Australian players are handy without being prominent after the opening round of the LPGA Tour’s Q-School finale in Florida.
Texan Casey Grice leads the 154-strong field after a 66 on the Jones Course at the LPGA International near Daytona, the statistically easier course of the two being used in this week’s five-round event.
Tamworth’s Julia Boland is the best-placed of the nine-strong Aussie contingent, firing a 71 to be tied ninth among those who played on the tougher Hills course.
Boland is tied 24th overall with 20 women to gain full LPGA Tour cards for next season and those who finish 21-45 to gain conditional status.
For those who make the top-70 (and ties) cut after the fourth of five rounds, status on the secondary Symetra Tour is also up for grabs.
Yarrawonga’s Breanna Elliott, Perth’s Minjee Lee, Melbourne’s Su-hyun Oh and Brisbane’s Maggie Yuan each signed for a 72 on the Hills Course to be tied for 46th and with a trip to the Jones Course tomorrow.
Coonabarrabran’s Rebecca Artis fired a 73 on the Hills to share 72nd place, but the news wasn’t as promising for our other three entrants.
Cressy’s Stacey Keating shot a 75 and Coffs Harbour’s Emma de Groot a 76 on the Jones Course, while Perth’s Jayde Panos fired a 76 on the Hills with all three women having a lot of work to do to claw through the field in tomorrow’s second round.