Three Bears Advance In LPGA Qualifying

BERKELEY – California alums Emily Childs, Daniela Holmqvist and Joanne Lee all advanced past the first section of the LPGA Tour Qualifying Tournament that was held at the Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, Calif.

The Golden Bear trio, who all led California to the 2012 Pac-12 Championship in their senior seasons in Berkeley, were three of 100 golfers to advance to the second stage out of over 240 that competed in the Stage I Tournament.

Childs, who earlier this summer competed at the U.S. Women’s Open, placed ninth overall with a score of 69-73-72-72=286 (-2). Holmqvist, the Swedish national who made front page international news this past February after playing a round on the Ladies European Tour despite suffering a black widow bite in the middle of the round, tied for 32nd with a score of 77-74-68-73=292 (+4). Lee, who placed fourth at the 2012 Pac-12 Championships to lead the Bears to that title, was 88th with a 73-78-72-75=298 (+10).

Stage II will take place October 8-11 at the Plantation Golf and Country Club in Venice, Fla., with the top 80 players advancing to the final stage. Stage III will take place December 4-8 at the LPGA International Golf Course in Daytona Beach, Fla.