by LUBBOCK, Texas – Texas Tech senior golfer Gabby Barker (Shoshone/Paiute) advanced to the second round of qualifying for the LPGA Tour this past weekend after finishing in a tie for 48th place over four rounds at the Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California.
A record field of 362 players couldn’t stop Barker, who rebounded from consecutive over-par rounds to start the tournament by firing a 1-under 71 on Saturday and then an impressive 4-under 68 on Sunday. She closed the event at 1-under for the tournament after recording 3-over and 2-over cards to begin the event.
Barker finished four strokes ahead of the cut, which moves her to the second stage of qualifying which will be held Oct. 19-22 at the Plantation Golf and Country Club in Venice, Florida. The second stage of qualifying will be a 72-hole format with no cut.
The top-80 players will advance to the third and final stage of qualifying on Nov. 29-Dec. 3 at LPGA International in Daytona Beach, Florida. Barker has already earned Symetra Tour status for 2018 after making the initial cut in the opening stage of qualifying.
Barker, a native of Caldwell, Idaho, will be with the Lady Raiders here in a few weeks when Tech tees off the 2017-18 season Sept. 11-12 at the Jim West Challenge in Houston.
