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Saturday, May 16, 2009

Dangerous weather halts Futures Tour

event at Leawood, Kansas

LEAWOOD, KANSAS: The first round of the $100,000 Mercedes-Benz of Kansas City Championship was suspended this afternoon due to dangerous weather conditions. Seventy-two players completed the first round, while 72 players will return to the Leawood South Country Club on Saturday at 7:00 a.m. local time to finish.
The second round is expected to start around 9:30 a.m. CDT, from both the first and 10th tees. Players will not be paired by score, but will remain in their first-round pairings.
"We were watching a weather system move in from the west that was producing heavy rain, hail and lightning with potential for tornados," said Christy Barks, vice president of tournament operations for the Duramed FUTURES Tour. "We definitely completed more play today than we anticipated."
By day's end, Ashley Prange of Noblesville, Pa., held the clubhouse lead among those who have completed 18 holes. The five-year Tour member recorded a score of 1-over-par (72).
While Prange managed to finish her round before the rain moved in, the wind definitely made its presence known during the morning round.
"It was brutal," said Prange, who is currently a member of the LPGA Tour. "Around the 9th hole, the gusts started coming."
But despite the strong winds, Prange felt she had a good day, needing only 29 putts. The two-time Tour winner rolled in a 20-foot putt for par on number 11.
"I played solid," said Prange. "I putted really well. My putter and I are getting along these days."
Prange ended the day with five birdies, four bogeys and one double-bogey.
Molly Birmingham of Cornelius, N.C., Janell Howland of Boise, Idaho, Laura Crawford of Lancaster, S.C., 2009 tournament winner Misun Cho of Cheongju, South Korea, Selanee Henderson of Apple Valley, Calif., and Noon Huachai of Bangkok, Thailand are in a current clubhouse tie for second at 2-over-par (73).
"It was tough," said Cho, who is currently the Duramed FUTURES Tour's season money leader. "I couldn't putt to save my life. I have no confidence in my putting for some reason, but I'm going to go work on that for tomorrow."
For more information about the Duramed Futures Tour, visit duramedfuturestour.com.
Weather: Breezy in the morning, high in the mid-70s. Play suspended for dangerous weather at 4:32 p.m. CDT.

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