DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- As the Nov. 28 start date draws near for the 2007 LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament, LPGA officials have confirmed 17 players from the 90-hole competition will receive exempt cards for the 2008 LPGA Tour season. Non-exempt status will be granted to the next 35 players and ties. The field of 137 golfers will compete for Tour cards Nov. 28-Dec. 2 on the Legends and Champions Courses at LPGA International in Daytona Beach, Fla. The format of the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament allows for all golfers to play both the Legends and Champions Courses twice before Saturday's 72-hole cut to the top-70 and ties for Sunday's final chase for 2008 LPGA Tour status.
Two LPGA Sectional Qualifying Tournaments in Rancho Mirage, Calif., and Venice, Fla., were held to help determine the field for the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament. The top-30 finishers and ties from each sectional'31 from Rancho Mirage; 34 from Venice'advanced to the final stage and join 62 current LPGA Tour members who are trying to improve or retain their playing status for 2008. The field is completed by the eligible players who finished sixth through 15th on the final 2007 Duramed Futures Tour money list.
Consistent with the LPGA's history of showcasing the very best players from around the world, the 137-player field features 62 international players from 22 countries outside the United States. South Korea is represented by the most international players with 16, followed by Australia (10), Sweden (5) Canada (4) and Thailand (4). Remaining countries represented include England (3), South Africa (2), Spain (2); and one player represents each of the following countries: Argentina; China; France; India; Japan; Malaysia; Mexico; Paraguay; Russia; Scotland; Taiwan; and Venezuela.
Hye Choi and In-Kyung Kim were co-medalists at the 2006 LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament and captured two of 15 exempt cards available for the 2007 season.
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