August 5, 2010
All times are Eastern
Thursday, August 26
Championship Round 1 7:00am - 7:30pm
Television: CBC Bold 3:00pm - 6:00pm &
Golf Channel 11:00pm - 1:00am
Friday, August 27
Championship Round 2 7:00am - 7:30pm
Television: CBC Bold 3:00pm - 6:00pm &
Golf Channel 11:00pm - 1:00am
Saturday, August 28
Championship Round 3 7:20am - 5:00pm
Television: CBC 1:00pm - 5:00pm &
Golf Channel 2:00pm - 5:00pm (US only)
Sunday, August 29
Golf Canada Day
Championship Final Round 7:20am - 5:00pm
Television: CBC 1:00pm - 5:00pm &
Golf Channel 1:00pm - 5:00pm (US only)
July 20, 2010
Samantha was invited to play in the Invitational Tournament at the Linkou International Golf and Country Club in Taipei , Taiwan. Samantha will be playing between the 22 and 24 July 2010. This Tournament is in the same City that she competed in earlier this year and won. She is excited to be invited and travel back to Taiwan to play in this event. On her last trip Samantha met some really nice people and hopes to see them again.
July 19, 2010
Last week after missing the cut at the US Open in Oakmont, PA, Samantha headed to Ottawa where she played in a Canadian Women's Tour Event in Gatineau, Quebec. Samantha flew from Pittsburgh to Ottawa on Saturday the 10th of July to compete on Monday and Tuesday the 12 and 13 of July. Much to Samantha's surprise her clubs did not make the trip with her as a matter of fact they did not show up until the 12 in the late afternoon. On Monday morning she borrowed a set of club from one of the Golf Course members. Samantha managed to scrape it around for a score of 2 over par 74. The least to say she was not happy about not having her own clubs and putter. On the front 9 she had 4 three puts and attributed it to not having her own clubs. In the second round she was able to shoot a 3 under par 69 with her own clubs. Those efforts moved her from T16 at the beginning of the day up to T4 for the tournament.
While in Ottawa on this trip she able to spend an extra day and was the guest of honour at the
July 13, 2010
Samantha just finished playing in a CN Women's Tour event held at Rivermead Golf Club in Gatineau, Quebec, Canada (Ottawa region).
She tied for fourth and will be exempt from having to qualify for the CN Canadian Women's Open at Winnipeg on Aug. 26-29, 2010.
There's a great article on Samantha and her family in the Leader-Post by Gord Holder, The Ottawa Citizen.
Here's an excerpt:
"In Richmond, that meant time with her parents, Glen and Kathy, from Kelowna, B.C. While in the National Capital Region, the Calgary-born Richdale will catch up with her brother, Josh, a constable in his second and final year with the RCMP Musical Ride."
Samantha's scorecard for the July 11-12, 2010 is posted here.
July 5, 2010
Samantha will be playing in the 2010 US Women's Open.
TV Schedule is as follows:
Jul 08 3:00-7:00 PM ET ESPN
Jul 09 3:00-7:00 PM ET ESPN
Jul 10 3:00-6:00 PM ET NBC
Jul 11 3:00-6:00 PM ET NBC
May 27, 2010
Samantha played in the Women’s US Open Sectional qualifying at The Oaks Club, Osprey, Florida. Samantha finished the 36 hole 1 day qualifier shooting 70 - 71 for a total of 141 – 3 under par placing her second at this qualifier. Samantha is very excited and looking forward to playing in the US Women’s Open. This year the tournament is July 5 – 11 at the Oakmont Golf and Country Club in Oakmont PA
May 25, 2010
Samantha qualified for the 2010 US Women's Open to be held at Oakmont, PA
Tournament dates are from July 8 - 11, 2010
TV schedule:
Jul 08 3:00-7:00 PM ET ESPN
Jul 09 3:00-7:00 PM ET ESPN
Jul 10 3:00-6:00 PM ET NBC
Jul 11 3:00-6:00 PM ET NBC
May 24, 2010
LPGA Tour site has a feature on Samantha called "Quick 18 with Samantha Richdale"
Here's the link:
May 2, 2010
Samantha will be travelling to Kelowna on May 3, 2010 enroute to play in a Canadian Women’s Tour event in Richmond BC which takes place this upcoming week. There will be a pro-am on Wednesday with the Tournament on Thursday and Friday. Samantha is looking forward to seeing some of her family and friends.
April 15, 2010
Samantha was nominated earlier this year for one of the City of Kelowna’s Civic Awards which was the Female Athlete of the Year Award. This recognition is awarded to the amateur or professional athlete bringing the greatest amount of recognition to the City of Kelowna. On the 15 of April, at a ceremony for the Civic Awards, Samantha was selected as the Winner! Samantha is honored to accept this award and appreciates the support which she has received from the media and supporters who follow her.
Samantha is currently preparing for her next LPGA event which is the Tres Marias Championship, Morelia, Michoacan, Mexico April 29 to May 02
March 17, 2010
After a successful Asian Golf Tour swing, with a win in Taiwan, Samantha has added a Duramed Futures Tour event at Winter Haven, Florida, near her home in Florida, to her 2010 schedule.
Before making her full status debut on the LPGA at the end of this month.
February 2, 2010
Samantha and another Canadian (Jessica Shepley) tied for 26th in their third and last Taiwan event.
Both have returned to the USA to get ready for their first 2010 LPGA event in March.
January 23, 2010
Samantha played in her second Taiwan tournament and won with a birdie, birdie finish.
The winners share of the purse is $30,000 (USD).
January 16, 2010
In Samantha's first tournament in Taiwan, today, she finished tied for 5th overall and earned $4,000 (USD).
January 10, 2010
Happy New Year! I had a great Christmas and enjoyed my holidays! Now it's time to get back to work! Although I don't have an LPGA event until the end of March, I am off to Taiwan for 3 weeks to play in 3 events to start off the season. I am very excited to go to Taiwan since I have not been there before. I don't think it is supposed to be too warm over there but I guess if you are playing golf, it's warm enough! Hope everything is well with everyone and starting the year off right!
Thank you for your support!
Samantha
September 7, 2009
On the road to Rogers, Arkansas
Hello everyone!
Thanks so much for everyone's support this year! I am so excited to finally have an LPGA card and not have to go to qualifying school. I had a great last tournament with my family and a lot of close friends there to celebrate such a wonderful day! Thanks to everyone who made the trip to Albany and helped make it an extra special day! This week I am in Rogers, Arkansas playing in the P & G NW Arkansas Championship! Only a few tournaments left and then the season is over!
Thanks for keeping track of my career!
Samantha
Richdale lands LPGA Tour card
Kelowna, BC, August 26, 2009
From Kelowna Capital News....
Samantha Richdale is happy to report a trip to the LPGA’s qualifying school has been erased from her winter calendar.
Thanks to her best season yet as a professional, the 25-year-old from Kelowna has earned full-time exempt status on the LPGA Tour for 2010.
Richdale off to LPGA
Kelowna, BC, August 25, 2009
Great article in the Kelowna Daily Courier....
Richdale Wins Third Tour Victory In Harrisburg
HARRISBURG, Pa., August 24, 2009
After a weekend of weather delays and darkness suspensions, the $110,000 Turkey Hill Classic, presented by Felicita Garden Resort and Spa, came to an end on a sunny Monday, with Samantha Richdale of Kelowna, British Columbia, claiming her third Tour victory in a playoff against Amanda Mathis of Opelousas, La.
Today's final marked the first time a Duramed FUTURES Tour event finished on a Monday since the 1997 SunTrust FUTURES Classic in Muscle Shoals, Ala.
Richdale (68) and Mathis (69) ended regulation tied at 10-under-par (206), forcing the one-hole playoff on No. 18. Both players' second shots ended in the rough, just shy of the green. Richdale managed to get it up and down for par and the win, with Mathis settling for a bogey.
"I didn't have a very good second shot," said Richdale, who is currently a member of the LPGA Tour. "I usually hit it a little short when I'm nervous, so I was trying to make sure I didn't do that. I'm glad I had to just tap it in for par."
Richdale started the morning's three strokes behind the leaders, after Sunday's final-round play was suspended for darkness.
see rest of the article, click here..
August 16, 2009
From OregonLive.com
Daughter of Safeway employee gets exemption into Portland's LPGA Tour stop
On Monday (August 17,2009), Tournament Golf Foundation will announce that Richdale has been granted a sponsor's exemption to the Safeway Classic, the Portland area's annual LPGA Tour event that will be played Aug. 28-30 at Pumpkin Ridge's Ghost Creek course in North Plains.
August 15, 2009
From DuramedFuturesTour.com
Richdale Is On A Roll
Duramed FUTURES Tour member Samantha Richdale might want to consider buying a lottery ticket. And soon, because she's on a roll. The player from Kelowna, British Columbia got a phone call on Thursday from officials at the LPGA's Safeway Classic informing her that she had received an exemption into the LPGA tournament, set for Aug. 28-30, outside Portland, Ore.
Today, the Canadian scored her first hole-in-one as a professional. She used a "choked-down 6-iron" to ace the 159-yard sixth hole. It was her second career ace. The first came when she was 16 years old, playing in the Canadian National Junior Championship.
August 11, 2009
Richmond, VA
Hello Everyone!
This past tournament I shot the best round of my career. 64!! I hit every green and finished with an eagle! It was a great day. A few tournaments ago in New Hampshire I finished T-6th. I was pretty happy with that finish but I wanted to do better. On the final day, on the third green, I lined up my putt and just before I went to start the stroke the ball moved. I backed off the putt but quickly realized that it was too late. After already addressing the ball, it was a penalty if the ball moved.
I asked my fellow competitors along with the caddies to see if they saw the ball move. They all said they didn't see it move. I was pretty sure it moved so I called the penalty on myself and continued play. I was pretty disappointed after that trying to finish my round. If I wouldn't have received that penalty I would have tied for second. I figured maybe some good would happen after that! I felt like that 64 was good karma! It felt great to shoot such a great round and make a really good move on Sunday. It is pretty tight on the money list and although I dropped to fifth spot, I feel confident going into this tournament. Only 3 more tournaments to go. Hopefully great things to come!
Samantha
July 28, 2009
Kelowna, BC
Samantha Richdale stayed on course in her bid for full-time LPGA status with a six-place tie at the latest stop on the Duramed Futures Tour.
The 24-year-old from Kelowna posted an eight-under par score of 208 (69-68-71) over the weekend at the USI Championship in Concord, New Hampshire to pick up $2,437 in prize money.
The result keeps Richdale firmly in fourth spot on the Duramed tour money list with $33,949 overall.
The top five money earners at season’s end will earn exempt playing status on the LPGA Tour for 2010.
Read the full article here!
July 24, 2009
Kelowna, BC
Great article in the local newspaper (www.kelownacapnews.com) on Samantha's quest for her full LPGA status for 2010.
June 30, 2009
Chicago, Illinois
I just finished up with my Monday qualifier for the Jamie Farr. I shot 71 which was even par and I didn't make it in. I believe two 69s made it in. I can't be too disappointed though because I played pretty good for not having seen the course. I finished up a tough round in Hammond, Indiana on Sunday. The course has a decent amount of water on the course and it is very tough in windy conditions. I missed my up and down on the last hole with a putt that lipped out to finish at one over par for the tournament. On Saturday night, I attended a Better Than Ezra concert at the House of Blues in downtown Chicago. Opening for them was a group called Tyrone Wells. They did an amazing job. I was very lucky that I know a friend of Tyrone's and I actually got to meet him and take a picture with him and my friend Sara who joined me along with her parents. It was a great experience outside of golf! Very exciting! You can check him out on his website and listen to a couple of their songs on www.tyronewells.com. For the next couple of weeks I have some time off. I have a couple lessons with my coach, Craig Harmon, and a little relax time at home with my family. Check back in when I start up again in a couple weeks at the event in Bloomfield, CT.
Thanks!
Samantha
June 19, 2009
Mason, Ohio
Youtube interviews Samantha..
June 17, 2009
Mason, Ohio
Last week was a great week. I had a talk with Dr. Gio Valiante after my second round and he helped me get into the right mind set for the weekend rounds!
Obviously that helped because I went 69 67.
I was very happy with my last two rounds and definitely had a chance to go lower on both rounds.
I am always happy with a top-5 finish. On Monday, I played 36 holes in the US Open qualifier in Chicago. Unfortunately that did not go as well as planned and I did not qualify. So I am here this week in Mason, Ohio ready to play in the Duramed Championship. I just played my pro-am today with my sponsors Prasco. It was a great day. I attended a Cincinnati Spikes baseball game at a field that Prasco built. I was so lucky that after the game was over, I was let on the field and allowed to hit a few balls. I really enjoyed that but I am definitely better at golf than baseball.
Thanks Prasco for a wonderful day! Check for the scores this week!
Hopefully a great finish this week!!
Samantha
June 9, 2009
Decatur, IL
Hello everyone! Well after a few rough tournaments it was nice to get back into some red numbers. I had a great last day and was very happy to move up into the top 5. I am just in Decatur now getting ready for the Duramed Futures Tour only four (4) day tournament. Going to be a crazy next few weeks. I have the LPGA US Open qualifier 36 holes the Monday after this tournament. Hopefully that will be a very good day and I will get to play in my first US Open. Thanks for all the support!
Samantha!
April 20, 2009
Lafayette, Lousiana
I WON!!! This week's event was shortened to a 36 hole event. We had some heavy rainfall on Friday night and it postponed play for Saturday by two hours. I teed off at 4:20pm on Saturday and played onto two green and the horn sounded for bad weather. We were scheduled to come out the next morning at 7:30am but there was heavy rainfall again Saturday night. The course was under water! We finally teed off at 1pm and they decided it would only be 36 holes. I made my 12 foot putt that I had thought about all morning! That was a great start to the day. I felt really good all day and just continued to play solid golf with an eagle on 9 after holing out from the greenside bunker! I had a putting lesson just over a week ago with Marius Filmalter and that has been a huge difference for me this week.
The final round I had 25 putts. I putted great and haven't felt that confident with my putter for a long time. I finished up the tournament with a 66 which is a breakthrough round for me. Both tournaments in Winter Haven and Daytona Beach I struggled with the last rounds and this week not only did I play well but finished with a career best. I am very excited to have won this tournament. I am very thankful to my coach Craig Harmon who constantly helps me with my game. Thanks to my parents who have always been supportive and have encouraged me through this journey. My caddie did a wonderful job this week as always. A big thanks to my sponsors Prasco who have allowed me to concentrate on golf. I am so blessed to have met them. I can't wait to get ready for our inaugural tournament in Brownsville and see what happens this week! Thanks to all my fans for all the wonderful support and the emails!
Samantha
April 19, 2009
Samantha Richdale Wins Rain-Shortened Louisiana Tournament
LAFAYETTE, La., April 19, 2009 – There were starts and stops and far too many drops, but the rain-shortened $90,000 Louisiana Pelican Classic ended on a sunny note today when Canadian Samantha Richdale fired a personal-best score of 66 to emerge as the best mudder and winner of the fourth annual tournament.
Richdale carded a two-under-par 70 on Friday at The Wetlands, and was on the second green when the second round was suspended on Saturday. When play resumed today, she finished up the hole almost 24 hours later with a 12 footer for birdie that jump-started her day. Richdale attacked the course and won by three shots at 136 (-8).
Rookie Christine Song (70) of Fullerton, Calif., finished second at 139 (-5), while Danah Ford (68) of Indianapolis and Haeji Kang (71) of Seoul, South Korea tied for third at 140 (-4).
“I was pretty nervous about today with so much waiting around,” said Richdale of Kelowna, British Columbia. “I just tried to go for the greens and pins that I could go for. I’m happy with the turnout.”
The week’s first weather delay started on Saturday morning. The Wetlands was exactly that after nearly an inch and a half of rain saturated the course on Friday night, making it unplayable for Saturday’s first tee times. Tour officials issued a two-hour delay to allow standing water on the tees and landing areas of several fairways to drain.
That pushed back the last tee times from a 2:30 p.m. (CDT) start to a 4:30 p.m. start. The rain returned around 4:40 p.m., followed by lightning, and play was suspended for dangerous weather at 4:50 p.m.
But when 2½ more inches of rain fell on Saturday night, the Tour’s attempt to restart Saturday’s second round at 7:30 a.m., was pushed back to 1 p.m. today. Grounds crews were still pumping water out of bunkers around noon while Tour staff members and tournament organizers huddled over a decision.
“The course conditions didn’t warrant starting before 1 p.m. and the fact that we could not complete a final round on Sunday led to the decision to make this a 36-hole tournament,” said Christy Barks, vice president of tournament operations for the Duramed FUTURES Tour. “It’s disappointing any time you’re not able to get in 54 holes and it’s hard on the players to get ready to play, then have to wait. But we can’t do anything about Mother Nature and this is an outdoor sport.”
But if anybody can make the best of swampy conditions, it was perfect timing that this week’s event was in Cajun Country, where a can-do attitude prevails, right alongside the “grits and grillades” on Sunday in the VIP tent. The always kind-hearted locals made the best of the mess while apologizing for the rain.
“Everybody thinks we ride around in pirogues (boats) down here anyway, but I guess today, we are,” laughed tournament volunteer Caroline Roy of Lafayette.
A boat would have been handy early in the day, but by noon, the sun came back out, the wind picked up and 72 players who returned to finish Saturday’s round slogged on. They took advantage of the “lift-clean-and-place” ruling in effect and dodged large bodies of water that still remained in several fairways.
“There were lakes out there that weren’t there two days ago,” said Tour member Meghan Little of Sturgis, S.D., who tied for 21st at even-par 144.
First-round leader Liz Janangelo (77) of West Hartford, Conn., never returned to the same form she brought to The Wetlands on Friday when she tore up the course with a 65. Today, she had five bogeys and no birdies and slid into a tie for ninth at 142 (-2).
Danah Ford made a run at Richdale with four birdies and a critical par save on the 18th when she gassed her approach shot over the green and had to chip from behind the bleachers.
“I tried to hit a punch 9-iron to keep it under the wind, but I guess I had a little adrenalin going,” laughed Ford.
Song, a 17-year-old rookie, started the day four shots off the lead, but closed the gap with four birdies and two bogeys this afternoon.
“At first, I was trying to play conservatively, but I took advantage of my chances,” she said. “I’m very satisfied.”
Alison Walshe (70) of Westford, Mass., chased the leaders, but ran out of holes. She finished tied for ninth at 142 (-2) for her third consecutive top-10 finish.
“When a tournament is shortened to 36 holes, you’ve got to go for everything,” said the rookie pro, who played in this tournament three years ago as an amateur while at Tulane University.
But today was Richdale’s sprint to win. With two birdies on her first four holes, and a bogey at No. 7, the quiet Canadian took charge of the tournament with an eagle on the par-5 ninth hole. Playing from a fairway bunker 213 yards out, she pulled her 17-degree Rescue hybrid club and holed out to tie for the lead when Janangelo bogeyed the eighth hole.
Richdale took the lead with a birdie from three feet on No. 11, and then began adding insurance with birdies on 13 and 15. On the last hole, she hit past the flagstick to the back fringe and got up and down for par from 25 feet above the hole for her three-shot victory and second career win on the Duramed FUTURES Tour.
She managed her game impeccably around the soggy course, once again with caddie Paulie Maggiore on the bag for his fourth win on the Duramed FUTURES Tour. But Richdale credits a putting lesson last week with short-game guru Marius Filmalter for her success this week. And she also read sports psychologist Gio Valiante’s book, “Fearless Golf,” earlier this year, which she says has changed her approach to the way she plays.
“I’ve tried to focus more on my targets rather than where I don’t want to go and I’ve been able to hit a lot better shots,” said Richdale, who hit 14 greens in regulation and needed only 25 putts today.
Maybe it wasn’t always pretty out there and maybe a little more sunshine would have helped this week, but Richdale is not complaining. Mud or not, pirogue or dry land, she was this year’s winner in Cajun Country.
For scores and more information, visit duramedfuturestour.com.
Weather: Sunny with temperatures in mid-70s with wind between 10-12 mph.
Richdale Wins iPod Touch For Sunday’s Low Round
Samantha Richdale of Kelowna, British Columbia, was the recipient of a new 8 GB Apple iPod Touch to continue Duramed’s season-long promotion of the Sunday Low Round Award with her final-round score of 66 (-6). Richdale rocketed from a tie for fifth to winning the tournament with her total score of 136 (-8) in the rain-shortened event. Her round was highlighted by five birdies, an eagle and one bogey on The Wetlands course.
Contact: Lisa D. Mickey, Duramed FUTURES Tour at (386) 214-9726 and at lisa@duramedfuturestour.com.
Article Courtesy of Duramed Fututres Tour.
April 9, 2009
Hello everyone,
Last tournament I finished up at Tied for tenth. I was pretty happy with that although I would have liked to play better. I am getting closer and I am feeling good going into my next Duramed Futures Tour event in Lafayette, Louisiana. This is a pretty fun tournament because they have an excellent party where some restaurants bring a taste of Louisiana to us players.
They make a variety of dishes that include crawfish and they are delicious!
Keep checking the website to see how I do this week! Thanks,
Samantha
March 30, 2009
Hello from Daytona Beach, Florida,
I did pretty well my first Duramed Futures Tour tournament. I put two pretty good rounds together of 70 and 71. I was a little disappointed with my third round. I did not play to my potential and dropped from 4th to t-12th shooting 76. I had a week off from the Duramed Futures Tour so I took the opportunity to try and qualify for the J Golf Phoenix International LPGA tournament. I shot 74 and missed by one stroke. Two 73s qualified. I spent the week getting in a few rookie hours and visiting old friends! Now, I am in Daytona Beach preparing for this week's Duramed Futures Tour event, the iMPACT invitational. I am looking for another Top 15 finish!
Thanks for all your support!
Samantha
A DuramedFutures Tour
Fanzone Letter
The Gettysburg Championship
A fan wrote:
WOW! That was simply a wonderful golfing experience! I've played a lot of golf over the years and I've been to a number of golf courses and golf destinations. I've seen all levels of professional events. This one is at the top of the list. I played in the Pro-Am at The Gettysburg Championship with Samantha Richdale. Samantha and Paulie Maggiore, her caddie, made our day a very memorial experience.
This was our first Pro-Am with an actual tour professional. My brother (Bret), a best friend golfing buddy (Tommy) and I showed up at the Links of Gettysburg very early on a Thursday morning. Following our breakfast and a little warming up, we went to our carts to find Samantha Richdale and Paulie already there. They introduced themselves, talked to us for a while and thanked us for coming to the event. Just that one little sentence needs to be repeated. The tour professional and caddie actually walked up to us to say hello and thank us for coming. And, then held a meaningful conversation with us. We were just happy to be able to play golf with them. I did not expect the wonderful hospitality and respect that they showed us. Then, off to the first tee ...
I've played in my fair share of local tournaments, club championships and other tournaments. But standing on the first tee with a professional, was just about the most nervous I've been since my first club championship! We hit our first shots and within minutes Samantha and Paulie made us feel so comfortable. The whole day was a pleasure. We talked to Samatha about her career on the Duramed FUTURES Tour. We talked to Paulie about his career as a caddie. There were some very interesting stories from both of them. I could go on and on about that round of golf with two people that we had just met, but they made everything so personal and enjoyable.
It was also a great learning experience. Before this event, my opinion would have been that the professionals consider a Pro-Am as a chore and would not take their golf very seriously. It was quite the contrary. Paulie and Samantha appeared to be enjoying the day as much as us. They approached each shot with the intent to make us winners for that day. We didn't come in first in the event, but we were certainly winners on that day. We were able to see how two people, playing golf for a living, analyze their situation, determine the type of shot to hit, go through their routine and commit on every shot. I've never seen that with my weekday foursomes! I know that I learned a lot about golf in those couple of hours.
The great thing was that the experience didn't end after we walked off our 18 holes. We talked some more on the way to the clubhouse. Samantha sat and had lunch with us, introducing us to some of the other Duramed FUTURES Tour Professionals. It's been over a week since our Pro-Am and we are still communicating with Samantha and Paulie. We are following their tournaments and wishing them the best in everything they do.
On Sunday, Samantha was in the final group. The commitment that she and Paulie showed in our Pro-Am continued into the tournament. Following a very exciting day on the course, Samantha was the winner of The Gettysburg Championship. It was once again something special to watch two new friends playing in a professional event. They were playing in the final group with a trip to the LPGA clearly on the line. Once again, they acknowledged us as we followed them around the course! I was with my wife and they treated us like we were part of their family. Samantha birdied the 18th and final hole to seal her victory. Amazingly, they included us in their victory celebration! There we were. My brother, our best friend, my wife and me standing by the 18th green clapping, shaking hands and enjoying Samantha's first of many professional wins. As she walked off the green, she gave her golf ball to Tommy!! That is a very special gift that he will cherish forever. After all that, another special memory occurred when Samantha actually thanked us, her Pro-Am buddies, during her acceptance speech.
It may sound corny but we really want to thank everyone involved with the Duramed FUTURES Tour and the sponsors for their great support. Without them none of this would be possible. At the Gettysburg Championship, we especially want to thank Farley's Jewelers. They did so much to support this tournament and allow us to have our special day.
If you have an opportunity to see these girls play, do it! You'll see some great golf ... real professionals ... and actual people with personalities. It will be time well spent. If you ever have the opportunity to play in a Pro-Am at one of the Duramed FUTURES Tour events, jump at the chance! You'll love it!!!
A great Pro-Am, a great tournament, a great final round on Sunday, two wonderful new friends and an experience that we will never forget!!
Ken and Diane, Bret and Tom
Courtesy of Duramed Futures Tour
http://duramedfuturestour.com/Entertainment/FanZone.asp
February 19, 2009
Hello,
Hawaii was an interesting trip. It was very beautiful there and an incredible golf course. The wind was blowing everyday and definitely harder on the tournament days. It was pretty crazy! I did not play very well but was very excited to play in my first LPGA event as a rookie. I was able to do a little bit of sightseeing while I was there. I saw some whales in the distance in the ocean and lots of surfers! I also saw some crabs however I did not see a turtle. I took a little trip to Hanauma Bay and attempted snorkeling for the first time. All I can say is I should stick to golf. I did enjoy seeing some beautifully colored fish and some amazing views. I also hiked up Diamond Head State Monument which was incredible. Lots of stairs and narrow walkways. I had a great view of Honolulu and the ocean. I am back in Florida now practicing up for the next event. I don't know when my next LPGA event will be but will be playing in the Florida Open in March along with the first Duramed Futures Tour tournament most likely if I don't get into the LPGA event in Mexico City. I will keep you updated if and when I get into tournaments!
Mahalo!! (thank you)
Samantha
February, 8, 2009
Aloha!
I just squeaked my way in to the first LPGA tournament in Hawaii!! Right now I am currently sitting in the San Francisco airport waiting for my final flight to Honolulu. I am really excited because I have never been to Hawaii before. Everything was pretty last minute and I only found out last Tuesday that I was in! I look forward to a great week with some great golf at the Turtle Bay Resort! I'll be taking some pictures this week and will post them after the trip!
Thanks for all the support!
Samantha
January 28, 2009
Hello Everyone,
I am now in Florida and getting back into the swing of things. I had a great trip to Cincinnati, thanks to my sponsor Prasco , where I worked with a company called Ignition, a sport-specific training center. I was shown some good excercises to increase flexibility and increase core muscle strength. Since then, I have been continuing my workouts and practicing hard on the course. I think my first tournament will probably be the Mastercard Classic Honoring Alejo Peralta. I am hoping to get in the first tournament in Hawaii but I won't know for another week or two. I will probably get a few lessons before the touring begins and hopefully get my swing on the right track. I will be going to my first PGA show tomorrow. I'm pretty excited to see what it is all about! Thanks for everyone's support and I look forward to wonderful year!
Samantha
December 13, 2008
Happy holidays everyone,
Overall this has been a great year. I just finished up qualifying school and came t-25. I received category 16 status. I am not sure how many tournaments I will get into yet but will obviously play in as many as I can. It is incredible how long 5 days of golf can be when you factor in lots of pressure and stiff competition. You can't make too many mistakes out there! There is nothing like being 3 over after the front 9 on your final round knowing that if you don't make any birdies on the back 9 you probably won't get any status. It was a great experience. I am now back in Kelowna for the holidays and I look forward to lots of Christmas baking and spending some time with my family! I just wanted to thank everyone who has helped make my career possible. My coach, Craig Harmon and my caddie, Paul Maggiore have really turned my game around in the last year and I am so thankful that they have dedicated so much time to helping me. My sponsors and friends from Prasco are amazing and have done the best job they can so I can just concentrate on my golf. I appreciate all of the fan mail and all of the people who came out and watched me play! I had a really special visit from my friends from Gettysburg who came down to watch my Saturday round of Q-school. It was so touching and I am not surprised that my best round was when they were watching! Thank you to Lori Atsedes who has brought me a long way mentally and helped me tremendously with my putting. Thank you to my parents who have given me so much love and support! Thank you to anyone I left out and I hope that everyone has a great holidays and a Happy New Year!
Samantha
December 7, 2008
Samantha earns an
LPGA Tour Card!
November 28, 2008
(Florida, USA)
Hello Everyone! The past couple of weeks I have been in Daytona Beach getting ready for qualifying school. I had a couple warm-up tournaments put on by Suncoast series. We played two tournaments, one on each of the LPGA courses that will be used for qualifying school. I finished tied for 6th and tenth. I played pretty well in the last 4 Suncoast series events and was fortunate enough to win the bonus program that the tour provided! I look forward to a few days of practice and relaxation before starting q- school on Wednesday! Thanks for the support!
Samantha
November 27, 2008
(Daytona Beach, Florida)
The SunCoast Ladies Series would like to congratulate Samantha Richdale of Kelowna British Columbia, Canada for a spectacular fall performance with four top ten finishes that included a 1st and 2nd place finish in October to collect the $2500 Q-School Prep Series Bonus.
November 26, 2008
(Daytona Beach, Florida) The SunCoast Ladies Series wrapped up the second round of the Legends tournament today with a log jam at the top of the leaderboard at four under par. It was a day that yielded plenty of low numbers with four players moving into position to battle it out for this weeks title. Amateur Mika Miyazato (Okinawa, Japan), Samantha Richdale (Kelowna, BC), Carolina Llano (Medallin, Colombia), and Taylor Leon (Dallas, TX) square off in the final round for what will be a holiday shootout for this weeks championship honors. They will have to hold off round one leader Caroline Larsson (Sweden) who lurks one shot back at three under par after posting a second round one over 73. West Hartford's Elizabeth Janangelo positioned herself to contend for the championship after a second round level par 72 put her alone in sixth at two under par. With ten players within four shots of the lead the stage has been set for an exciting Thanksgiving Day finish.
November 20, 2008
Daytona Beach, Florida
Samantha just finished her third SunCoast Ladies Series tournament and placed sixth. She had the low round on day two with score of 69.
Samantha will tee it up next week for the final event of the year with fifty-three golfer battling it out in the Legends Course at LPGA International Golf Club.
Round one is scheduled to begin at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday morning. You can view her daily scores under SunCoast Stats.
October 30, 2008
Lakeland, Florida
Samantha Richdale, despite a costly four-putt over the finishing holes, posted a final round level par 72 to close out an excellent October following up her victory last week at Huntington Hills Country Club with a second place finish this week finishing the tournament at two over par.
Courtesy of Suncoastseries.com
October 29, 2008
Lakeland, Florida
Tied for second is last weeks winner Samantha Richdale (Kelowna, BC CAN) who carded six birdies and two bogeys en route to a four under par 68 today to vault up the leaderboard.
Courtesy of Suncoastseries.com
October 26, 2008
Hello Everyone,
I just finished playing in my first Sun Coast Series event. I had a great tournament finishing 1 under over 3 rounds and winning by 3 strokes. On this tour you can use distance measuring devices but I don't have one. The players get to ride but the caddies walk. My caddie Paul did a great job this week and definitely earned his pay running behind the cart and walking off the yardages. I have one more event in Lakeland, Florida starting on Tuesday. After that, I will be spending some time in West Palm Beach practicing for qualifying school in December. Hope everyone is well!
Samantha
October 24, 2008
Samantha Richdale Earns Huntington Hills Title
Lakeland, Florida. The SunCoast Ladies Series concluded festivities today at Huntington Hills Golf and Country Club in Lakeland, Florida with Canadian Samantha Richdale (Kelowna, BC) taking Champions honors. The Illinois State grad and two year member of the Duramed Futures Tour posted rounds of 71-72-72=215 to win the event at one under par.
"I am happy with the way I played this week. My ball striking was a little weak but I compensated for that with an excellent short game getting up and down seven-for-seven today alone. Keeping my putts under thirty per round I am happy with that part of my game as well. Having the lead at the start of the final round I really just wanted to stay focused and hit good golf shots. When I didn't hit a good shot I got it up and down. I would like to thank PRASCO, a faith based pharmaceutical company that came onboard as a sponsor after the event in Cincinnati. Their involvement has taken a lot of the financial burden off of me that allows me to just focus more on my game."
This is the second professional win for Samantha with her first coming at the Duramed Futures Tour event in Gettysburg. She advanced to LPGA Tour finals after tying for eighth at the sectional event in Venice, Florida.
Sarah Olsen (Grosse ILE, MI) takes second place honors after a final round one under par 71 got her to two over par for the tournament. Sweden's Elin Andersson (Eskilstuna) and amateur Daria Cummings tie for third at six over par. Rounding out the top five is Briana Vega who carded a final round five over par 77 to finish alone in fifth at seven over par.
The SunCoast Ladies Series returns to the links next week with Imperial Lakes CC hosting the event. The first round will get underway at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday.
October 19, 2008
Information on the LPGA's Final Qualifying Tournament:
The LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament is a 90-hole, five-day event, taking place on both the Legends and Champions courses at LPGA International. The first 72 holes are played on both courses, while players play the Champion course during the final round. The cut, historically held after 54 holes, will now reduce the field to the low 70 players and ties after 72 holes.
October 3, 2008
Samantha made the cut at the LPGA Sectional Qualifier in Venice, Florida today by finishing tied for 8th spot. The top 30 and ties from each sectional advance to the final stage December 3-7, 2008 at
LPGA International, Daytona Beach, Florida (Champions/Legends courses) for 90-holes of competition.
Samantha's next tournament is the Duramed Invitational in Braselton, Georgia from October 17 - 19, 2008
September 14, 2008
Hello Everyone,
Well it has been a great last few weeks. I won the Gettyburg Championship which was a great experience. The best feeling was to birdie the last hole. Since then, I had a week off with a few lessons and had an unfortunate missed cut at the I love NY tournament in Albany. This week I am in Palm Springs getting ready for the first stage of Qualifying school for the LPGA. It starts Tuesday and is 4 rounds with the low 30 and ties moving on to final stage. I hope to have a good week here and have some time off after. Thanks for all the congrats and the support!
Samantha
August 23, 2008
GETTYSBURG, Pa., Aug. 24, 2008 - Samantha Richdale of Kelowna, B.C., earned her first professional win by two strokes with a finish of 1-over-par 73 in today's final round at the $100,000 Gettysburg Championship. Richdale finished with a three-round score of 5-under-par 211, holding off four-time Tour winner Vicky Hurst (72) of Melbourne, Fla., who closed two shots back at 3-under-par 213. Fellow Canadian Jessica Shepley of Oakville, Ontario, and Lisa Ferrero of Lodi, Calif., each carded final rounds of 1-over-par 73 to tie for third at 214 (-2).
Richdale was doused on the 18th green by fellow players who showered her with water bottles. Shortly after being escorted to the awards ceremony by generals from the reenactment soldiers of the Battle of Gettysburg, Richdale received the crystal cannon trophy from Pennsylvania native and LPGA and World Golf Hall of Fame member Betsy King. King served as the honorary chairperson at The Gettysburg Championship.
Richdale also received an Accutron diamond watch and moved from 50th to 17th on the season money list with a $14,000 paycheck.
"I'm really excited," said Richdale, whose previous career-best finish was a tie for 17th at the Jalapeno Duramed FUTURES Golf Classic earlier this year. "It's unbelievable. I wouldn't have told anyone that I could win one of the last few tournaments of the season.
Richdale closed out her win with a birdie on the 18th hole, placing her 56-degree wedge approach shot eight feet away from the flagstick, then converting her birdie putt straight into the cup.
The Canadian had to overcome a pair of double bogeys after carding only two bogeys through her first 36 holes. Her second double-bogey of the day on No. 13 dropped her back into a tie with Hurst at 4-under par. Her first double-bogey on the fifth hole gave Gerina Mendoza of Roswell, N.M., a one-stroke advantage.
"I got a little bit down on myself," said Richdale after her first double bogey on No. 5. "I struggle in the bunkers as it is, and to get those two lies was really unfortunate. It was a tough pin placement and I just knew there were some birdies still out there."
Richdale's first birdie of the day was a 25-footer on the par-3, sixth hole. She added back-to-back birdies on No. 10 and 11, from distances of eight and 10 feet, respectively.
The third-year Tour pro competed in her first LPGA Tour event last week at the CN Canadian Women's Open, tying for 52nd.
"It was really scary getting into the rough in Canada," Richdale said.
"I learned to lay up on par-5s so I can get favorable yardages instead of going for the green in two. That helped today."
Richdale has been working closely with seven-time Duramed FUTURES Tour winner Lori Atsedes of Ithaca, N.Y., to strengthen her mental game as the season has progressed.
Now, she has a chance to break into the Tour's top 10 to finish out the year in Albany, N.Y.
"I don't want to put expectations out there," said Richdale, clad in Nike gear provided by Prasco, her new sponsor. "I just need to focus and not be result-oriented."
Hurst had a chance to tie for the lead on the 18th green before Richdale's group came through, but the Tour's top-ranked player missed a birdie putt as it trickled left of the hole.
"My game wasn't where I wanted it to be today," Hurst said. "I started very well, but after a bogey on No. 9, I couldn't really get that back."
The Duramed FUTURES Tour closes out its regular season Sept. 5-7 at the ILOVENY Championship in Albany, N.Y.
The Tour's top 10 finishers on the season money list will be awarded
2009 LPGA Tour membership cards at the conclusion of the final round of the ILOVENY Championship. Five exemptions into this year's LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament will also be presented.
August 23, 2008
Update from Duramed Futures:
Richdale was steady, missing only one fairway in today's second round. She rolled in a birdie from seven feet on No. 17 to tie Mendoza for the lead. Interestingly, the Canadian is only two weeks removed from her first LPGA Tour event at the CN Canadian Women's Open in Ottawa, Ontario, where she finished tied for 52nd. "I learned to handle the pressure a little bit better (in Canada)," Richdale said. "I think I'm going to be nervous and excited heading into tomorrow because I haven't been in this spot before." Richdale tapped in for birdie on the fourth hole and made birdie putts of 10 and seven feet on the back nine. In two rounds of play, she has only made one bogey and missed two fairways. "I'm pretty happy with the way I played except for a bad wedge shot on 18," Richdale said. "Other than that, it was a really good round."
Final-round play begins Sunday morning at 8 a.m. off the first tee. The leading group of Mendoza, Richdale and Cho tees off at 11:50 a.m.
August 20, 2008
Hello,
Wow!! What a week!! My experience in Ottawa was phenomenal. My first LPGA event was a blast and I was so lucky to have my parents with me to experience it and with Dad on the bag, it was extra special! Thanks Dad!. I was nervous throughout the week and was very excited and relieved to make the cut. I was blown away by the support of the fans and loved signing autographs for people. The course was beautiful and in great shape. The rough was nice and long and I definitely tried to stay out of it. I played with some really nice girls and really enjoyed the entire week. I learned a lot and dealt with a lot of rollercoaster emotions. I think my family lost a few years of their lives with all the 5-10 foot putts that I had to make. Back to the Duramed Futures Tour I go. I am in Gettysburg this week and the golf course is really nice here also. I look forward to a nice week with an afternoon tee time on Friday. I have a week off before Albany and will be getting a couple lessons with my coach. Thanks for all the support and I appreciate all the encouragement and kind words! Samantha
July 27, 2008
Hello Everyone,
Last week was great in Syracuse, NY. In the Pro-Am event I played nine holes with a local high school team. We had a good time. The golf course was in good shape for the tournament, however, I had couple of holes that cost me some shots. In the final round I was doing well, I was 2-under par when the course conditions changed due to heavy rain and play had to be suspended. Unfortunately, I lost my momentum and ended up finishing bogey par bogey birdie. Overall I was happy with a tie for 27th place .
This week in Concord, NH there was a lot of rain. On Thursday's Pro-Am we only played four holes because of heavy rain. I struggled with my swing and putting. I just couldn't get anything going this week and I missed the cut. I was very disappointed! I have a week off now to work on my game and get ready for London, Kentucky.
Thanks, Samantha
July 15, 2008
WOW!!! Congratulations Samantha for a great show at Camelot in the CN Canadian Women's Tour Event yesterday and today. Samantha said after the final round that she is very excited with her second place tie, as this gives her an excemption into the
CN Canadian Women's Open!
This is the only LPGA event played in Canada and looks like other stars, such as Defending Champion Lorena Ochoa , Dawn Coe-Jones, Lorie Kane, Alena Sharp, Paula Creamer and many other stars will be there. This event will be played at Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club, August 11-17, 2008. We can all cheer Samantha on TSN/Roger's SportNet/Golf Network from August 14 to 17, 2008.
Hannu
July 8, 2008
Well, once again I had to grind my way to make the cut. The course in Hammond is very interesting with a few holes that are surrounded with water.
Add 50 mph gusts and they get real interesting. I struggled a little bit and ended up being pulled off the course Saturday because of darkness with 2 holes to play. I was 6 over on the front and 1 over on the back up to that point. The cut ended up being 10 over par. I knew I had to play those 2 holes at worst even. We returned in the morning to some wind and some rain. I parred the par-3. I hit my drive on the last hole in the left rough. I had over 160 yds to the green into the wind in wet rough. I hit a decent shot and was disappointed to find it was 30 yds short. It was a front pin and I decided I had to at least get it on the green. I LEFT IT SHORT ON THE FRINGE! I had a 20-foot putt from the fringe and I knew I had to make it. I made a good stroke and it went it. PHEW!! I've decided this is the last time I want to be that close to the cut line. I had a week off this past week and I went and saw my coach. We worked on a few things mainly putting and my swing. The next tournament is in Connecticut and I have not had a good finish there yet.
I look forward to playing well and drastically improving from my previous years. Thanks, Samantha
June 28, 2008
Hi,
Last week I grinded my way to make the cut. My caddie and I figured the cut was going to be around 4-over and we were sitting at 5 after a bad break left me with a double bogey followed up with a bogey. We had 4 holes to go to play at least 1-under. Par, par and then a putt at 17 for birdie. My caddie made a great read and we made a 12-foot putt for birdie. THEN... 18 is a short par-5 reachable in two. I hit my second shot in the green side bunker and left the sand shot on the fringe. My putt for birdie burned the edge and I had a 4-foot putt left for par to stay at 4-over. The sky looked dark and then the horn sounded. Inclement weather delay. I waited patiently as the storm passed and thought non-stop about my 4-foot putt I had to drain. A little downhill right to left that at any other point in time would be a thoughtless putt. We returned to the course over an hour later, drained the putt and walked away right on the cut line! PHEW! I was very happy with my third round. I finished birdie, birdie, birdie and came back with a 71 to finish t-27th. This week we are in Hammond, Indiana and the course is great. Very tough and very interesting. I missed a lot of putts on my first round and had a couple bad holes from an out of bounds drive and a miss-club that left me in very deep rough short-sided. I look to play a lot better today and improve my position for sunday.
Samantha
June 19, 2008
Hello,
Well a lot has happened since I last update.
I returned to the United States after a wonderful visit with my family and got right back into the swing of things. I had a great tournament in Wisconsin and was in the best position I have been in after the second day, tied-8th. I finished up the tournament at tied-19th. The course was really beautiful there and I really enjoyed playing. After Wisconsin's tournament I had a week off and took some time to see my coach. It was a long drive from Illinois to New York but well worth it. I had a couple lessons and returned to Illinois for the Decatur tournament. There were some crazy storms along the way home and I actually had to pull over off the road because it was so windy with heavy rain. The midwest has been struggling with storms and heavy rainfall resulting in flooding. I played in a platinum pro-am on Monday which was played at a different course because our tournament course was unplayable.
One of the par-5s was flooded enough that it was turned into a par-3 for the tournament. Fortunately, the course was ready for us on Tuesday and I was able to play a practice round and pro-am on Wednesday. As the days went by, the golf course improved a lot. It was a wonderful tournament and I was able to meet up with some college friends and teammates and catch up. I finished tied-57th and was hoping to do a little bit better but I am happy with another cut made. This week, I am in Mason, Ohio. There are cicadas here this week. They are not the cutest looking bug and they make a really loud noise. The golf course is really nice and we are right by King's Island which is a large amusement park with lots of rollercoasters. I had a lot of fun with my pro-am participants on Wednesday and tonight I am attending a local youth baseball game. I tee off at 12:50pm on Friday and look forward my best tournament yet!
Samantha
May 28, 2008
Samantha was home in Kelowna between Tournaments on the Duramed Tour. It gave her the opportunity to play in a Canadian Tour Event at the Richmond Golf & CC. Samantha played in the Pro Am on Wednesday the 21st May 2008. Her Team played well and they had a great time together winning the event.
I was lucky enough to be able to attend the Tournament and caddie for Samantha. The Golf Course was set up very difficult and had a high slope rating with greens that were undulated requiring the golfer to play to the right tier on the green otherwise face an easy three put or roll off of the green. Did I mention it was windy both days? Samantha played a lot of great golf shots in both rounds of the Tournament and putted very well. There were several times when she told me where she was going to hit the ball onto a green with zero room for error. Her confidence was high and she would execute the shot and either birdie or save par. As the holes passed she remained focused on her game and made an unfortunate double bogey on the 16th hole of the second round (remember if this game was easy they would have called it bowling). This did not dissuade her and she came back with back to back birdies to finish at even par for the day and tied fourth at three over for the Tournament. The winning score was +1. Samantha was please with her play and happy for the winner.
Samantha was able to play some golf at Sunset Ranch and meet with friends and relatives. She does appreciate the support and encouragement from neighbors and friends. Samantha looks forward to playing in Wisconsin this weekend as she continues in pursuit of her dream.
Kathy and I dropped her off at the airport at 0500 hours this morning and she will be arriving in Chicago tonight at 2230 hours.
Glen Richdale
May 9, 2008
Hello,
Last week's tournament went pretty well. The wind was incredible during the practice rounds but it wasn't too bad throughout the tournament. I had a tough day the first day but played better the second and third round. It wasn't my best finish but I was happy with how I played after the first round. The final round I played pretty well except for a three-putt and an unfortunate out of bounds drive. I look forward to this upcoming week in Kansas. I did not play there last year and everyone tells me that it is a beautiful golf course. Before the tournament, I have a one day local qualifier on Tuesday for the U.S. Open in St. Louis. It will be a busy week! Talk to you soon.
Samantha
May 1, 2008
Hello,
Last week's tournament was a big step for me. I had my career low round for my professional career and I had my best finish thus far! I was a little disappointed with my last round but I was excited about all my birdies! I just have to eliminate the bogeys now! I am in El Paso this week and it is still very windy! Last year the afternoon tee times on Saturday were cancelled because it was so windy! Hopefully this year won't be as bad. I tee off at 12:39pm on Friday. I look forward to another good tournament. Thanks!
Samantha
April 25, 2008
HEY Y'ALL. I'm currently in McAllen, Texas playing the Jalapeno Classic! It is very windy here!!!! Last week in Louisiana I had a great time golfing and eating crawfish! There was crawfish enchiladas, crawfish etouffe, crawfish pasta and shrimp and crawfish gumbo! DELICIOUS!!! The tournament was overall satisfactory. I had a couple bad holes but I had a lot of positives with continuing to hit the ball well. I missed some putts and am hoping that next week they will fall. Today, I shot even with 5 birdies. I hit 13 greens in regulation and am still hitting the ball well. I look forward to my round tomorrow hoping to go LOW! Stay tuned for tomorrow's round! Thanks!
Samantha
April 13, 2008
Hello Everyone,
This last tournament was a learning experience. I ran into a few problems finishing my last 7 holes Sunday morning after they suspended play Saturday afternoon. I ended up receiving 3 penalty strokes on one hole. It was very unfortunate but I won't make those mistakes again that is for sure! I still finished solid at tied for 30th. I have been practicing the last week in Florida, continually working on my swing. I am still hitting it really solid and am confident that it is only going to get better from here. I look forward to my next tournament in Louisiana and I hope for my best finish thus far. Thanks for all the support!
Samantha
March 17, 2008
Hello everyone!
I am pretty satisfied with my last tournament. The first day was a little rocky with a 75 but the follow up with 72 and 71 was a huge improvement. I had a couple of really good lessons and I am feeling really good about my swing right now. My last round I hit every fairway and 14 greens. For the next couple of weeks I will be practicing and hopefully be able to fit in another lesson. I look forward to the upcoming tournament in Daytona Beach!
Samantha
March 5, 2008
Hello everyone!
The Thailand trip was fantastic. I had a lot of fun with my friends and the adventures were amazing. My golf let me down with a 79-73 and I missed the cut by two strokes. The second round was a lot better with 4 birdies but unfortunately a triple on the 9th crippled the round. I will be leaving for Florida shortly for my first Futures tournament March 14-16. I am fortunate to be receiving a couple lessons before the tournament starts which I am really excited about. I look forward to a much more successful tournament.
Samantha
February 13, 2008
Hello everyone! I just finished with my third cactus event and this one was much better than the others. I shot 71, 71, 72 for a tied for fourth finish.
The weather was great! Warm and sunny every day. I leave for Thailand tomorrow and am very excited. The tournament dates are February 20-22. I look forward to a fun and exciting trip! Thanks for following my career!
Samantha
February 4, 2008
Hello everyone! I am now in sunny Phoenix, Arizona. It has been a pretty crazy weekend with both the FBR golf tournament and the Superbowl being here. I was glad to see NY come through and win!! This year is going well so far. I have had a couple of lessons and am currently working on a few key changes that should be really beneficial for my game. My tournament scores have not been phenomenal but I am being patient as I am trying to change things. The Futures Tour does not start until mid-March and I am looking forward to a successful season with 18 tournaments on the schedule.
Until then, I am playing some smaller events on the Cactus Tour and a tournament in Bangkok, Thailand mid-February. Thanks for all your support
and feel free to email me with any questions.
Samantha
September 18, 2007
Last week I was in Quebec City and it was a little bit cold. I finished last week at 9-over par through 3 rounds and placed Tied-6th.
This week I am in Rancho Mirage, California for the sectional Qualifier for the LPGA Qualifying school.
I have played a couple practice rounds and feel ready for tomorrow's first round. My tee time is 8:05am on the Palmer No. 10.
Hopefully I have a great week and if all goes well I will be able to visit home (Kelowna) for a short period of time.
Samantha
August 9, 2007
Hello from Morgantown, West Virginia.
Thanks to our friends Steve and Boom, we had a great week in New Hampshire.
Sam was fortunate enough to get some practice time in with Craig Harmon a couple weeks ago. She is working hard to make some positive changes to her swing.
The tournament in New Hampshire was a bit of a struggle as the swing changes are still new. Not surprisingly, Sam's putting has been terrific (she has jumped to 6th on the tour's putting stats) and this kept her in contention right until the end last week.
This week we are at The Pines in Morgantown. The course is long and the weather has been wet. Sam usually plays well on difficult courses and we're looking forward to a good week.
Derek
July 9, 2007
Calgary, Alberta,
Canadian Tour Event
Today's golf was an adventure. It was freezing cold ( 9 degrees C) with light rain and wind coming in sideways at 8AM. We were at the tenth tee, our first hole awaiting to tee off and mostly just trying not to freeze to death when one of those scoring tents came loose and came flying through the air. It flipped over behind the 18Th green and then flew another 40 yards right at us. We had no time to run, we just turned and tried to get get out of the way a bit. Sam ducked underneath her caddy and he may have done his first useful thing as a caddy, blocking the flying tent for her. The tent was one of those that folds like an accordion, so the entire top is a metal grid. That metal grid came crashing on top of us and we both got hit in the head. The golf bag was flattened and its amazing we weren't hurt severely.
A similar event happened on the first tee. An ambulance came to treat a girl for a concussion. The two tough BC'ers on the tenth just shook it off. Then again, we may have thicker skulls.
The tour officials decided to delay the starting times by an hour and a half, but it was still cold but way better than 8 AM. Sam played very well through the bad weather and managed a 37 on the front. On the back nine she pulled a 5 iron left of the 3rd green and made double but the rest of the game was well under control. A few more putts could have easily dropped as she putted really well all day.
Currently Sam is tied for 17Th and a good round tomorrow can put her in the top 10. Hopefully the weather is better.
Derek Shade
Samantha’s Caddy
June 16, 2007
Today is round 3. Sam made the cut and is looking for a good weekend to move up the leaderboard. The first couple rounds went pretty well but as usual in golf things could have been a little better. Unfortunately some birdies didn't drop but Sam was really solid around the greens and on putts for par.
June 12, 2007
Hello from Forsyth Illinois. This week I am playing in the Futures Tour event in Decatur Illinois. Its great to be here since it's so close to Illinois State where I went to university and I have so many good friends.
Monday was the 36 hole US Open Qualifier in Glen Ellyn. I came painfully close to earning a spot and missed out by only one shot!
To get my mind off the Qualifying disappointment, I spent today practicing. Tomorrow is the Pro-Am and the tournament begins Thursday. This is one of my favorite events of the season and I'm hoping my golf reflects it.
I'll keep you posted as the week unfolds.
Samantha
June 11, 2007
Samantha missed the cut by one stroke to qualify for the 2007 LPGA U.S. Open.
June 7,2007
We are back in Hammond ouside Chicago. Today we went to Glen Ellyn for a practice round. That's where the US Open Qualifier is next Monday. Its 36 holes and the course is really nice. Kind of an old style simmilar to the qualifying course in Washington but with more severe greens. Its a good, fair course.
This course in Hammond is a little different. Water and trouble all over the place. I'm glad to be a caddy instead of a player this week. A 20 cap would lose a large bucket on this course. Sam knows it from last year, although her scores weren't so good then but we should be able to get it around this time.
Derek
May 20, 2007
Great News!
US Open Local Qualifier Results
Dates: May 14, 2007
Location: Vancouver, Washington, USA
Samantha made the cut and will advance
to the sectional qualifier for the US Open.
May 13, 2007
Happy Mother's Day!
I am currently in Vancouver, Washington for a U.S. Open local qualifier. I am feeling pretty good about my game after my last finish at El Paso. That is my best finish thus far and I am excited to continue improving.
After the qualifier on Monday, I am returning home to spend some quality time with my family and enjoy a little time off. I am looking forward to playing in my first Canadian Tour event at the Vancouver Golf Club on May 27-29. I will enjoy some down time to work on my game and prepare for my next set of tournaments on the Duramed Futures Tour which will begin June 1st in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.
I would like to say Happy Mother's Day to the best mom in the world and I am sorry that I could not spend this special day with her. I love you!
Samantha
April 29, 2007
I struggled a little bit with swing troubles but was able to grind my way through. I hit 14 greens every day and my main trouble this week was putting. I had 34, 32 and 34 putts. I had a brief lesson today and am hopeful to be hitting the ball better for next week in El Paso. Samantha.
April 19, 2007
The pro-am this week that I played in was a women's only pro-am. I was a part of it because I am on the Player promotional team for the futures tour. So this was not the same as the pro-ams they have every tournament. It was me and two other ladies and we shot 31 on a par 36 back nine and came tied for first and with a scorecard playoff we won.
April 11, 2007
Samantha is playing really well at Chiangmai Highlands. The course record from the Championship tees (7,019 yards) is 69 which was set by two Thai touring pros during a pro event here last year (which included about 60 professionals). Samantha shot 70 earlier this week from the same tees! The club pro's best round here is 71, its really tough.
Yesterday I was lucky to tie her with 73 in the local golf society's weekly competition. Check out www.theroyalleague.com they will probably have a story on her.
December 20, 2006
Samantha received an early Christmas present today, she retained her exempt status for the 2007 season on the Duramed Futures Tour. This means that she can enter all the Futures Tour Tournaments. She does not need to play in any qualifying rounds or be on a wait list. Samantha is looking forward to upcoming season, But for now she is at home for Christmas with her family and cats.
I would like to thank everyone for supporting me in my first year on the Duramed Futures Tour. It has been a learning experience and the support from friends and family makes the transition easier. I have appreciated receiving the numerous supportive comments, best wishes and emails throughout the season.
I would like to thank the Mr. Mike Cushing from Bloomington, Illinois who financially assisted me this season.
I would also like to thank Hannu Tukkimaki for his assistance with my resume and web site!
I Wish Everyone a Merry Christmas and The Best in 2007. It promises to be an exciting year!!!!!!!!!
Samantha
November 12, 2006
There were 269 player who entered the Duramed Futures Tour Q School in Lakeland, Florida. There were cuts made after 2 rounds, and the third round. Samantha completed the four rounds with a 77 -74-74-73 to finish tied for 48th place. She will have to wait to see if she retains her exempt status for the 2007 season until after the final round of the LPGA Q School has finished in December. In the meantime she will be heading home for a break at the end of November.
November 6, 2006
Samantha is currently in Lakeland Florida and will be playing the Qualifier to attempt to retain her exempt status on the Duramed Futures Tour. Samantha has been working on there game and is looking forward to playing in this event 7th-11 of November.
September 12, 2006
Samantha is in Palm Springs for several Practice Rounds at the two courses that the LPGA Sectional qualifying will be at. The actual qualifying will be on two different courses at the Mission Hills Country Club. She will be playing from September 19th to September 22nd.
August 20, 2006
Samantha attended the six annual Walk of Champions at Illinois State University. Samantha was named the Female Athlete of the Year for 2005/06. Samantha was ecstatic to receive this award and is honoured to have been selected. To read the related article here.
"In my opinion, she is the best ever to play in our conference," said ISU Coach Kralis. "We've had some great players in the Valley, and some of those at Illinois State. But Sam is the best and I think the record shows that."
Samantha is currently working on her game in Bloomington, Illinois and plans to attend LPGA Q-School in California in late September.
August 6, 2006
To date Samantha has competed in 8 tournaments and made the cut in four. Samantha is heading back to Bloomington, IL and plans to work on her swing and game in preparation for the LPGA Q school which will be in California at the end of September.
July 23, 2006
Samantha hit the ball better this tournament and just missed the cut. Her Saturday round saw pouring rain and a two hour time delay. After the delay there was no rain and the players with the late tee times had good weather. Luck of the drawn!!! So Samantha is on her way home to Kelowna on the 24th of July for a visit.
July 20, 2006
Samantha had a good practice round today in Syracuse, NY. and is looking forward to this weekends tournament.
July 7, 2006
Samantha seen some interesting weather conditions in Hammond Indiana during her first two rounds. She fired a 74 and was sitting not too bad after the first day. Then on the second day the winds blew 20 to 35 MPH, which reflected in all of the players scores. Samantha struggled with the wind and missed the cut by two shots. Samantha looks forward to playing again starting the 14th of July in Bloomfield, Connecticut. This break in the schedule will give Samantha time to rest and work on her game.
June 26, 2006
Samantha is pleased to have made her third cut in a row finishing this tournament with all three rounds under par. Samantha tied 21st place, thus making this her best finish as a professional golfer. Samantha aslo wishes to thank everyone for their encouragement and positive feedback. Thank you, and keep those e-mails coming! Samantha really appreciates it.
June 19, 2006
Samantha made the cut again! This is the first MAJOR tournament for the FUTURES Tour and definitely a good test of golf. Samantha is working hard on her game for this week's Lima Memorial Hospital FUTURES Classic tournament.
June 11, 2006
This was Samantha's second start on the FUTURES Tour and she made the cut. Samantha finished tied for 55th. The weather for this time of year was cold and rainy with several rain delays. Samantha's game has improved over her last tournament and she is looking forward to competing next weekend in Decatur, IL.
The biggest winner of the tournament was the WLF (World Leadership Foundation), a great charity.
Samantha's next tournament will be the Michelob ULTRA FUTURES Players Championship in Decatur, IL.
June 2, 2006
"Foremost, I want to thank my parent's for their love and support in my life, education and golf."
I also want to thank Illinois State University and my team members (Redbirds).
As I move on with my life and career, I'll always reflect on the guidance, teaching, the fun of friends and friendship I've made.
Thank you!
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