Epson Tour Championship presented by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
LPGA International, Jones Course
Daytona Beach, Florida
October 15, 2015
Thursday Tournament Notes

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., October 15, 2015 - Cydney Clanton (Concord, N.C.) is not in contention for an LPGA Tour card and she already has a spot in Stage III of LPGA Qualifying Tournament in December. However, this is still an important week and it showed as she posted a 6-under 66 to share the first-round lead with Catherine O’Donnell (Ponte Vedra, Fla.) and Sherman Santiwiwatthanaphong (Buengkan,Thailand) at the Epson Tour Championship at LPGA International.

“After this tournament, we don’t make a paycheck until we play again and we don’t play again until February,” said Clanton. “Most people get paychecks twice a month, but this is the last paycheck. We’re like a bear in hibernation, we’re going to try to get as much as we can now.”

The only players outside the top 10 on the Volvik Race for the Card still mathematically alive to earn Tour cards that shot under-par were No. 19 Samantha Richdale (-2) and No. 21 Brittany Altomare (-2). Richdale needs at least a solo second place finish to potentially earn a card while Altomare must win to have a chance. Rachel Rohanna, No. 10 on the money list, also posted a 2-under 70 to stand in a tie for 12th.

Clanton, who has New Smyrna Beach native and former professional Michelle Simpson as her caddie, birdied four of her final seven holes to post a 66. Clanton took full advantage of the par-5 holes making birdie on three of the four.

“I played the par-5 holes really well today, I was able to leave myself three and two footers for birdie,” said the 26-year-old Clanton. “I made a really long putt on 15 that got the putter hot. I had the momentum from the par-5 holes and I kept it rolling.”

Clanton has played in 12 Epson Tour events this year and ranks 34th on the Volvik Race for the Card money list. Since she can’t squeeze into the top 10, this event is about a paycheck and a chance to see the course that she’ll play at Stage III of LPGA Qualifying Tournament from December 2-6.

“Any opportunity I get to see the course we’re going to play is 100 percent a bonus,” said Clanton. “We play the other course more (Hills), but you play twice out here and this course depends on the wind. If it’s not windy, you can shoot a low number.”

Clanton, who is staying with Simpson this week, has an arrangement that works perfectly for both. Clanton does the cooking and Simpson reads the putts.

“We had burgers one night, we had pork chops last night and we’re having steaks tonight,” said Clanton. “We don’t do anything fancy, but we like protein and vegetables and sometimes a starch. When I have a kitchen, I’d much rather eat in than go out.”

Simpson, who played full-time on the Epson Tour from 2002-2007, was impressed with Clanton today.

“She is just a good ball striker and she hits it a mile,” said Simpson. “When she makes putts, look out.”

Simpson has been caddying for the last eight years since retiring from golf. She worked with Clanton on the LPGA Tour in 2014 and worked with Katie Burnett this year.

The Clanton-Simpson combo is hoping the good food and familiarity with the course and area leads to Clanton’s second career win. She won the 2013 Four Winds Invitational on the Epson Tour.

EXPERIENCE LEADS O’DONNELL TO LEAD: Catherine O’Donnell (Ponte Vedra, Florida) has played over 50 rounds at LPGA International between high school, the Epson Tour and LPGA Qualifying Tournament and it showed on Thursday as she posted a 6-under 66 to share the lead.

The three-time All-ACC selection at UNC, who started on the back nine, began with birdies on 10, 12 and 14 to get to 3-under after five holes. She closed her first nine with birdies on 16 and 18 to make the turn in 32.

“The flatstick was definitely working, I felt really confident over all of my putts,” said O’Donnell, who took just 25 strokes on the green. “I felt like I could make every putt that I stood over and that is a really good feeling.”

O’Donnell continued the success on her back nine with birdies on one, three and four to get to 7-under. She made bogey on six and then closed with three pars.

“I feel like I’ve been putting well this year, they just haven’t been dropping,” said O’Donnell. “Before the day started, Phil (caddie) and I talked about being aggressive on the greens. I was trying to hit firm putts today and they went in.”

DEFENDING CHAMP WITH STRONG DAY ONE: Defending Epson Tour Championship winner Marita Engzelius (Oslo, Norway) started her title defense off with a solid opening round 69.

“Five shots better than last year so that’s good,” Engzelius said with a smile. “I played pretty solid today. I hit all of the fairways and started to hit my irons well on my back nine. I had a little problem with the speed on the greens, coming up short a little bit but I think that will be better tomorrow so all-in-all I’m pretty happy.”

Engzelius, who opened with a 2-over 74 last year before going 12-under on her final three rounds, tallied four birdies against a lone bogey on her day.

“That was the coolest moment that I’ve ever had as a golfer and of course it brings back great memories, but this is another event,” Engzelius said of winning last year. “I have to treat it as a new one but it’s kind of
surreal when I see myself because I don’t really think of it as me so it’s kind of funny. It’s a lot of fun to be back as the defending champion.”

NO. 12 BRIANNA DO FIGHTS BACK: Brianna Do (Lakewood, Calif.) shot an even par 72 to sit six shots back of the lead after day one.

“I wanted to get off to a better start obviously but I’ll take an even par day,” Do said. “The greens were tricky and a little slower this week but I hung in there and made some good shots on the back nine and got it back going into tomorrow.”

Do currently sits at 12th on the Volvik Race for the Card Money List and needs a good finish this week to earn her 2016 LPGA Tour Card. While there is a lot on the line for Do this week don’t expect her to be following along with the possible scenarios.

“I’ve done pretty well without checking,” Do admitted. “I haven’t checked anything since Boston in August. I know I’m 12th on the list. I saw someone tweeted an article from when I did media earlier this week and I didn’t even click on it so I don’t even know. I’ve found ways around it.”

PROJECTIONS FOR 11-23 ON TRYING TO EARN A CARD: Here is a look at what players 11-23 must do in order to have a chance to earn a card. The minimum finishes assume that the players in the top 10 don’t earn additional money. The projections also assume payouts for solo finishes. Keep in mind that No. 10 on the money list has currently earned $52,314.

Player	Earnings	Min. Finish	1st Rd.	Place
11. Haruka Morita-WanyaoLu	$51,594	47th	+1 (73)	T53
12. Brianna Do	$51,037	31st	E (72)	T36
13. Lindy Duncan	$50,315	18th	E (72)	T36
14. Jimin Kang (Withdrew)	$46,612	5th
15. Maude-Aimee Leblanc	$44,809	4th	+1 (73)	T53
16. Caroline Westrup	$44,243	3rd	+5 (77)	T94
17. Madeleine Sheils	$43,418	3rd	+1 (73)	T53
18. Chie Arimura	$43,410	3rd	E (72)	T36
19. Samantha Richdale	$40,701	2nd	-2 (70)	T12
20. Brittany Benvenuto	$39,577	2nd	E (72)	T36
21. Brittany Altomare	$33,518	Win	-2 (70)	T12
22. Katie Kempter	$33,094	Win	E (72)	T36
23. Dottie Ardina	$30,129	Win	E (72)	T36

Trio of Players Lead Rd. 1 Epson Tour Championship

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