Page 6 - 2016EldoradoShootout

6 – MONDAY, September 19, 2016 – El Dorado NEWS-TIMES
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UCA graduate boasts home-field advantage
Contributed photo
Home cooking: Julia Roth, a graduate of the University of Central Arkansas, hits out of the sand during tournament play. A native of Sweden, she feels comfortable in Arkansas.
Special to the News-Times
EL DORADO — Arkansas holds a special place in the heart of Symetra Tour golfer Julia Roth, who will be com- peting in the Murphy USA El Dorado Shootout for the second time this year. While she’s a native of Karlskrona, Sweden, she came to the United States to play golf for the University of Central Arkansas in Conway, an experience that she credits with molding her into the golfer she is today.
“I started playing golf when I was fourteen, but my parents don’t play, so golf wasn’t real- ly in our family like it is for most golfers,” said Roth. “When I moved to the U.S. for college, I felt like it really became an important part of me and my life.”Roth enjoyed an extremely
successful college career. She was named the 2013 Southland Conference Women’s Golfer of the Year, and was the first golfer to be named Southland Conference Golfer of the Month four times. Roth also enjoyed her time off the links, making strong bonds and enjoying some much-appreciated hospitality while she was so far from home.
“I had a great time in Arkansas and Conway. Everyone real- ly opened up their arms and helped me out as much as possi- ble: the university, my coaches, and friends,” said Roth. “The first thing that I think of when I think of Arkansas is the peo- ple. Everyone is really nice and helpful. The culture is differ- ent than Sweden, but I really had a good time there, lear- ned a ton, and got to expe-
See ROTH, Page 15
About Symetra
MISSION
The mission of the Symetra Tour is to prepare the world’s best young women professional golfers for a successful career on the LPGA Tour. The tour has experienced tremendous growth over the last three years. The 2016 season marks the first time that a play- er will earn over $100,000 (Madelene Sagstrom). It’s also the first time that at least 12 players have earned over $60,000.
LPGA ALIGNMENT
The Symetra Tour is known as “the Road to the LPGA” and since 1999, it has been designated as the LPGA’s official developmental tour. The LPGA acquired the Symetra Tour in July 2007. A total of 117 women have graduated from the Symetra Tour to the LPGA since 1999.
More than 600 Symetra Tour alumnae have earned LPGA membership.
Through 2015, Symetra Tour alums own a total of 418 LPGA victories and 39 major championships.
•Tour alums won 10 LPGA tourna- ments in 2012, including one major.
•In 2016, 9 of the top 25 and 55 of the top 100 on the LPGA money list have ties to the Symetra Tour.
•Tour graduate Inbee Park (2006) won the 2016 Olympic gold medal in the return of golf to the Olympics in Rio.
•Tour graduate Gerina Piller (2010) was the 2015 Solheim Cup hero for the United States and has 30 career top 10 finishes.
•Tour graduate Mo Martin (2011) won the 2014 RICOH Women’s British Open and has eight career top 10 finishes on the LPGA.
•Rising Canadian star Brooke Henderson won the 2015 Four Winds Invitational on the Symetra Tour.
•Tour alum Karrie Webb is a member of the LPGA and World Golf Halls of Fame and was a two-time LPGA Tour winner in 2011, at the HSBC Women’s Champions and the inaugural LPGA Founders Cup.
In 2016, at the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open, 96 of the 156 women in the field had ties to the Symetra Tour
Stacy Lewis, a Symetra Tour alum, followed up her first career major win at the 2011 Kraft Nabisco Championship and U.S. Solheim Cup Team selection with 4 wins and 16 top-10 finishes in 2012 en route to earning Player of the Year.
Six of the 12 members of the 2011 U.S. Solheim Cup Team were alumnae of the Symetra Tour (Ryann O’Toole, Vicky Hurst, Christie Kerr, Stacy Lewis, Angela Stanford, Christina Kim) as well as team captain Rosie Jones.
Although a native of Sweden, Roth feels right at home in Arkansas
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