Jessi Gebhardt, part of the Bellingham High School girls team from 2001-2004 and now a Duramed Futures Tour player, is having a tough time at the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament in Daytona Beach, FL. The 24-year-old began the week with a very solid two-over-par 74 on the Champions Course at LPGA International that put her in a tie for 59th, but followed it with a disappointing 12-over 84 on the Legends Course yesterday. Today, needing something very special to have even a hope of rising into the top 70 players who survive the 72-hole cut and advance to the fifth and final round, Gebhardt could do no better than 78 on Champions which saw her complete 54 holes on 20-over 236 - 11 shots behind the group of seven players all tied for 69th. BellinghamGolfer wishes Jessi all the best in tomorrow's fourth round.
UPDATE - With a fourth-round 73, Gebhardt completed 72 holes on 21-over 309 and tied for 109th. She therefore did not qualify for the fifth and final round and will likely return to the Duramed Futures Tour next season.
Around Town
The second event of the Lake Padden Winter Golf Tour takes place this coming Saturday (11th). The format will be two-person scramble and the entry fee will be green fee + $15, as usual. There are some great deals to be had in the pro shop in the run-up to Christmas. All shoes (Adidas, Callaway, Footjoy) are priced $49.95 which means a saving of over $70 on some models. Buy a gift certificate for $50 or more and you get one yourself for 10% of the amount of the original - so if you buy your dad a $100 card, you get one for $10. Instruction is on offer too - four one-hour lessons cost $199.95 instead of the regular $300, and a single one-hour lesson will cost $50 instead of $85.
Dont forget that the draw for a free annual pass at Shuksan is still going on. Tickets cost $5 and you can purchase as many as you like. The drawing takes place on New Years Eve.
Congratulations to Brian Odell and Marc Walker who won the Net and Gross competitions in the Turkey Tourney at Joe's Indoor Golf Lab last month. Odell shot a Net 62 around Pebble Beach, Walker a Gross 72. The Christmas Classic to be played on TPC Sawgrass will take place from December 27th to January 3rd. Entry fee will be $25. And the Indoor Winter League begins on January 11th and will run to March 22nd. Cost will be $10/week for nine holes. You and a partner will play a different twosome each week.
