[ColoradoTree]

Midway through the third round, Valenzuela is shooting even par for the tournament (good for T25), and Lee is +1 (T32). The line for getting your LPGA card is Top 45 and ties, and right now, the magic score is +3. Albane is -2 on the day so far, though, so maybe she can put herself in an even better position by the time the round is done. 

Lauren Kim is tied for first at -8, and Casey Danielson is at +3. 

FYI, USC's Jennifer Chang let her coach know before this tournament that she wouldn't be coming back to school for the spring season (she's already qualified for the Symetra Tour, and it remains to be seen whether she'll get her LPGA card). Chang is currently #11 in the world amateur rankings, and #3 in the Golfweek Collegiate Rankings (behind our own Lee at #1, Ye at #2, and just ahead of Valenzuela at #4). Chang is currently +2 for the tournament, so she's keeping herself in position for that tour card.

[ColoradoTree]

Midway through the third round, Valenzuela is shooting even par for the tournament (good for T25), and Lee is +1 (T32). The line for getting your LPGA card is Top 45 and ties, and right now, the magic score is +3. Albane is -2 on the day so far, though, so maybe she can put herself in an even better position by the time the round is done. 

Lauren Kim is tied for first at -8, and Casey Danielson is at +3. 

FYI, USC's Jennifer Chang let her coach know before this tournament that she wouldn't be coming back to school for the spring season (she's already qualified for the Symetra Tour, and it remains to be seen whether she'll get her LPGA card). Chang is currently #11 in the world amateur rankings, and #3 in the Golfweek Collegiate Rankings (behind our own Lee at #1, Ye at #2, and just ahead of Valenzuela at #4). Chang is currently +2 for the tournament, so she's keeping herself in position for that tour card.

[Hulk01]

USC without Chang still has a strong lineup for five near-equal players, but no ace,
The Golf Week article that says Lee, Valenzuela and Wang make us formidable
makes me wonder if we should pay attention to that publication.
Wang is not likely to crack the lineup.

[Hulk01]

USC without Chang still has a strong lineup for five near-equal players, but no ace,
The Golf Week article that says Lee, Valenzuela and Wang make us formidable
makes me wonder if we should pay attention to that publication.
Wang is not likely to crack the lineup.

[ColoradoTree]

Lee bogeyed her last hole (the ninth) and dropped from E (she'd previously birdied No. 7) to +1 for the tournament. Meanwhile, Valenzuela has dropped to +2 for the tournament after consecutive bogeys on 5 and 6 (she also started on the 10th hole today).

---

Valenzuela birdied 7, so she's back to +1 for the tournament along with Lee--that's currently good enough for T33. The qualification line is down to +2, though, so things are tight.

---

Pars on 8 and 9 mean Valenzuela is +1 for the tournament through three rounds, T35 (for now) with Lee. That may change, with a number of golfers who were +3 and +4 through 2 rounds just now starting their rounds. The qualification line is still at +2; 42 golfers are +1 or better.

---

Not sure why, but Valenzuela's round today was retroactively changed from -1 to -2, putting her at even par for the tournament. Looks like her score on No. 16 was changed from a par to a birdie. In any event, she's now E for the tournament, good enough for T28. Lee is T36 at +1, which is the new qualification line, as 45 golfers are +1 or better.

[ColoradoTree]

Lee bogeyed her last hole (the ninth) and dropped from E (she'd previously birdied No. 7) to +1 for the tournament. Meanwhile, Valenzuela has dropped to +2 for the tournament after consecutive bogeys on 5 and 6 (she also started on the 10th hole today).

---

Valenzuela birdied 7, so she's back to +1 for the tournament along with Lee--that's currently good enough for T33. The qualification line is down to +2, though, so things are tight.

---

Pars on 8 and 9 mean Valenzuela is +1 for the tournament through three rounds, T35 (for now) with Lee. That may change, with a number of golfers who were +3 and +4 through 2 rounds just now starting their rounds. The qualification line is still at +2; 42 golfers are +1 or better.

---

Not sure why, but Valenzuela's round today was retroactively changed from -1 to -2, putting her at even par for the tournament. Looks like her score on No. 16 was changed from a par to a birdie. In any event, she's now E for the tournament, good enough for T28. Lee is T36 at +1, which is the new qualification line, as 45 golfers are +1 or better.

[oldalum]

More than halfway thru round 5, Lauren Kim, Andrea Lee, and Albane Valenzuela are now at -5, tied for 9th. They are all in great position.
Casey Danielson has slipped to +4, tied for 55th.

[oldalum]

More than halfway thru round 5, Lauren Kim, Andrea Lee, and Albane Valenzuela are now at -5, tied for 9th. They are all in great position.
Casey Danielson has slipped to +4, tied for 55th.

[GK3]

More than halfway thru round 5, Lauren Kim, Andrea Lee, and Albane Valenzuela are now at -5, tied for 9th. They are all in great position.
Casey Danielson has slipped to +4, tied for 55th.

Kim, Lee and Valenzuela still tied, but now tied for 13 at the end of the day.  Danielson improved to +2 for the day but still has some work to do.  Hopefully all four make it.

[GK3]

More than halfway thru round 5, Lauren Kim, Andrea Lee, and Albane Valenzuela are now at -5, tied for 9th. They are all in great position.
Casey Danielson has slipped to +4, tied for 55th.

Kim, Lee and Valenzuela still tied, but now tied for 13 at the end of the day.  Danielson improved to +2 for the day but still has some work to do.  Hopefully all four make it.

[GK3]

More than halfway thru round 5, Lauren Kim, Andrea Lee, and Albane Valenzuela are now at -5, tied for 9th. They are all in great position.
Casey Danielson has slipped to +4, tied for 55th.

Kim, Lee and Valenzuela still tied, but now tied for 13 at the end of the day.  Danielson improved to +2 for the day but still has some work to do.  Hopefully all four make it.

Today, Valenzuela has an excellent round and moves up, Lee and Kim are struggling a bit but seem like pretty sure bets.  Casey Danielson really needs a sub 70 round and another not over par to have a chance.  As it is she seems to be in a position where she has to continue to play par golf and have some people ahead of her have a poor round in order to get in.

[GK3]

More than halfway thru round 5, Lauren Kim, Andrea Lee, and Albane Valenzuela are now at -5, tied for 9th. They are all in great position.
Casey Danielson has slipped to +4, tied for 55th.

Kim, Lee and Valenzuela still tied, but now tied for 13 at the end of the day.  Danielson improved to +2 for the day but still has some work to do.  Hopefully all four make it.

Today, Valenzuela has an excellent round and moves up, Lee and Kim are struggling a bit but seem like pretty sure bets.  Casey Danielson really needs a sub 70 round and another not over par to have a chance.  As it is she seems to be in a position where she has to continue to play par golf and have some people ahead of her have a poor round in order to get in.

[ColoradoTree]

Still some golfers out there for Round 6, but the four Stanford golfers have finished their rounds. Valenzuela's -3 gets her to -7 for the tournament, currently good enough for T8. Lauren Kim's -1 got her to -5, which is T12. Lee was +2 on the day, making her -2 for the tournament and still looking good at T27. 

Casey Danielson shot even par today, keeping her at +3 for the tournament. The top 45 including ties get their LPGA cards, and Danielson is... T45 (for the moment). 

There is a cut after 6 rounds, where the top 80 and ties move onto the final two rounds. That cut line is currently +13, though, so all four Stanford players/alums will have their chances tomorrow and Saturday to clinch their LPGA status for next season. 

The close to Valenzuela's round today was clutch, with 4 birdies on her last 6 holes.

[ColoradoTree]

Still some golfers out there for Round 6, but the four Stanford golfers have finished their rounds. Valenzuela's -3 gets her to -7 for the tournament, currently good enough for T8. Lauren Kim's -1 got her to -5, which is T12. Lee was +2 on the day, making her -2 for the tournament and still looking good at T27. 

Casey Danielson shot even par today, keeping her at +3 for the tournament. The top 45 including ties get their LPGA cards, and Danielson is... T45 (for the moment). 

There is a cut after 6 rounds, where the top 80 and ties move onto the final two rounds. That cut line is currently +13, though, so all four Stanford players/alums will have their chances tomorrow and Saturday to clinch their LPGA status for next season. 

The close to Valenzuela's round today was clutch, with 4 birdies on her last 6 holes.

[oldalum]

Meanwhile, starting Monday the rest of the team has to suffer through another golf tournament in Hawaii. Must be dreadful to have to go to the same dreary places year after year.

[oldalum]

Meanwhile, starting Monday the rest of the team has to suffer through another golf tournament in Hawaii. Must be dreadful to have to go to the same dreary places year after year.

[mbdude]

https://golfweek.com/2019/10/31/golf-lpg...-costumes/

article includes brief video interview with Albane

[mbdude]

https://golfweek.com/2019/10/31/golf-lpg...-costumes/

article includes brief video interview with Albane

[ColoradoTree]

https://golfweek.com/2019/10/31/golf-lpg...-costumes/

article includes brief video interview with Albane

The article said Valenzuela "is taking a wait-and-see approach in regards to her final semester at Stanford." Since she seems increasingly likely to nail down that LPGA tour card for 2020, that makes me nervous! 

Looks like the course is playing tough so far today--not many red numbers out there in this round.

[ColoradoTree]

https://golfweek.com/2019/10/31/golf-lpg...-costumes/

article includes brief video interview with Albane

The article said Valenzuela "is taking a wait-and-see approach in regards to her final semester at Stanford." Since she seems increasingly likely to nail down that LPGA tour card for 2020, that makes me nervous! 

Looks like the course is playing tough so far today--not many red numbers out there in this round.

[oldalum]

Looks like the course is playing tough so far today

Casey Danielson is +6 today and has slipped to a tie for 60th.
Andrea Lee is +3 today and tied for 27th.
Lauren Kim at +2 and Albane at even today are a little earlier in their rounds but in good shape.

[oldalum]

Looks like the course is playing tough so far today

Casey Danielson is +6 today and has slipped to a tie for 60th.
Andrea Lee is +3 today and tied for 27th.
Lauren Kim at +2 and Albane at even today are a little earlier in their rounds but in good shape.

[ColoradoTree]

Looks like the course is playing tough so far today

Casey Danielson is +6 today and has slipped to a tie for 60th.
Andrea Lee is +3 today and tied for 27th.
Lauren Kim at +2 and Albane at even today are a little earlier in their rounds but in good shape.

It's getting better for Valenzuela (-1 through 10 today for -8 overall, and T4) and much worse for Lee (now +5 through 15, for +3 overall and T36). From looking perfectly safe through 6 rounds to rapidly moving toward the bubble in the seventh....  Right now, that T45 line for the LPGA card is at +5, so Lee needs to stop the bleeding soon. Today, Lee birdied No. 5 to get to -3 for the tournament, but then it was a triple bogey on the ninth and then bogeys on each of 11, 12, and 13. Ouch. 

In other words, Valenzuela is currently 14 strokes ahead of the wrong side of that T45 line, Kim is 11 strokes ahead of the wrong side of the line (she's back to even par on the day), while Lee can only drop two strokes and still stay on the right side of the line. Danielson is 5 strokes back of the right side of the line.

[ColoradoTree]

Looks like the course is playing tough so far today

Casey Danielson is +6 today and has slipped to a tie for 60th.
Andrea Lee is +3 today and tied for 27th.
Lauren Kim at +2 and Albane at even today are a little earlier in their rounds but in good shape.

It's getting better for Valenzuela (-1 through 10 today for -8 overall, and T4) and much worse for Lee (now +5 through 15, for +3 overall and T36). From looking perfectly safe through 6 rounds to rapidly moving toward the bubble in the seventh....  Right now, that T45 line for the LPGA card is at +5, so Lee needs to stop the bleeding soon. Today, Lee birdied No. 5 to get to -3 for the tournament, but then it was a triple bogey on the ninth and then bogeys on each of 11, 12, and 13. Ouch. 

In other words, Valenzuela is currently 14 strokes ahead of the wrong side of that T45 line, Kim is 11 strokes ahead of the wrong side of the line (she's back to even par on the day), while Lee can only drop two strokes and still stay on the right side of the line. Danielson is 5 strokes back of the right side of the line.

[winflop]

https://golfweek.com/2019/10/31/golf-lpg...-costumes/

article includes brief video interview with Albane

The article said Valenzuela "is taking a wait-and-see approach in regards to her final semester at Stanford." Since she seems increasingly likely to nail down that LPGA tour card for 2020, that makes me nervous! 

Looks like the course is playing tough so far today--not many red numbers out there in this round.

Whatever she decides, I have every reason to believe she's had multiple conversations with her coach about it. I hope she stays and gets her degree though.

[winflop]

https://golfweek.com/2019/10/31/golf-lpg...-costumes/

article includes brief video interview with Albane

The article said Valenzuela "is taking a wait-and-see approach in regards to her final semester at Stanford." Since she seems increasingly likely to nail down that LPGA tour card for 2020, that makes me nervous! 

Looks like the course is playing tough so far today--not many red numbers out there in this round.

Whatever she decides, I have every reason to believe she's had multiple conversations with her coach about it. I hope she stays and gets her degree though.

[ColoradoTree]

Whatever she decides, I have every reason to believe she's had multiple conversations with her coach about it. I hope she stays and gets her degree though.

Agreed on both counts. (If she only has a couple of quarters to go, though, I'm confident she'd come back and finish it eventually, but golf isn't like football or basketball with a more defined offseason where you could take a quarter's worth of classes without interrupting your career. If she goes, finishing her degree might have to wait until she suffers an injury. That calendar is grueling!)

If she waited to go pro until after NCAAs, she'd miss approximately 14 of the 32 LPGA events on the 2020 calendar. She'd probably miss the 2020 U.S. Women's Open (the first tournament after NCAAs), since I don't think she fits any of the exemption criteria and she'd thus have to qualify for the tournament unless given a wild card. I'm not sure how a half a season on the LPGA tour in 2020 sets one up for being on tour in 2021 (I think the top 100 on the money list automatically get their cards for the next year, as well as anyone who wins a tournament among other exceptions, but the qualification criteria and numerous priority levels are sufficiently confusing that I can't speak with much confidence on the topic). If she's worried about making the top 100 on the money list in around a half a season, that seems like a reasonable concern. The grind of going through the qualifying process this year may make her disinclined to risk having to go through it again, too. 

But yes, I'm sure she and Coach Walker have discussed this kind of stuff in detail. Both decisions--staying or going--are reasonable, so I guess we'll see! If she could finish her degree after winter quarter, I wonder if she starts winter quarter as an amateur, locks in the scholarship payment for the quarter, and turns pro a month into the quarter, after which she plays the occasional LPGA tournament in February and March before joining the tour full-time at the end of March. That way, you only miss a handful of tournaments but still get your degree. Not sure if she'd be allowed to do it that way, though. 

---

FYI, Lee avoided further damage in the rest of her round, so she's officially +3 with one round to go. That's currently T35, with +5 still as the LPGA tour card line. But a bad day to shoot 77. (And an even worse day to shoot 81, as Danielson did.)

---

OK, Round 7 in the books:

T5. Valenzuela (-8)
T8. Kim (-6)
T35. Lee (+3)
T66. Danielson (+12)

The T45 line is still at +5.

[ColoradoTree]

Whatever she decides, I have every reason to believe she's had multiple conversations with her coach about it. I hope she stays and gets her degree though.

Agreed on both counts. (If she only has a couple of quarters to go, though, I'm confident she'd come back and finish it eventually, but golf isn't like football or basketball with a more defined offseason where you could take a quarter's worth of classes without interrupting your career. If she goes, finishing her degree might have to wait until she suffers an injury. That calendar is grueling!)

If she waited to go pro until after NCAAs, she'd miss approximately 14 of the 32 LPGA events on the 2020 calendar. She'd probably miss the 2020 U.S. Women's Open (the first tournament after NCAAs), since I don't think she fits any of the exemption criteria and she'd thus have to qualify for the tournament unless given a wild card. I'm not sure how a half a season on the LPGA tour in 2020 sets one up for being on tour in 2021 (I think the top 100 on the money list automatically get their cards for the next year, as well as anyone who wins a tournament among other exceptions, but the qualification criteria and numerous priority levels are sufficiently confusing that I can't speak with much confidence on the topic). If she's worried about making the top 100 on the money list in around a half a season, that seems like a reasonable concern. The grind of going through the qualifying process this year may make her disinclined to risk having to go through it again, too. 

But yes, I'm sure she and Coach Walker have discussed this kind of stuff in detail. Both decisions--staying or going--are reasonable, so I guess we'll see! If she could finish her degree after winter quarter, I wonder if she starts winter quarter as an amateur, locks in the scholarship payment for the quarter, and turns pro a month into the quarter, after which she plays the occasional LPGA tournament in February and March before joining the tour full-time at the end of March. That way, you only miss a handful of tournaments but still get your degree. Not sure if she'd be allowed to do it that way, though. 

---

FYI, Lee avoided further damage in the rest of her round, so she's officially +3 with one round to go. That's currently T35, with +5 still as the LPGA tour card line. But a bad day to shoot 77. (And an even worse day to shoot 81, as Danielson did.)

---

OK, Round 7 in the books:

T5. Valenzuela (-8)
T8. Kim (-6)
T35. Lee (+3)
T66. Danielson (+12)

The T45 line is still at +5.

[winflop]

So Kim and Valenzuela would appear to be locks for getting their cards, Lee will need to play well tomorrow, and Danielsen would need to play an all-world round to get her card.

I don't know if any players below the top 45 get any kind of provisional status. This happens on the men's tour.

[winflop]

So Kim and Valenzuela would appear to be locks for getting their cards, Lee will need to play well tomorrow, and Danielsen would need to play an all-world round to get her card.

I don't know if any players below the top 45 get any kind of provisional status. This happens on the men's tour.

[winflop]

I was thinking further about Valenzuela possibly going pro before the end of the school year. I'd be pretty PO'd about it. She basically hasn't played all fall because of Q-school stuff, and then she's gonna bail to go pro? Something's not right about that, really not right.

[winflop]

I was thinking further about Valenzuela possibly going pro before the end of the school year. I'd be pretty PO'd about it. She basically hasn't played all fall because of Q-school stuff, and then she's gonna bail to go pro? Something's not right about that, really not right.

[oldalum]

Andrea Lee is -1 today through 14, so barring a total collapse she should make it through.
Valenzuela and Kim are even on the day after finishing holes 5-6, still in great shape.
Danielson is even on the day through 9, has to go -6 on the back nine so no deal.

[oldalum]

Andrea Lee is -1 today through 14, so barring a total collapse she should make it through.
Valenzuela and Kim are even on the day after finishing holes 5-6, still in great shape.
Danielson is even on the day through 9, has to go -6 on the back nine so no deal.

[ColoradoTree]

Lee’s round is done—an even-par 72 that has her T30 and +3 with the T45/qualifying line at +5 and most of the golfers on the bubble done for the day. Danielson, as expected, falls short.

Kim is -8 (-2 today) for the tournament with two holes to go, and Valenzuela is -7 (+1 today) with four holes to go....

A clutch round from Lee. Really impressive to bounce back after yesterday’s disappointment.

---

Oh, and Lee’s finish (top 45, but not top 20) means she’ll have dual status on the LPGA and Synergy Tour next year. The top 20 finishers don’t get that (perhaps they’re expected to be more consistent performers on the LPGA tour itself?)

[ColoradoTree]

Lee’s round is done—an even-par 72 that has her T30 and +3 with the T45/qualifying line at +5 and most of the golfers on the bubble done for the day. Danielson, as expected, falls short.

Kim is -8 (-2 today) for the tournament with two holes to go, and Valenzuela is -7 (+1 today) with four holes to go....

A clutch round from Lee. Really impressive to bounce back after yesterday’s disappointment.

---

Oh, and Lee’s finish (top 45, but not top 20) means she’ll have dual status on the LPGA and Synergy Tour next year. The top 20 finishers don’t get that (perhaps they’re expected to be more consistent performers on the LPGA tour itself?)

[Spiny_Norman]

Lee never solved the back 9 on Pinehurst #9. She shot 38, 38, 39 and 38. Kept her from a higher finish. Still she was the 3rd lowest amateur finisher. Congratulations to her, Valenzuela (low amateur) and Lauren Kim on earning LPGA tour membership!

Valenzuela and Lee can accept their membership and declare themselves professional anytime between now and July 1.

[Spiny_Norman]

Lee never solved the back 9 on Pinehurst #9. She shot 38, 38, 39 and 38. Kept her from a higher finish. Still she was the 3rd lowest amateur finisher. Congratulations to her, Valenzuela (low amateur) and Lauren Kim on earning LPGA tour membership!

Valenzuela and Lee can accept their membership and declare themselves professional anytime between now and July 1.

[oldalum]

Valenzuela and Lee can accept their membership and declare themselves professional anytime between now May 26 and July 1.

fixed it for you!

(the NCAA tournament ends May 25)

[oldalum]

Valenzuela and Lee can accept their membership and declare themselves professional anytime between now May 26 and July 1.

fixed it for you!

(the NCAA tournament ends May 25)