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Courtney Wood Wins LPGA Futures Qualifier 11/20/2003 By Meggie Butzow Vanderbilt senior Courtney Wood outlasted a few drizzly Florida days and parlayed a rain-shortened tournament into a first-place finish in the 2004 LPGA Futures Golf Tour Qualifying Tournament in early November. She finished with a three-day total of 211, five under par. The tournament was initially scheduled to consist of four rounds, played over the days of November 4-7. Because of the exceedingly moist conditions, however, the final round was cancelled and Wood finished in a three-way tie for first place. Out of the 300-person field, the top 50 places “automatically get into every tournament you enter [on the Futures Tour],” Wood explained. She likened the Tour to “the minor leagues, kind of a mini-tour for women.” Wood estimated that “about half the field was pro, people who had either just declared [their eligibility], or played last year and were trying to get their card again.” Despite the prevalence of professional golfers, Wood “actually knew a lot of people, who had either just graduated, or will this year.” “I was real nervous going into [the tournament],” she admitted, “because I hadn’t been playing well into the fall. It wasn’t a positive fall for me, so I was nervous because it’s such a big tournament. But after I began hitting the ball so well, I kind of eased into it and everything just fell into place.” Wood entered the tournament believing that a Top Ten finish was “very realistic,” but after she finished the third round tied for first, “the goal was definitely to go out in the fourth round and win.” Mother Nature, however, prohibited the completion of that final round, and Wood found herself with a top placement and exemption into every Futures tournament next year. “It’s a big relief not to have to qualify for every individual tournament,” she acknowledged. “This way I can get going, start playing, making money,” and gain experience to eventually qualify for the LPGA Tour itself. Because the Futures Tour begins in March, in the midst of Vanderbilt’s season, Wood will be forced to miss the first part of the Tour. “I’ll start playing as soon as school golf ends,” she plans. “The Tour ends in September, so I’ll play as many tournaments as possible.” Wood has enjoyed a stellar collegiate career. The Brentwood, Tennessee native earned honorable mention All-America honors along with first team all-SEC and academic all-SEC accolades as a junior. Her Futures Qualifying victory is not her first national win as she won the 2002 Trans National Championship. She also won the 2002 Tennessee State Open and shared the 2002 Tennessee Amateur of the Year with teammate Sarah Jacobs. |
