Two Former Women's Golfers Vying for LPGA Tour Cards This Week

LPGA Qualifying School Coverage

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Two former Tulane women's golfers, Gemma Dryburgh and Emily Penttilä, are one step away from earning a spot on the LPGA Tour.

And they will begin that next step together.

Dryburgh and Penttilä are among a field of 157 players vying for the 20 full and 25 partial tour cards up for grabs in the final Stage III of LPGA Tour Qualifying School, which runs Nov. 30-Dec. 4 on the Jones and Hills courses at LPGA International in Daytona Beach, Fla.

Interestingly enough, the former Green Wave standouts are set to take on this next challenge in the same threesome - along with former LSU golfer Lindsay Gahm - for the first two rounds, a welcomed surprise for the close friends who graduated from Tulane a year apart (Dryburgh in 2015 and Penttila in 2016).

"It's really going to be nice to play together," Dryburgh said. "It's going to keep it quite relaxed because Q-School can get quite stressful, but if you have a friend there, it makes it a lot easier."

The format for Stage III consists of players alternating across the two courses over the first four rounds with a cut at the top 70 and ties after the fourth round. The final round will be contested on the Hills course.

To be in good position going into that final round starts with a strong start over the first 36 holes, as Penttilä pointed out, and doing that with a friend will make it even better.

"Getting a great pairing for the first two days is going to allow us to get off to a good start, have some fun out there and represent the Green Wave," Penttilä said.

After the five rounds, the players who finish in the top 20 (no ties) will earn LPGA Tour status in category 12 on the 2017 priority list. Players who finish 21 through 45 (including ties) will earn status in category 17. Players who finish a minimum of 72 holes, but do not earn LPGA Tour status, will receive Symetra Tour status in category E on the Symetra Tour priority list.

Dryburgh knows this process all too well, as she went through all three stages of Q-School in 2015 and finished outside of the top 45. This put her on the Symetra Tour where she competed in five events this past year and finished in the top 130 on the money list to earn automatic qualification to Stage II. The Aberdeen, Scotland, native is making her second time count, shooting a solid +3 over the four rounds in Stage II in Venice, Fla. to finish tied for 19th.

Now, entering Stage III, Dryburgh feels confident that she knows what she is facing over the next five days.

"I think this year I have a lot more experience," said Dryburgh. "Playing on the Ladies' European Tour I have played with the pros for a whole year now so I feel a lot more confident in my game. I know I can compete with the best so I'm pretty confident going into this week."

Penttilä, native of Helsinki, has shown confidence throughout her first two stages of Q-School; She is one of only 36 players who made it to the final stage from Stage I. Penttilä shot an impressive even par over four rounds in Stage I in Rancho Mirage, Calif., to finish tied for 27th and then posted a +6 over four rounds in Stage II to place tied for 43rd.

"I didn't play my best at the second stage," Penttila said. "But I knew what I needed to do to get better in this stage. I got to see my coach in between (stages), which was awesome.

"It's important to realize we're playing 90 holes this week. It's five rounds. It's going to be a lot of golf. It's going to go a little go a little bit up and down. So, bringing a positive attitude and a kind of an untouchable confidence will be important. Staying positive and being positive throughout the week is key. Also, realizing that you don't have to play perfect to be in those 20 spots."

If Dryburgh and Penttilä earn either a full or partial LPGA Tour card, no one will be more proud than the person who helped guide their collegiate careers – Green Wave head coach Lorne Don.

"Gemma and Emily have worked very hard to put themselves in the position they are in this week," Don said. "From the first day I met both of them, they have had their sights set clearly on being right where they are, with the opportunity to qualify for the LPGA Tour. They continue to represent Tulane and our women's golf program with the utmost class and I know the Green Wave Nation will be behind them as they pursue their dreams the next five days."

Two Former Women's Golfers Vying for LPGA Tour Cards This Week

Players Mentioned

Emily Penttila

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