LPGA Rookie Profiles: Kendall Dye and Demi Runas (Video)
Apr 6, 2014; Rancho Mirage, CA, USA; Michelle Wie tees off on the sixth hole in the final round of the Kraft Nabisco Championship golf tournament at Mission Hills Country Club. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports
With tee time at the LPGA season-opening Coates Golf Championship two weeks away, I’m going to start taking a closer look at some of the new faces on the Tour this year, beginning with 2014 Symetra Tour standouts Kendall Dye and Demi Runas. Last September the two players wrapped up their 2015 LPGA Tour cards at the Symetra Tour Championship by finishing the season inside the Symetra Tour top-ten. Dye’s road to the LPGA turned out to be a bit longer than she’d planned and Runas’ was a bit shorter, but these LPGA rookies are more than ready to start teeing it up on the big stage.
Kendall Dye
The Edmond, Oklahoma native started plying golf about the same time that she started kindergarten, and she just never stopped. She lead her high school team and then played her collegiate golf for the OU Sooners where she emerged as a team standout during her final season, 2008-2008.
Dye initially gave herself three years on the Symetra Tour to secure her LPGA Tour card, but at the end of her 3rd year (2011) she was at 47th, still well down the rankings on the Symetra Tour’s official money list.
Winning is sort of like hole-in-one feelings. Nothing beats it. – Kendall Dye
She wasn’t where she wanted to be or needed to be, but she had the hunger and so she revised the plan and kept on playing.
By the end of the 2014 season Dye had collected her first pro victory, the 2014 IAO Golf Classic, 13 additional top-10 finishes, and finished the season inside the top-10 on the Symetra Tour’s money list. Perseverence had paid off for Dye.
Kendall Dye’s game should play well on the LPGA Tour. Her drive averages 245+ yards, about four yards shorter than Inbee Park’s and she’s only slightly less accurate off the tee than Park. Although Dye lags behind Park in getting to the green in regulation she compensates with her flat stick, averaging 0.54 putts per GIR and leading the Symetra Tour in number of birdies carded last season. By the numbers Dye’s ready to play on the big stage.
Demi Runas
Demi Runas is getting ready to do something that escapes most pro golfers. She’s going to play back-to-back rookie years!
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The Torrance, California native learned her golf at The First Tee of Los Angeles, got the taste for competitive success in high school, and played collegiate golf for UC Davis. There the Torrance High School MVP became a 2-time Big West Player of the Year and honed her competitive edge at the US Women’s Amateur.
Runas wrapped up her rookie season on the Symetra Tour 9th on the Tour’s money list, just edging her way onto the LPGA Tour for the 2015 season. It wasn’t a shabby rookie year! She missed only three cuts in the 20 events she entered and collected five top-five finishes that included runner up at the Patty Berg Memorial and the Symetra Tour Championship.
By the numbers Runas, like Dye, has a game that should play competitively on the Tour. She can keep pace off the tee and while she’ll need to tighten up her short game, Runas is a sharp golfer with a good eye. I’m going to enjoy watching her make her way from tee to green.