Strom Separates Herself from Stage I Q-School Field

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. -- To be (a professional), or not to be? That's the question Linnea Strom has been pondering lately. The Arizona State All-American has two years of college eligibility remaining, but she's already helped the Sun Devils to win an NCAA championship. In fact, she won the clinching point in the title match this year. 

Her ultimate goal in golf is to play on the LPGA Tour, and it looks as though she's ready. On Sunday, she posted a 6-under-par 66 in the final round of Stage I of the LPGA's Q-School and claimed medalist honors by six strokes. She is playing as an amateur; so she has the option of returning to school and not losing her college eligibility. But if she makes it through the two remaining stages of Q-School, and gets full status -- or something close to it -- for the 2018 LPGA season, there wouldn't be much point in not turning pro.

Strom completed 72 holes in 271 strokes at the Dinah Shore, Arnold Palmer and Gary Player courses in Rancho Mirage. Soo Jin Lee was a distant second at 277. She shot 71 on Sunday. 

Martina Edberg and Haley Mills tied for third at 278, and there was a three-way tie for fiffth at 279. 

There were more than 350 hopefuls when the Stage I tournament began. The top 90 will advance to Stage II in Venice, Fla., for Stage II, beginning Oct. 18. 

No Minnesotan made it through Stage I. One of the more notable casualties was Casey Danielson, a Stanford All-American and a four-time Wisconsin state high school champ from Osceola. She shot 221 for three rounds and missed the 54-hole cut by a single stroke. 


LPGA Tour Qualifying

Stage 1

At Dinah Shore Course, Par 72 (Mission Hills Country Club)

At Arnold Palmer Course, Par 72 (Mission Hills Country Club)

At Gary Player Course, Par 72 (Westin Resort)

Rancho Mirage, Calif. 

Final results (the top 90 finishers and ties will advance to Stage II of the LPGA Q-School in Venice, Fla., Oct. 18-22)

1. Linnea Strom (A)                  69-69-67-66--271 (-17)

2. Soo Jin Lee                         66-71-69-71--277

T3. Martina Edberg                 69-70-70-69--278

T3. Haley Mills                        68-73-66-71--278

T5. Pajaree Anannarukarn       71-69-67-72--279

T5. Stacy Bregman                  69-68-68-74--279

T5. Janie Jackson                   71-64-71-73--279

T8. Huize Lian (A)                   72-68-71-69--280

T8. Harang Lee                       71-70-70-69--280

T8. Minea Blomqvist-Kakko   70-72-68-70--280

What it took to make the top 90 -- 291 (exactly 90 players had 291 or better) 

Missed 54-hole cut -- top 125 and ties (220)

T144. Casey Danielson          73-72-76--221

T249. Katie Detlefsen             80-74-74--228

T262. Brenna Lervick (A)       76-77-76--229

T350. Sara Detlefsen              81-79-88--248