SYLVANIA, Ohio -- The Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic Presented by Kroger is the U.S.-based qualifier for the Ricoh Women’s British Open. After 36 holes, Carri Wood, Ji-Young Oh and Marcy Hart clinched their spots in the LPGA’s fourth major championship. With four more players in contention for the final two positions at 2-under-par 140, third round scores broke the tie and Kim Hall and Mikaela Parmlid will be making the trek to the Old Course at St. Andrews Aug. 2-5.
Wood, of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., led the qualifiers with a 5-under-par 68-69=137, which put her in a 36-hole tie for third overall at the tournament. Wood, who has been on Tour since 1994, will make the Ricoh Women’s British Open on the Old Course at St. Andrew’s her debut at the event since it has been a major championship on the LPGA Tour schedule.
“It's going to be great because I never played in the (Ricoh) Women’s British Open and it's at St. Andrews. It's the home of golf,” Wood said. “Who wouldn't want to go over there and play? There is no doubt it will be a nerve racking experience, but it will be fun.”
Oh, a rookie from South Korea, fired a 70-69=139 (-3) to capture the second qualifier position, while Hart, of Winston-Salem, N.C., will be booking her ticket to St. Andrews with her two-day 72-67=139. After Saturday’s round, Parmlid, of Gothenburg, Sweden, (69-71-71=211, -2) and Hall, of San Antonio, Texas, (73-67-72=212, -1) completed the group of five to qualify from the U.S. qualifier.
Hall will join Wood and Oh in making her debut in the 150-player field at the Ricoh Women’s British Open.
“When we got here (to the course) and I saw how windy it was, I thought, ‘I’ve just got to be patient all day long.’ Quite frankly, we were thinking more about the tournament,” said Hall, who will be playing in the second LPGA Tour major championship of her career. “I just tried to stick with that all day long. To go to the home of golf; it’s just so amazing. I hope I can concentrate on the golf.”
The Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic Presented by Kroger was the designated U.S.-based qualifier for the Ricoh Women’s British Open, which will be contested Aug. 2-5 at the Old Course, St. Andrews in Fife, Scotland. The qualifier was open to LPGA players who had not otherwise qualified for the LPGA Tour’s final major championship, but had entered the Ricoh Women’s British Open and who expressed their wish to compete in the U.S.-based qualifier. Sherri Steinhauer will be defending her 2006 title and lead the 150-player field in their quest for a share of the $2 million purse. The winner of the event will also automatically qualify for the Samsung World Championship, Oct. 11-14, and the historic $1 million-to-the-winner ADT Championship, Nov. 15-18.
Media contact:
Dana Gross-Rhode, LPGA; 419.517.2173, dana.grossrhode@lpga.com
