IMG Junior Golf Tour's Symetra Tour exemption race to be decided at Victoria Hills Golf Club, March 16-17

For the second consecutive season, the Symetra Tour, the LPGA’s developmental tour, offered an exemption to the top female from the 15-18 Division of the IMG Junior Golf Tour, by way of points accumulated across 13 qualifying events (an increase from six the previous year). They are playing for a chance to compete as an amateur in the Guardian Retirement Championship at Sara Bay, to be held at Sara Bay Country Club in Sarasota, Fla., April 26-28. The thirteenth and final event to determine this year’s Symetra Tour exemption winner will take place at Victoria Hills Golf Club in DeLand, Fla., March 16-17. There is a tight race between the top-six players, and each of them is within reach of winning the exemption at the deciding event. 

“The IMG Junior Golf Tour is proud to be able to offer this unique opportunity to the young women in the 15-18 Division to play their way into a professional event so early in their career,” said Andrew Parr, Tournament Director, IMG Junior Golf Tour. “For the second straight year, the Symetra Tour exemption race is going down to the wire, and we couldn’t be more proud of the players who remain in contention, and wish them luck.”  

The points standing for the exemption heading into Victoria Hills is: 

1. Yvonne Zheng (Bradenton, Fla.; Class of 2013), 260 points
2. Camila Serrano (Bogota, Colombia; Class of 2013), 240 points
3. Ailin Li (Windermere, Fla.; Class of 2015), 225 points
4. Lisa Unterganschnigg (Zell am See, Austria; Class of 2014), 215 points
5. Vivian Chen (Taichung City, Taiwan; Class of 2013), 175 points
6. Maria Rodriguez (Cali, Colombia; Class of 2013), 160 points

“The relationship between the Symetra Tour and the IMG Junior Golf Tour brings an added level of excitement to this event,” said Mike Nichols, Chief Business Officer of the Symetra Tour. “It’s thrilling to be able to see all these hard working players competing for a spot, and earning the chance to compete alongside the next generation of women golfers.” 

This marks the second year for the Guardian Retirement Championship at Sara Bay, formerly known as the Sara Bay Classic. Last year, the points race for the Symetra Tour exemption came down to the final qualifying event at The Golf Club at North Hampton in Fernandina Beach, Fla. Current points leader Yvonne Zheng entered the event in first place, but faltered as Bolivia’s Natalia Pérez overtook the lead and earned the exemption. Meanwhile, Esther Choe of Scottsdale, Ariz. went on to win the inaugural Symetra Tour event, and finished atop the 2012 Symetra Tour money list to earn her 2013 LPGA Tour card.