Bradenton’s Nelly Korda nearing finish line to earn LPGA Tour card
With three tournaments remaining on the LPGA Symetra Tour schedule, Bradenton’s Nelly Korda is still in the mix to earn her LPGA Tour card for the 2017 season without needing to go through Q-School.
Korda tied for sixth and for 20th in her two most recent Symetra Tour events, and she ranks 12th on the Volvik Race to the Card standings. She’s about $1,500 behind Clariss Guce for the 10th spot. The top-10 players at the end of the year, based on money earned, automatically earn promotion to the LPGA Tour.
West Florida Golf Tour’s Tour Championship concludes Summer Swing
The West Florida Golf Tour’s Summer Series wrapped up Wednesday with the Tour Championship at Venice’s Plantation Golf and Country Club. Clearwater’s Ryan Gildersleeve, Jacksonville’s Kevin Aylwin and North Port’s Sebastian Mark snagged the top three spots on the money list, which meant a $2,000 bonus for each player. Gildersleeve topped the summer money list with more than $23,000 in earnings. The Tour Championship was decided in a playoff when Fort Myers’ Daniel Mazziotta defeated Aylwin. The two posted 16-under par 200s for the 54-hole tournament, with Mazziotta collected $4,000 for the victory.
Bradenton juniors show strong performances at AJGA event
Manatee High’s Gabrielle Tomeo and IMG Academy’s Caitlin Cotterill tied for 31st at the American Junior Golf Association’s Girls Championship recently. Playing at The Furman Golf Club in Greenville, S.C., the two posted 10-over-par 226 totals for the 54-hole tournament. The winner was North Carolina’s Emily Hawkins with a 6-under 210.
Former multiple high school state golf champ excelling at Virginia
After firing a 68 in the second round, Lakewood Ranch High alumnus Danny Walker tied for 10th place as an individual with the Virginia Cavaliers men’s golf team that tied for sixth place at the Inverness Intercollegiate in Toledo, Ohio, held recently.
Annual charity tournament set for November date
The 24th Annual Sertoma Club of Greater Sarasota Golf Classic is set for Saturday, Nov. 5 at Bent Tree Country Club. The cost is $100 per person or $400 for a foursome, which includes a hole-in-one competition, chipping contest, putting contest, closest to the pin contest, long drive contest, lunch, golf and raffle. All proceeds benefit children, who have special speech, hearing and language needs as a result of autism and other developmental disorders, throughout Sarasota County. It’s an 8:30 a.m. shotgun start. Visit sertomasarasota.com or call 321-3708.
Holes-in-one
On Wednesday, Sept. 21 at Terra Ceia Bay, Larry Duran aced the 155-yard 16th hole with a 4-hybrid. Witnesses were Tom Stratton, Mike Cason and Johnny Carter.
Jason Dill: 941-745-7017, @Jason__Dill
This story was originally published September 29, 2016 at 12:17 AM with the headline "Bradenton’s Nelly Korda nearing finish line to earn LPGA Tour card."