GREENWOOD, SOUTH CAROLINA, May 10, 2014 – Wei-Ling Hsu shot an even-par 72 to take over the lead on Saturday at the Self Regional Healthcare Foundation Women’s Health Classic with 18 holes to play. Hsu is 4-under for the tournament, one stroke in front of Min Seo Kwak.

On a tricky scoring day that saw only five players shoot under par, Hsu played a steady round that featured one birdie and one bogey on both the front nine and the back nine.

“I’m very happy to be in the lead today,” said Hsu. “When I see my name and 4-under at the top of the leaderboard, I am surprised.”

Hsu started the day in a tie for second, two strokes behind Joanna Klatten, who made six bogeys and two birdies to drop back to 2-under-par.

“I was actually a little nervous today and I just tried not to make mistakes,” said the 19-year-old Hsu. “I told myself that making par on this course is very good.”

Hsu won the Credit Union Challenge last year in Albany, New York. She finished 15^th on the Volvik Race for the Card money list in 2013.

“Last year, I won a tournament and it would be very important if I could win another one.”

Chico’s Patty Berg Memorial winner Min Seo Kwak is one shot off the lead at 3-under. She also shot an even-par 72 on Saturday.

“The front nine was boring and tired,” said Kwak. “The back nine was really fun, especially the par-3 13^th, after hearing the fans cheer I was pumped up.”

The par-3 13^th hole is situated right beside a lake. A group of boats lined up near the tee box and cheered on the players before and after they hit.

“If I win, I’ll be number one (on the Volvik Race for the Card money list) so I can rest next week comfortably and prepare for U.S. Open qualifying.”

ROUND OF THE DAY: The first group of the day flew around the course in four hours and five minutes in part because of the play of Stacey Keating, who fired a 5-under 67.

“I got off to a nice start which always helps and I kept it going on the back nine,” said Keating. “I had one bogey on 17, but it’s a tough pin and you’ll take par there any day so bogey wasn’t too disappointing.”

Keating, who is playing in her second Epson Tour event, has conditional status on the LPGA Tour. She has played in three LPGA events including the North Texas LPGA Shootout last week, where she finished in a tie for 19^th.

Keating has four career victories on the ALPG (Australian Ladies Professional Golf Tour) and two career wins on the Ladies European Tour.

She is playing on the Epson Tour in the United States in order to be available for LPGA events when she gets in.

“I have conditional LPGA status, that’s the reason I want to play some Epson events so if I get in an LPGA event last minute I can go there,” said Keating. “If I’m in Europe, I can’t exactly just fly quickly to an LPGA event.”

HOLE IN ONE FOR ASHLEIGH ALBRECHT: Ashleigh Albrecht approached the third hole needing her round to turn around. She made double-bogey on the first hole and a bogey on the second hole.

She made birdie on the third hole and had some confidence brewing heading to the fourth tee box.

With an 8-iron in hand from 157-yards, Albrecht took her swing and was confident she had hit it flush. As she walked towards the green, she still didn’t know where her ball was.

“I knew I had hit it well, but my two partners were near the pin and I saw them marking their balls and I said to myself ‘did I just go over the green’,” said Albrecht. “Then, Desiree (Dubreuil) said it was close to the pin did you guys look inside and one of the caddies looked and said ‘oh my god’.”

Albrecht’s reaction to her second career was pure joy.

“I got to the hole and started screaming, I was jumping up and down high fiving everyone.”

There are many Epson Tour players that interact with kids at the course, but none do it more than Albrecht.

“I really love kids and I kind of feel like that is my calling,” said Albrecht, who wants to be an elementary school teacher once she is done with her golf career. “If golf is a way for me to be a role model that is great because my dream is to impact children.”

While in college at the University of Kentucky, Albrecht frequently volunteered at the children’s hospital at Breakfast with Santa charity events.

“Kids just make me happy and I think it is my calling to work with kids.”

Media Contact

Bret Lasky, Coordinator, Epson Tour Media, bret.lasky@lpga.com, 386-679-1292

Wei-Ling Hsu Leads Self Regional Healthcare Foundation Women's Health Classic

Related Articles