12/01/2009 - Duke Sports Information

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.- Former Blue Devils Amanda Blumenherst, Liz Janangelo and Virada Nirapathpongporn will be teeing off Wednesday morning at the final round of LPGA Tour qualifying at the LPGA International from Dec. 2-6 in Daytona Beach, Fla.

The five-day event will be held at the Legends and Champions Course at LPGA International. A cut will be made after 72 holes, leaving a field of the lowest 70 players, including ties. The final 18 holes on Sunday at the Champions course will determine the top 20 golfers who will earn their LPGA Tour card for 2010. A playoff will decide the 20th position if there is a tie. Players finishing within the top 40 will also earn part-time status on the LPGA Tour.

Blumenherst begins her round on Wednesday at 8:37 a.m. on the first tee of the Legends Course. The 2008 U.S. Women's Amateur champion earned medalist honors at the first sectional qualifier at Mission Hills Country Club in September. The three-time NGCA National Player of the Year and Scottsdale, Ariz., native played on the Duramed Futures Tour this past season along with selected LPGA events. Blumenherst had three top 10 ledgers in only six events played last year on the Duramed Futures Tour.

Janangelo tees off at 9:21 a.m. from the 10th tee at the Legends Course. The former Blue Devil All-America selection was a member of the LPGA Tour in 2008. The native of West Hartford, Conn., played 16 events on the Duramed Futures Tour last year, recording four top 10s, along with two tournament victories in 2007. 

At 9:32 a.m from the first tee, Nirapathpongporn will begin her road back to the LPGA Tour. A winner of the 2003 U.S. Women's Amateur Championship, Nirapathpongporn was a member of the LPGA Tour from 2006-2008. The four-time first team All-America was an individual winner of the 2002 NCAA Women's Golf Championship. A native of Bangkok, Thailand, Nirapathpongporn has won twice on the Duramed Futures Tour over her career.

The field of 106 players includes 57 members of the Duramed Futures Tour. Twenty different countries are represented in the final round of qualifying school.

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