Emily Tubert of Burbank claimed medalist honors by five strokes over Annie Park of USC at Stage I of LPGA Tour Qualifying School on the Palmer Course at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage.
Tubert, a graduate of Burroughs High and Arkansas, posted as score of 68-71-67-70– 276, 12-under-par, while Park, from Levittown, N.Y., finished at 68-72-72-69–281.
“It’s nuts,” said Tubert, who captured the 2010 U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship. “I think growing up playing golf you hear about Q-School and how it’s such a grind, and this was my first go at it and I think to walk away as medalist is amazing.
“It’s a strong field. There’s a lot of great players and I think I need to take away a lot of positives. I think I need to allow myself to really believe that I’m great at what I do. Like I’ve said, I struggled a lot with confidence. My last couple of years at college were rough mentally between the ears and I think that finishing 12-under for four days in the heat at first stage of Q-School just proves to me once more that I can hang and play this game at a high level.”
Alison Lee of Valencia and UCLA tied for fourth at 71-71-70-71–283.
Stage Two of LPGA Tour Qualifying Tournament will be played at Plantation Golf and Country Club in Venice, Fla., from Sept. 30-Oct. 4, and the Final Stage will be held Dec. 3-7 at LPGA International Golf Club in Daytona Beach, Fla.
