Samantha Richdale Banks Her First LPGA Cheque Of 2010

A Kelowna resident in the off season, Richdale earned $3,359 for finishing last and in 72nd place in the KIA CLASSIC Presented by J Golf, but at least she made the cut in her first outing as an exempt member of the LPGA Tour. Fellow Canadians Alena Sharp and veteran Lorie Kane did not fare so well while Hee Kyung Seo won the tournament title and $255,000.

After finishing fourth on the 2009 Duramed FUTURES Tour and gaining entry onto the LPGA Tour, Richdale traveled to Asia in January to prepare for this season. That turned out to be the smartest move she could have made. She won the Royal Open on the Taiwan LPGA Tour and collected $30,000.

See - Richdale - A Champion in Taiwan

Ernie Els was required to play five holes on Monday due to Sunday's rain delay and wound up winning his second consecutive PGA TOUR title, the Arnold Palmer Invitational, and was rewarded with a first place cheque for $1,080,000. Steven Ames received $30,420 for finishing T30 and Mike Weir came away with $20,484 for his T40. The win is the 18th of Els' career, and his second of 2010 (World Golf Championships-CA Championship).

On the Nationwide Tour Jon Mills finished 12 strokes behind winner Fabian Gomez. Mills collected $5,720 while Gomez banked $99,000. Both Chris Baryla and Julien Trudeau sat out the final two rounds.

RESULTS

PGA - Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard
1 Ernie Els 68 69 69 71 277 $1,080,000
T30 Stephen Ames 73 71 71 75 290 $ 33,420
T40 Mike Weir 67 73 77 74 291 $ 20,484

LPGA - KIA CLASSIC Presented by J Golf
1 Hee Kyung Seo 70 67 69 70 276 $255,000
72 Samantha Richdale 73 75 80 80 308 $ 3,359
MC Alena Sharp 75 77 152
DQ Lorie Kane 76

NATIONWIDE - Chitimacha Louisiana Open
1 Fabian Gomez 70 68 67 64 269 $99,000
21 Jon Mills 68 70 68 75 281 $ 5,720
CUT Julien Trudeau 73 71 144
CUT Chris Baryla 73 74 147