Michaels wins last two Futures events, earns tour card

Albany, NY – After winning the final two events on the 2011 Futures Tour schedule, Sydnee Michaels will be playing on the LPGA Tour in 2012.

Michaels shot a final-round five-under 65 on Sunday to win the Price Copper Tour Championship by one stroke and become one of 10 players on tour to graduate to the LPGA Tour.

"I looked at the card photos of the players who finished in the top 10 last year and I said, 'If they can do it, I can do it,'" Michaels said. "So I looked forward to the whole season and being able to hold my card over my head."

She finished 54 holes at eight-under 202 to edge Jessi Gebhardt by a stroke at Capital Hills at Albany. Gebhardt also shot a five-under 65, but finished at seven-under to finish just short.

Mo Martin (67) finished third at minus-five, while Hanna Kang (68), Angela Buzminski (72) and overnight leader Jackie Barenborg (73) shared fourth at four-under.

Given that this is the last event on tour in 2011, the top 10 players on the year-end money list automatically graduated to the LPGA Tour for next year.

The 10 include: Kathleen Ekey, Lisa Ferrero, Martin, Michaels, Jane Rah, Tiffany Joh, Valentine Derrey, Kang, Jenny Gleason and Tzu-Chi Lin.

The next 12 players on the money list automatically qualify for Stage III of the LPGA Qualifying Tournament, set for November 30-December 4.