, who had 27 putts. “From holes No. 11-16, those holes don’t give you an inch. Both holes No. 17 and 18 are the holes where you can make birdies.”
Low scores were hard to come by as Martin was one of five players to finish their round under par, joining rookie Sara Brown (71) of Tucson, Ariz., Marcela Leon (71) of Monterrey, Mexico, Angela Buzminski (71) of Oshawa, Ontario, and LeAnna Wicks (71) of Brighton, Mich.
Hurst Sets Duramed FUTURES Tour Single-Season Earnings Record
Four-time tournament winner Vicky Hurst of Melbourne, Fla., made Duramed FUTURES Tour single-season history with a runner-up finish at The Gettysburg Championship. Hurst finished second for the third time in her rookie season and earned $10,000 to push her season earnings up to $88,472.
Hurst shattered Tour alum Beth Bauer’s single-season earnings mark of $81,529. In her 2001 rookie season, Bauer earned four wins and had 16 top-10 finishes in while competing in 19 events. She went on to receive her LPGA Tour card after winning Player and Rookie of the Year honors on what was then the FUTURES Golf Tour.
Hurst came into Gettysburg having earned $78,472 through 11 events. She has claimed wins this year in McAllen, Texas, Decatur, Ill., Hammond, Ind., and Bloomfield, Conn.
