Kia Classic to ANA Inspiration: 10 Who Are Playing for ANA Inspiration Ticket
There’s more at stake this week on the Aviara track than a trophy and a check. For a number of Tour players the Kia Classic provides the last opportunity to earn their spots in the season’s first major, the ANA Inspiration. The final criteria for players to get into the field for the Tour’s first Major is top 20-players who aren’t already qualified and are currently in the top 80 on the 2015 Official Money List at the conclusion of the Kia Classic.
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Going into the tourney, Wei Ling Hsu is the last player in the field per the criteria and ranks 76th ($20,160) on the Money List through the JTBC Founders Cup.
So the trick in this situation hinges on winning enough money this week to end up above Hsu. But who’s in the bubble? This will give you something to think about if you grow weary reflecting on the 1st round logjam at the top of the leaderboard.
Here are the 10 players, all in the Kia Classic field this week, on the outside looking in on the 2015 Money List who are not already qualified for the ANA Inspiration. All ten of them need to go low at Aviara in order to get a peek at Poppy’s Pond from inside the ropes.
#82 Joanna Klatten ($17,217): Playing her 2nd year on the Tour, but bringing with her 3 years’ competitive experience on the Ladies European Tour and seven LET top-10s, Klatten is still hunting her first LPGA top-10 finish. She’s had a mixed start to her season, 2 missed cuts, two checks. Klatten finished the Kia Classic 1st round with a 73. She needs to go much lower to get her Rancho Mirage ticket punched.
#83 Perrine Delacour ($17,092): Playing her 3rd year on the Tour, Delacour has entered 4 events and missed three cuts. She struggled through the 1st Kia Classic round, carding a 74. That won’t get her to Rancho Mirage.
#85 Katie Burnett ($15,523): Playing her 3rd year on the Tour, Burnett missed two cuts and then got her footing, finishing in the money at the Women’s Australian Open and the Founders Cup. Off to a good 1st round start, Burnett carded a 71. She needs to go low again tomorrow and I’m looking for her to do just that. Put her on your radar.
#89 Kelly Tan ($13,890): Playing her 2nd year on the Tour, Tan’s entered 4 Tour events and missed two cuts. She finished the 1st round at the Kia Classic at even par, a respectable performance, but it won’t be enough to get her to Rancho Mirage.
#90 Maria Hernandez ($13,536): Hernandez is playing her 5th year on the Tour and is still on the hunt for her first top-10 finish. She’s made the cut and collected a check in all four events she’s entered this year, but consistently finishes well down on the board. Her 1st round 70 at the Kia Classic may get Hernandez to the weekend at Aviara but it’s not going to be enough to close the distance she needs to travel on the Money List to get to Rancho Mirage.
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#91 Brooke Pancake ($12,384): Playing her 3rd year on the Tour, Pancake missed the cut at the Coates Golf Championship but kept herself in the money in three subsequent events. With no career top-10 finishes, Pancake’s still working her way up the leaderboard. She finished strong at the Kia Classic 1st round, carding a 69 and if she can maintain that pace she has a good chance of teeing it up at Rancho Mirage. Pancake’s on my radar.
#93 Christel Boeljon ($11,462): Playing her 4th year on the Tour, Boeljon has collected 4 top-10s although none of them have comes this year. She’s finished in the money in 3 events and missed the cut at the Founders Cup. Boeljon has a better game than she’s been showing during these early-season events. Her Kia Classic 1st round 73 isn’t going to take her to Rancho Mirage.
#94 Kristy McPherson ($11,359): Playing her 8th year on the Tour, McPherson has collected 16 top-10s, all before 2011, and is still on the hunt for her first pro victory. She’s entered four events this year and collected three checks. McPherson carded a 1st round 73 at the Kia Classic and with the distance she needs to move on the Money List that level of play isn’t going to get here where she’d like to be on Sunday.
#96 Laetitia Beck ($10,314): This rookie looks good, although she’s having a somewhat slow start to her first year on the Tour. She’s entered 1 event, made the cut, and gotten herself on the short list for the year’s 1st Major. Beck carded a 1st round 70 at the Kia Classic. She has a long distance to travel up the Money list to get her Rancho Mirage ticket punched, but 3 solid rounds could get her there. I’m keeping her on my radar.
#98 Sarah Kemp ($9,294): Playing her 7th year on the Tour, Kemp has collected 2 top-10s but is still on the hunt for her first pro victory. Kemp has entered three events this year and collected two checks. She’s going to need more than her 1st round 71 to get to Rancho Mirage.
Playing past Wei Ling Hsu and into the ANA Inspiration is going to be a long shot for all these golfers, but some are closer than others. I’m looking for particularly strong efforts from Katie Burnett, Brooke Pancake, and Laetitia Beck.