University of Tennessee Athletics
Smith Making an Impact on FUTURES Tour
June 14, 2010 | Women's Golf
June 14, 2010
By Zach Stipe, Media Relations Graduate Assistant
MASON, Ohio -- Former Lady Vol golfer Nicole Smith collected her second consecutive top-five finish on the Duramed FUTURES Tour on Sunday, as she tied for fifth at the Teva Championship in Mason, Ohio.
Smith also tied for fifth at the Ladies Titan Tire Challenge in Marion, Iowa, a week ago.
At the Teva Championship, held at the par-71 Golf Center at Kings Island, Smith fired a 71-67-67=205 (-8) total to tie with Pornanong Phatlum and collect $4,880.
Christine Song won the $135,000 event with a 15-under 198 total.
Smith wasn't the only former Orange and White star to compete at the event, as Jessica Shepley registered a 71-74-69=214 (+1) score to tie for 36th, and Angela Oh participated, but didn't make the cut with rounds of 73 and 74.
Smith's recent success has propelled her to No. 21 on the FUTURES Tour money list with $10,039 in earnings in 2010. The top-10 money winners at the end of the season in September earn their LPGA Tour cards.
Oh is halfway towards an invite to women's professional golf's highest level. She sits third on the money list at $37,040 and has four top-four finishes on the tour this season, including a win at the season-opening Florida's Natural Charity Classic in March.
Shepley finished seventh on the FUTURES Tour money list in 2008 to earn LPGA status. This season, she has competed primarily on the FUTURES circuit, not missing the cut in eight tournaments and sitting at 26th on the money list.
Smith was a three-time All-SEC selection, an All-American in 2007 and competed in three NCAA Championships in her career at Rocky Top from 2005-09.
Oh snagged All-SEC honors in 2007 and finished her two-year Big Orange career (2006-08) with a 75.08 stroke average - good for sixth-best all-time.
Shepley, the Lady Vols' volunteer assistant coach, claimed All-America accolades in 2004 and competed for UT from 2001-05.
Yang, who has competed on the LPGA Tour since 2003 and has amassed nearly $700,000 in career earnings, also participated in the LPGA's State Farm Classic over the weekend, carding scores of 74 and 71 and just missing the cut. She has made two starts on the LPGA Tour this season and 147 starts in her career.
She was a four-time All-American for the Lady Vols from 1999-2002.
The next LPGA event is the ShopRite LPGA Classic this weekend in Galloway, N.J., while the FUTURES Tour will make a stop in Decatur, Ill., for the $125,000 Tate & Lyle Players Championship.
