Q-School Final - 2nd Round
Michelle Wie fired a 65 to join Shiho Oyama at -10 and atop the leaderboard at the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament. Stacy Lewis is in third place at -9 while Mollie Fankhauser and Amy Yang are tied for fourth place at -6.
I could point out that four of those five players were my top four choices to succeed this week but since Wie, Yang, Lewis and Oyama were on almost everyone else's short list of Top 20 contenders, that isn't such a unique accomplishment. Others of note:

-5 Janell Howland, Lisa Strom
-4 Carolina Llano, Mika Miyazato, Sophie Giquel
-3 Paige Mackenzie, Anja Monke, Jeehae Lee, Audra Burks
-3 Kim Welch, Anna Grzebien, Vikki Laing, Lisa Ferrero
-2 Charlotte Mayorkas, Samantha Richdale
-2 Emily Bastel, Anna Rawson, Ashleigh Simon
----------20----------
-1 Chella Choi, Ashli Bunch, Louise Stahle, Garrett Phillips
----------30----------
----------40----------
E Onnarin Sattayabanphot, Hannah Jun, Sunny Oh
E Eunjung Yi, Na Ri Kim, Angela Buzminski
+1 Anna Nordqvist, Leah Wigger, Patricia Meunier-Lebouc, Tani Elosegui
+2 Miki Saiki, Liz Janangelo, Beatriz Recari, Kristina Tucker
+2 Paola Moreno, Jaclyn Sweeney, Sun Ju Ahn
----------70----------
+3 Taylor Leon, Jenny Suh, Naree Song, Ashley Prange
+4 Song Yi Choi, Sarah Kemp, Kelly Lagedrost, Martina Eberl
+5 Sophia Sheridan, Jessica Shepley, Nontaya Srisawang
+6 Young-A Yang, Hanna Kang, Briana Vega
+7 Alison Walshe
+8 Jimin Jeong
+9 Melissa Reid, Lisa Meldrum
+10 Michelle Ellis
I labeled the various boundary lines to hopefully make it easier to comprehend where each player stands. The 30 and 40 lines are at the same place because there is a 14-way tie for 30th place - anyone who currently is in the Top 30 is also in the Top 40. UPDATE: That statement came out backwards - I meant that anyone who is in the Top 40 is also in the Top 30. What I first wrote is ALWAYS true. In case you missed it - a Top 20 finish gets Category 11 status for 2009, 21-30 gets Category 16 and 31-40 gets Category 20.
The ladies who really helped their cause today include Howland (67 T6, up from T33), Monke, Ferrero (both with 66 T11, up from T87), Mayorkas (67 T19, up from T87), Buzminski (68 T44, up from T101), Elosegui (66 T58, up from T124) and Ahn (68 T68, up from T120). Young-A Yang took the biggest hit - an 80 dropped her from T9 to T106.
Wie, Oyama and Lewis are certainly sitting pretty but still have two rounds left to make the 70-plus-ties cut (they have 12, 12 and 11 shots to play with on that front) and one more round on Sunday to make the Top 20. Wie and Oyama currently have eight-shot cushions on that barrier.
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Comments
Lisa Strom
Did a little digging and found out she went by Lisa Fernandez in ‘07. She’s Class of ‘03, so wonder if she’ll join Lorena and Suzann full-time in ’09!
by The Constructivist on Dec 4, 2008 4:51 PM PST 0 recs
Lisa (Fernandez) Strom
Although not a rookie in 2007, Lisa wrote a compelling rookie blog last year. They are still good reading.
Truth has a well-known liberal bias.
by dianemarie on
Dec 5, 2008 3:26 AM PST
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Lisa and KPJ
Karen Palacios-Jansen has played golf with Lisa on many occasions, and had Lisa on Inside The LPGA as a guest back in September – a week that I was unable to do the show myself, darn it! For that reason, I’m rooting for her to make it back this weekend.
by hound dog on
Dec 5, 2008 4:04 AM PST
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Apparent difficulty level - Champions vs Legends course.
Perhaps this has been commented on in past years but it does seem the Legends is the more difficult course.
Of Wednesday’s low scores, 71 or lower, 23 of the top 32 players, or 72 percent, were playing the Champions. 11 of the top 14, 79 percent, played Champions.
Of Thursday’s low scores, 69 or lower, 18 of 26 players, or 69 percent, played the Champions. 13 of the top 16, 82 percent, played Champions.
At the other end of the spectrum on Wednesday 22 of the bottom 26 – 85%, played the Legends.
Thursday 20 of the bottom 29 – 69%, played Legends.
Conclusion – Those who can play smart at Legends and adapt their decision making to take advantage of the Champions course, will greatly benefit. Wie has good scores on both courses as does Oyama. Leon had a 69 on Champions but a 78 on the Legends on Wednesday. Leon needs a good showing on her Friday return to the Legends course if she is to take a top 20.
Sunday’s final would have been more challenging if it were to be played on the Legends course. It may be more fun to watch, and make better TV, on the Champions.
I will be watching and am looking forward to it. It will be fun for us spectators. Nerve-wracking as hell for the participants.
Can’t wait,
Rjay
by rjay on Dec 4, 2008 6:53 PM PST 0 recs
are you on-site at the tournament, Rjay?
If so, FanPost your observations when you get a chance!
by hound dog on
Dec 5, 2008 4:06 AM PST
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