Carter Advances At European Tour Qualifier

It may be her first time to travel to Europe, but former Ole Miss All-American Dori Carter seemed right at home in the first stage of the Ladies European Tour School qualifying event at La Manga Golf Course in Murcia, Spain.

Carter shot a 76-73-70-78—297 to tie for 22nd place and secure a spot in the final stage of the LET qualifying event.

If she can finish in the top-35 in the final stage at La Manga next week, Carter will gain full status on the European Tour.

Already a member of the LPGA Tour in the United States, the Valdosta, Ga., native is hoping to supplement her schedule in the States with events across the Atlantic.

For Carter, playing in Europe also brings out a special sense of pride in representing her country.

“Another thing about playing in Europe is that I no longer reside/represent Valdosta, Georgia,” Carter said. “I am announced as Dori Carter from the United States.”

It hasn’t been all business in Europe for the former Rebel, though. Carter has taken time to do some sight-seeing in Spain when she is not on the golf course.

“I have had a great time in Spain so far,” said Carter. “On my way to Murcia, I was able to spend an afternoon in Madrid. What an amazing city! I made my way to Puerta del Sol (downtown) and wandered around. I ate lunch at the Mercado de San Miguel, which is an indoor market with fresh everything.”

Marathon Ends In Jubilation For Carter

Former Ole Miss All-American Dori Carter shot a 74 in the first round of LPGA Q-School at the Legends Course in Daytona Beach, Fla. on Wednesday. While disappointed with how she finished the first round—bogey, bogey—Carter looked at the big picture.

"The good news (she wrote in an email), this is a marathon, not a sprint. I have four more rounds to play."

And play she did. She finished the five-day marathon of golf at 3-under 357, good enough to earn a tie for fourth place and safely secure her LPGA Tour card for the second consecutive year. Afterwards, she was jubilant and relieved at the same time.

“It’s the best feeling in the whole wide world, just knowing that it’s done, I hope I never have to come back here,” Carter said.

Next up for Carter is a trip overseas to Europe. She and several other qualifiers are headed to Spain in January for Ladies European Tour Qualifying School. Carter hopes to gain full status there to supplement her schedule in the States.

“I’m excited, I’ve never been to Europe before,” she said. “This will be a new experience for me and hopefully it will be a good one.”

Dori Carter Comes Full Circle

Former Rebel All-American Dori Carter is back in Daytona Beach, Fla., this week competing in LPGA Q-School. Lisa D. Mickey, senior writer with the LPGA, caught up with the Georgia native to talk about her first year on the tour. Click here to read the story.

Rebels In The Rocky Mountains

The Ole Miss women's golf team recently spent a few days in Vail, Colo., for the Golfweek Conference Challenge. Check out the highlights including comments from head coach Michele Drinkard.

Gleadall Starts Fast

Senior golfer Natalie Gleadall got off to a fast start at the Golfweek Conference Challenge in Vail, Colo., Monday, shooting a 69 to tie for the individual lead. Afterwards, she talked to Golfweek about the tricky greens at Red Sky Golf Club. Watch and read what she had to say here.

Aloha!

The Ole Miss women's golf team announced an exciting 2011-12 schedule today, which includes a trip to Maui in March for the Anuenue Spring Break Classic at the famed Kapalua Golf Resort. Head over to OleMissSports.com to see the full schedule.

Golfweek Tap-In

While the soccer, volleyball and football teams get ready to kick off preseason, in just a little less than a month, the Ole Miss women's golf team will be back on campus to start preparing for the 2011-12 season. With the season just a few short weeks away, Golfweek writer Asher Wildman is breaking down the top 60 men's and women's teams, and today he previews the Ole Miss women's golf team. Click here to read his take on the team, which will be led by three seniors and welcomes the addition of two talented players.

Follow me on Twitter at @krebel

From The Pros To College Coaching

Last week's NCAA Division I Women’s East Regional golf tournament at LPGA International in Daytona Beach, Fla., featured many of the nation's top collegiate players with a number of LPGA Futures Tour members serving as their coaches. One of those was Ole Miss assistant coach Janell Howland. Check out the entire article here.

Dori Carter Set To Debut On LPGA Tour

Former Ole Miss All-American Dori Carter is set to make her debut on the LPGA Tour Friday at the RR Donnelly Founders Cup in Phoenix, Ariz. Carter is one of 28 rookies on tour this year. She qualified in her first attempt at Q-school in the fall. Follow her at www.LPGA.com.

A Q&A With LPGA Tour Rookie Dori Carter

Former Ole Miss All-American Dori Carter is getting ready for her debut on the LPGA Tour. Golf Digest recently sat down with the Valdosta, Ga., native for a Q&A with the rookie. Click here to read the article.

Ole Miss Headed To The LPGA Tour

Former All-American Dori Carter will be carrying Ole Miss with her everywhere she travels during her rookie season on the LPGA Tour this year. Check out her newly designed golf bag.

A Team To Watch

Rebel golf is on the rise. Golfweek named the Ole Miss women's golf team one of five teams to watch this spring. Click here to see what Golfweek's Asher Wildman had to say about the Rebels.

Dreams Do Come True

Former All-American Dori Carter had a successful pro debut this past year on the Duramed Futures Tour. She won the Pennsylvania Classic and finished 14th on the money list. Carter is set to compete in the final stage of Q-School in December where she hopes to earn her LPGA Card. Click here to read about how a simple act of kindness years ago changed her life forever.

A Solid Rookie Year

Former two-time Ole Miss All-American Dori Carter wrapped up her rookie season on the Duramed Futures Tour Sunday at the Price Chopper Classic, with her fifth top-10 showing of the year. Carter went into the final round tied for the lead at 4-under, but shot a 74 to finish tied for 10th.

Following the round, the top 10 players on the money list were awarded their 2011 LPGA Tour cards. Players who finished 11th-20th on the money list earned exemption into the final stage of LPGA Qualifying School. Carter finished 14th on the money list and thus earned exemption to the final stage of LPGA Qualifying School in December. Not a bad way to start your professional career.

"I could not be happier about my first professional season," Carter said. "It was a blast playing in all 17 tournaments! I have met so many great people and seen so many great places. I will always cherish these memories.

"I am so fortunate to be given this opportunity to play professional golf."

Carter's rookie season included her first professional win, as she captured the Pennsylvania Classic in August.

She's A Winner

You know the saying there's a first time for everything. It takes some professional golfers years before they win their first tournament title. For former Rebel two-time All-American Dori Carter, it happened six months into her rookie year on the LPGA Duramed FUTURES Tour, as she captured the Pennsylvania Classic Sunday in Harrisburg, Pa. Carter only needed two putts from eight feet on 18 to win her first pro tournament. The Valdosta, Ga., native shot a 68-68-68-204 for the three days to win by one. Click here to read about her first win.

A Hole-In-One

If you play golf then you know the odds of carding a hole-in-one are slim. Former Rebel two-time All-American Dori Carter netted her third hole-in-one and first as a professional in the second round of this week's LPGA Duramed Futures Tour ING New England Golf Classic. Carter used a 7-iron to ace the 153-yard third hole. Carter described the moment afterwards.

“We heard a loud crack, and then it disappeared,” said Carter, whose ball slammed into the flagstick and fell in the hole. “I walked up to the green and looked in the hole and there it was.”

She got the first hole-in-one on May 6, 2001 during her freshman year of high school and her second one on May 6, 2005 during her high school senior year.

Carter finished tied for eighth at the ING with a 70-69-67--206. This marked Carter's second top 10 and fifth top 20 finish since turning pro in January of this year.

Another Rebel Golfer To Lead USF

There is no shortage of Rebels in the University of South Florida's golf programs. Marci Kornegay teed it up for the Ole Miss women from 1998-2001 and is now in her fourth season as the Bulls head coach. And on Tuesday, USF handed the reigns of their men's program to another Rebel with the naming of Chris Malloy as their new head coach. Malloy was a big part of some successful Ole Miss teams during his time in Oxford, competing in the NCAA Tournament in 1999 and 2000.

Ironically, one of Malloy's teammates, Jon Bartlett, is also in the news today. The former Rebel All-American had his pro career cut short by injury, but he returned to the links over the weekend for an upset win at the West Virginia State Amateur. The win earned him a spot in the PGA Tour Greenbrier Classic, which starts July 28 on Bartlett's home Greenbrier course — the same course he just won on — in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va.

Other notable Rebels from that team include Haymes Snedeker of Big Break X fame and musician Josh Kelley, who certainly outkicked his coverage. A great group of guys that have gone on to great things.

Grantham's Grand Plan

It's been quite a week for Ole Miss golfer Sara Grantham, who wrapped up her career with the Rebels this past year by earning All-SEC honors and leading the Rebels to NCAA Regionals for the second year in a row.



The Wilsonville, Ala., native reached the semifinals of the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship on Friday with a 1-up win over Curtis Cup Team member and Auburn standout Cydney Clanton. Grantham ended up losing her semifinal match to Emily Hubert (incoming freshman at Arkansas) 1-up on the 19th hole. She was featured on the WAPL website. Click here to read the story.

Carter Soaring On Futures Tour

While the men were getting ready to battle it out in the final round of the U.S. Open Sunday, former Rebel golfer Dori Carter was finishing up a solid weekend in the final round of the Tate & Lyle Players Championship, a major on the LPGA Duramed Futures Tour.

The two-time All-American at Ole Miss shot four rounds in the 60s at Hickory Point Golf Club (Decatur, Ill.) to finish at 9-under 272 and tie for sixth, her best finish since turning pro in January of this year. Carter has recorded back-to-back top-20 finishes on the Duramed Futures Tour. Life on tour for Carter continues this coming week in Hammond, Ind., at the City of Hammond Championship.



You can keep up with Carter's progress at duramedfuturestour.com or by going to her website at www.doricarter.com.

Traveling Grove

Ole Miss is known for its tailgating at football games in The Grove. The women's golf team has taken to its own form of tailgating with the "Traveling Grove." Golfweek's Beth Ann Baldry featured it in Friday's wrap-up of the NCAA Central Regional. Click here to read what she had to say.