Epson Classic
Raintree Country Club
Charlotte, N.C.
May 22, 2015
Second Round Notes

CHARLOTTE, N.C., May 22, 2015 – After shooting her second-consecutive round of 4-under, 68, Haley Italia (Pace, Fla.) will take a one-shot lead into the final round of the Epson Classic at Raintree Country Club.

“Ball striking has been really solid and I’ve been rolling the putts pretty good,” Italia said. “We’ve been seeing our lines and hitting them so it’s been a good week with that.”

This marks the second time this season that the Ole Miss grad finds herself in the final group. Italia finished second, but took home first place money, when amateur Hannah O’Sullivan captured the season-opening Gateway Classic at Longbow Golf Club.

“It’s exactly where I want to be,” Italia said confidently. “I haven’t been there since then but I liked it. I like learning how to deal with that and the feelings that come so it’s just another experience to get better at doing it and I’m pretty excited for it.”

Italia has medical status on the LPGA Tour this season but has decided to focus primarily on the Epson Tour this season thanks in part to the advice from a group of her close friends - Dori Carter, Jackie Stoelting and Mallory Blackwelder - who all happen to be former Volvik Race for the Card graduates.

“Doing both Tours mentally you just spread yourself out too thin,” Italia explained. “Talking to people who’ve gone before me and the ways that they’ve done it they’ve been a good encouragement and mentorship. They say ‘you’re good enough. Just stick it out on one Tour. Learn how to win. Learn how to compete and you’ll be ready when you get out here’ and that’s the decision we’ve run with. It’s a real confidence booster and you learn how to compete.”

While she is aware of what a win would do for her chances of joining Carter, Stoelting and Blackwelder as Epson Tour grads Italia is trying not to think about it much.

“I’m trying not to,” Italia said about thinking about what a win would do for her chances at an LPGA card. “After the first one I started thinking about it more and It really took me away from my game. I’m actually not even looking at leaderboards anymore. Even after the first round, second round I’m basically just hearing where I’m at from friends. I’m just trying to take it one day at a time and control what I can control and that’s really helped me these past two weeks.”

Augusta James (Bath, Ontario), Katie Kempter (Albuquerque, N.M.) and Haruka Morita-WanYaoLu (Takamatsu City, Japan) are a shot back, while Rachel Rohanna (Waynesburg, Pa.) is two behind. 2013 Epson Classic Champion Laura Kueny (Whitehall, Mich.) is part of a group of six players who are three strokes back.

79 players made the cut at 147 (+3).

Final round play will begin off the first tee starting at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday.

KEMPTER ONE BACK LOOKING FOR WIN NO. 2 - Katie Kempter (Albuquerque, N.M.) will head into Saturday’s final round looking to capture her second victory of the 2015 Epson Tour season.

“I think it helps to know that you’ve done it before and you can draw on the experiences and the emotions and just take that as a confidence booster,” Kempter said. “It’s different every week but at the same time it’s nice to know that you’ve done it before and you can do it again.”

Kempter has herself in contention thanks to rounds of 67 and 70;

“It’s been a good 36-holes to start,” Kempter said. “I’m rolling the ball really well. I love the greens out here. I’ve always felt like I’ve putted well on them. I just need to stay committed to the process and put a good roll on the ball and see what happens.”

So how will the Volvik Championship winner approach the final day?

“The most important thing I work on is one shot at a time and I know it sounds so cliche but Tim Kremer, a guy that I work with at Spirit of Golf, he works with me on my mental and emotional game and we really focus in on getting into the now and staying completely immersed in one shot at a time,” Kempter explained. “When I’m out there I’m not thinking about what’s coming up. I’m not thinking about the six footer that I just made or missed. When I’m in it’s a fun place to be and that’s what I do.”

EPSON TOUR GIVING ARIMURA CONFIDENCE: Chie Arimura (Kumamoto, Japan) will enter the final round of the Epson Classic three strokes behind the lead after a second round 68 leaves her at 5-under for the Tournament.

Arimura, who has six top-10 finishes on the LPGA Tour, tallied five birdies against two bogeys en route to her 68.
“I’ve been playing LPGA events but Epson Tour is a very nice Tour,” Arimura said. “The golf courses are in good shape and it’s a good experience.”

The best part of the experience for Arimura has been the confidence that it has given her as she has registered top-10 finishes in her last two starts.

“I’ve gotten confidence from the top-10 finishes so I want to get a win tomorrow.”

SHORT DRIVE TO THE TOP-5 UPDATE: One of the unique prizes that will be given out at this week’s Epson Classic is a $1,000 cash prize for the player who finished in the Top-5 with the shortest average driving distance for the tournament. The prize, which has been named Short Drive to the Top-5, was generously donated by Bob Mayberry Hyundai.

If play were to end today, Augusta James would win the prize with her T2 and her 237.75 driving average.

DONATE 3 NON-PERISHABLES AND GET A FREE TICKET: Fans can gain free entrance to Saturday’s final round with the donation of three non-perishables to benefit Second Harvest. As with the previous rounds children under 16 get in free.

Haley Italia Takes One Shot Lead into Final Round of the Epson Classic

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