Oct. 31, 2003

Former South Carolina golfers Siew-Ai Lim and Clarissa Childs earned two of only 28 exempt spots on the 2004 LPGA Tour with their play last week at the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament. The Tournament was held at the LPGA International-Legends Course (66443 yards, par 72) in Daytona Beach, Florida.

This is the first playing card for both players and allows them to compete on the 2004 LPGA Tour which begins play next March. Both 1996 South Carolina graduates, Lim and Childs have played in LPGA events since leaving USC by having conditional status on tour.

Over 125 golfers competed for the 28 new spots on the Tour with 43 additional players earning non-exempt status next year. Former Gamecock golfer Kristy McPherson participated in the week-long event but did not make the cut after the third round. However, McPherson earned an exempt spot on the Futures Tour again next spring and summer.

Childs tied for fifth place with a 72-hole total of 282 (six-under-par) and posted a 67 in the final round to help her score. Lim tied seven other golfers for 22nd place and won her exempt status in a three-hole playoff. Lim shot a 285 over the four days (three-under-par), including two par or better rounds.

T5th       Clarissa Childs 73-70-72-67=282 (-6)

T22nd      Siew-Ai Lim     72-70-70-73=285 (-3)    

Kristy McPherson  74-72-75=221 (missed cut after 54 holes)