There’s a three-way tie for the lead after the first round of the season-ending Symetra Tour Championship in Daytona Beach, Fla., but this is a week that runs much deeper than who’s atop the leaderboard.
Come Sunday’s finish, there will be 10 players celebrating victories.
That’s how many LPGA tour cards will be won off the top of the season-long Volvik Race for the Card money list.
Daniela Iacobelli opened with a 7-under-par 65 to grab a share of the lead at LPGA International’s Jones Course. She knows what magic can happen with a strong finish. Iacobelli jumped from 22nd on the tour’s money list to fifth when she won the Tour Championship in 2012. She starts this week 16th on the money list.
Finishing up with a birdie Thursday, Iacobelli relished good memories.
“I felt nerves over the putt on No. 18, because you’re staring out at the LPGA sign, and I could remember the exact putt I had when I won in 2012,” Iacobelli said. “It was a little reminiscent, but still a fresh start.”
Iacobelli is tied for the lead with Kendra Dalton and Laura Wearn.
The battle for the 10 tour cards opened a bit with news that Mind Muangkhumsakul wouldn’t be teeing it up this week. She holds down the 10th spot on the money list but missed her tee time for Wednesday’s pro-am and was withdrawn from the event, per tour rules. Muangkhumsakul has a $10,176 lead on Min Seo Kwak on the money list, and Kwak made a strong start Thursday. Kwak opened with a 66 and is tied for fourth.