Volvik Championship at Morongo Golf Club at Tukwet Canyon
Morongo Golf Club at Tukwet Canyon - Champions Course
Beaumont, California
Final-Round News & Notes

BEAUMONT, Calif., March 1, 2015 - Katie Kempter (Albuquerque, New Mexico) birdied the final three holes to draw even with Lee Lopez, who made bogey on the final hole, and then won the Volvik Championship at Morongo Golf Club at Tukwet Canyon on the second playoff hole on Sunday. It is Kempter’s first win as a professional.

It was a frigid Southern California day with temperatures in the low-40’s, a steady light rain and winds reaching 20 miles-per-hour. Kempter and Ginger Howard were the only two players that turned in an under-par scorecard.

Kempter earns the winner’s check of $15,000 and moves into second place on the Volvik Race for the Card money list after two events with a total of $15,291.

“It is a little surreal,” said the 27-year-old Kempter. “I didn’t know what to think when I realized I won, but this is very special.”

Kempter was at 2-under after a bogey on the 15th hole, three shots back of Lopez. She made birdie on the 16th, 17th and 18th holes to get to 5-under. Lopez was in the fairway on the 18th hole playing in the final group with a one shot lead, but made bogey.

Both players made par on the first playoff hole. On the second playoff hole, Kempter saved a tough up and down from the back left of the green for par while Lopez lipped out a short par putt.

“You never want to see someone lip out to decide the outcome,” said Kempter, who won three times as a collegiate player at Denver. “I was like ‘oh my gosh, this actually happened’. Everything I worked for and everything I am doing with my coach and my family and to continue to chase that dream (LPGA) is amazing. To see this dream come true is great.”

Kempter was red hot with the putter all week. She needed just 26 putts on Sunday.

“It was a good time for a hat trick, right,” remarked Kempter about the three consecutive birdies. “I putted really well today. I did a little work with my putter at the beginning of the week and I felt very comfortable on these greens.”

Kempter, who posted seven top 10 finishes in her first four full years on Tour, was tempered in her reaction to the win and the goal of earning her LPGA Tour card.

“A win is huge, but it doesn’t mean your work is done,” said Kempter. “There is a lot of work to go, it is just the very beginning of the season, but it is a nice way to start the year for sure.”

Kempter qualified for the LPGA Tour in 2010 through LPGA Qualifying Tournament right out of college. She had some learning to do and now feels more prepared than ever for a return.

“I had a lot to learn, I wasn’t ready for the LPGA Tour when I was out there,” admitted Kempter. “Mentally I wasn’t ready, but physically I had the game. If it’s my time to go back out there next year great. I would love to be back out on the LPGA Tour.”

Lopez moved to third on the Volvik Race for the Card money list with her second place finish. Brittany Benvenuto (Langhorne, Pennsylvania) finished in solo third at 1-under 215, the best finish of her career.

Kempter, Lopez and Benvenuto were the only three to finish under-par for the three days and only six players finished even-par or better for the tournament.

The Epson Tour is off for the next three weeks before the Florida swing begins with the Florida’s Natural Charity Classic at Lake Wales Country Club in Lake Wales, Florida March 27-29.

GINGER HOWARD POSTS INCREDIBLE ROUND: In what some players were calling the toughest conditions they’ve played in, Ginger Howard (Bradenton, Florida) posted a 3-under 69 to move from a tie for 42nd to a tie for fourth.

It’s her first top 10 finish since the 2013 season. Howard carded three birdies against just one bogey.

“It wasn’t the toughest conditions I’ve played in, but definitely close,” said the 20-year-old Howard. “Honestly, it felt like I was in Scotland at the 2010 Junior Ryder Cup playing in Scotland weather. I knew my friends in Scotland would say something like this is normal weather so I just kept telling myself that.”

When Howard finished, she made an important phone call to her dad.

“I was mainly excited to finish and call my dad and tell him how everything came together because I had been struggling the last two days and last week with course management,” said Howard, who posted a 73-74 the first two days. “For it to come together in this weather and with these conditions makes me even more excited.”

Howard is coming off a tough 2014 season where she finished 78th on the Volvik Race for the Card money list, her lowest finish as a professional.

“I feel like this gives me some good momentum for my off weeks,” said Howard. “I’m really looking forward to Lake Wales because my sister (Robbi) is going to be on the bag.”

Kempter's First Professional Win at the 2015 Volvik Championship at Morongo Golf Club

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