DeLeat Celebrates; Meldrum Makes the LPGA Tour

Graham DeLaet is on his way to the PGA Tour, but the coverage of the Canadian’s ascension is spotty at best. My morning Globe, for example, had no reference to DeLaet at all — aside from a bolded name in the stats page.

Ian Hutchison spoke with DeLaet and filed this story for the Toronto Sun, while the Globe’s website ran this story, which appears to be an Associated Press story with some Canadian names added.  The Toronto Star’s story is a variation on a theme. Strangely the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix, about 3.5 hours from DeLaet’s hometown of Weyburn ran a wire story on his success, while the Regina Leader-Post at least spoke to him (Regina is about 1.5 hours from Weyburn) and mentioned DeLaet is the first player from Saskatchewan to earn a PGA Tour card. You’d think that would warrant more coverage, but I guess not.

The heartbreaker has to be Julien Trudeau of Montreal, who missed qualifying for the PGA Tour by a single stroke:

Montreals Julien Trudeau, however, wasnt as fortunate. He was one one of eight players who finished 26th just under the cut at 8 under.

Trudeaus friends raised $4,000 to send him to the final round of Q-school and cover the price tag of hotels, dinners and the rental car. He rewarded them by winning a Nationwide Tour card, but he waited for hours after his round ended to see if 8 under would be good enough, first sipping coffee in the locker room and then beer in the parking lot.

One way or the other, Im so happy to be here, Trudeau said. And so lucky.

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Montreal’s Lisa Meldrum was the only one of six Canadians to secure her LPGA Tour card yesterday, which is surprising and disappointing. Women’s golf in Canada seems to be struggling on the professional level these days, with Lorie Kane appearing while past her prime, while Alena Sharp has not progressed as expected.

The Montreal Gazette’s Randy Phillips caught up with Meldrum:

“It really hasn’t sunk in yet, but I’m sure it will soon,” Meldrum said. “I know what I did this week was the really the result of the good golf I played for most of the year, so I’m very pleased about that.

“Actually, you know, I feel pretty good,” Meldrum after emerging from the tour’s orientation session for new members that began right after the final round at the Champions Course at LPGA International.

She fired a one-under-par 71 to finish at 355, tied with three others for fifth, four shots behind winner Amanda Blumenherst of Scottsdale, Ariz.

A member at Royal Montreal and a three-time Canadian women’s amateur champion who turned pro in 2004, Meldrum was the only one of six Canadians in the field to qualify among the top 20 players to earn “priority-list 11″ status, making her eligible for every standard field next season.

She expects to make her debut at the LPGA Classic at La Costa, Calif., March 25-28.