Drury junior-to-be will participate in first national USGA event next month

For release: Upon receipt

(Courtesy of Drury Sports Information Office ... Contact SID Scott Puryear at 417-873-4097 for more details)

May 24, 2006

O'FALLON, Mo. - Drury University junior-to-be Tonya Choate qualified for her first United States Golf Association championship on Wednesday when her 1-over-par 73 at Winghaven Country Club led the qualifying for the US Women's Amateur Public Links Championship.

Choate, who calls the Mount Vernon Municipal Course home, snagged one of two spots out of a field of 14 golfers who were trying to make the field for the national championships June 20-25 at the Walking Stick Golf Course in Pueblo, Colorado. Denise Munzlinger, a former University of Missouri standout from Moberly, was second, five shots back of Choate with a 78.

Choate recently capped her sophomore season with the Panthers by finishing eighth in the NCAA Division II Championships in Allendale, Mich. She earned National Co-Player of the Year honors and first team All-America status after winning eight events during the 2005-06 school year.

The U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links Championship began in 1977 at Yahara Hills Golf Club in Madison, Wis. The WAPL is open to female golfers who have been bona fide public- course players since Jan. 1 of the current championship year. The competition is open to any bona fide public-course player whose USGA Handicap Index does not exceed 18.4. The WAPL is one of 13 national championships conducted annually by the USGA, 10 of which are strictly for amateurs.