<p>Dromoland Castle touring professional Sara Byrne and caddie Harry Ewing at the LPGA Qualifying tournament for Q-Series in Tampa, Florida.</p>
Douglas’ Sara Byrne opened with a five-under 67 to grab the early clubhouse lead in the first qualifying round for December’s LPGA Q-Series in Florida.
Bidding to make the top 39 and ties after 72 holes who qualify for the final stage (Q-Series) in Alabama from December 5-9, the Dromoland Castle touring pro opened with a bogey on the 10th hole on the Bobcat Course at Plantation Golf and Country Club in Tampa.
But with caddie Harry Ewing on her bag this week, she birdied the 16th, 17th, second, fifth, sixth and seventh to lead the 194-strong field by a shot in an event rescheduled for this week to avoid the effects of Hurricane Milton.
Castlewarden’s Lauren Walsh, the touring professional for Carton House, also made a solid start by making her fourth birdie of the day at her final hole to open with a one-under 71 on the Panther Course and sit just inside the top 39.
If Byrne and Walsh make the cut this week but fail to make the top 39 and ties, they will earn status on the LPGA’s second-tier Epson Tour in 2025.
If they advance to the Q-Series, they must finish in the top 25 and ties after five rounds to earn LPGA Tour cards after the Tour reduced the number from 45 and ties in 2023 to offer graduates more LPGA starts in 2025.
Walsh has had a stellar rookie season on the Ladies European Tour and lies 17th in the Order of Merit.
Should Byrne fail to make it to Q-Series in December, or fail to earn Epson Tour status, she has the option to go the Ladies European Tour Qualifying School in Morocco, which also takes place in December.
Article Link: Solid starts for Byrne and Walsh at Qualifying for LPGA Q-Series - News - Irish Golf Desk