Benedict, Wicks Selected to Play in FUTURES Classic
5/16/2001 12:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
The inaugural Ann Arbor FUTURES Tour stop begins with a pro-am event on Wednesday, May 23, followed by 18 holes a day on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Lake Forest Golf Club is located south of Ann Arbor off Ann Arbor-Saline Road at 3110 West Ellsworth Road.
The FUTURES Tour has been designated as the official development tour of the LPGA and includes over 300 players from around the world. Over 165 FUTURES alumni are members of the LPGA, representing 24 major tournament victories. Alumni of the FUTURES tour include Karrie Webb, Dottie Pepper and Laura Davies.
The top three players on the FUTURES money list who compete in six FUTURES events will automatically receive exempt status on the LPGA Tour for the following year. Those ranked fourth through 10th will receive direct entry into the LPGA's Final Qualifying Tournament. Other athletes competing in the Ann Arbor FUTURES Classic include Debbie Williams-Hoak, a former member of the University of Michigan track and field team, and Eastern Michigan's Kelly Pickett.
Benedict played in all 13 tournaments this past season, finishing as the top Wolverine in six. She led the team with a school-record 77.41 stroke average and helped U-M qualify for its first-ever NCAA Regional appearance. At the NCAA East Regional (May 10-12), Benedict finished tied for 21st with a regional total of 225 (75-76-74). In addition, she won her first collegiate tournament at the Hawkeye Invitational (April 14-15) after winning a four-player playoff on the second hole. Benedict also finished as the tournament runner-up twice, at the Fossum Invitational (Sept. 23-24) and Hatter Spring Fling (March 17-18), after losing in a playoff for medalist honors.
Wicks also played in all 13 tournaments, finishing second on the team with a 77.68 stroke average. She shot a career-best 72 twice -- at the Shootout at the Legends (Oct. 9-10) and at the Hatter Spring Fling (March 17-18). Wicks tied for 44th at the NCAA East Regional with a total of 233 (78-74-81). She finished the season with eight top-20 finishes, including two top-fives.
NOTE: Benedict ended up tying for 41st (74-76-75/225) while Wicks shot 80-80/160 and missed the 36-hole cut.
FUTURES Golf Tour Site
Contact: Tom Wywrot (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
