Amanda Blumenherst
Encyclopedia
Amanda Blumenherst is an American professional golfer
who plays on the U.S.-based LPGA Tour. She was a three-time National Player of the Year at Duke University
and won the U.S. Women's Amateur title in 2008.
, and began playing golf at the age of four. She attended high school at Xavier College Preparatory in Phoenix
, where she was a four-time Rolex
All-American and was the third ranked national recruit as a senior. She led Xavier College Prep to the 5A state championships for four straight years. She held the Arizona's 5A High School Girl's Golf State Tournament record with a score of 69–66=135 (−9).
in Durham
, North Carolina
, Blumenherst was named the National Freshman of the Year by numerous publications. She had the lowest stroke average by a Duke freshman, 71.62, and was the second freshman at Duke to win her first collegiate golf tournament. She set a Blue Devil
freshman record with a 54-hole total of 208 at the Mason Rudolph Championship.
as the only two-time winners. She set a school-record 71.00 stroke average, and tied an NCAA record with a 63 (−9) at the NCAA East Regionals.
for golf as the best collegiate female golfer, which put her in the running for the Honda-Broderick Cup
award as the collegiate Female Athlete of the Year. She was named the ACC
Player of the Year for the third consecutive year, and had 30 career top 10 finishes. She won her third straight individual ACC championship in Daytona Beach
, Florida, and finished fifth at the NCAA championships at Albuquerque
. She led the Blue Devils to a second-place team finish at the NCAA East Regional and a third-place national finish in New Mexico. Blumenherst won an unprecedented third "NCGA" National Player of the Year award.
Co-Player of the Year. She graduated magna cum laude with a 3.84 GPA from Duke in May 2009 with a degree in history and minors in English
and Theater. She was awarded the Dinah Shore Trophy by the LPGA Foundation for the second consecutive year. The award is presented to the female collegiate golfer who excels in both academics and athletics, while also demonstrating outstanding leadership skills and community service. In 2009, Amanda was a semi-finalist (one of twelve) for the Sullivan Award given annually to the worlds most outstanding amateur athlete. She was also one of nine finalists for the 2009 NCAA Woman of the Year Award.
on the LPGA Tour, and in 2006 and 2008 helped the U.S. win the Curtis Cup
. At the 2006 U.S. Women's Open
, she finished tied for tenth and shared low amateur
honors with Jane Park
. The following year she finished tied for 50th at the 2007 U.S. Women's Open
, one of four amateurs to make the cut. She advanced to the second round of match play at the U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links
(WAPL), and at the North and South Women's Amateur. Blumenherst was the runner-up at the 2007 U.S. Women's Amateur
, falling 1 up to Maria José Uribe
in 36 holes. In 2008
, she again made the cut at the U.S Women's Open and finished tied for 38th. A month later she won 2008 U.S. Women's Amateur in Eugene
, Oregon, with a 2 & 1 victory over NCAA champion Azahara Muñoz
in the 36-hole final on August 10.
Golf as a paid member of its touring staff. Her amateur accomplishments qualified her for membership of the Futures Tour
and she played in six Futures Tour events in the summer of 2009, with three top-10 finishes. Blumenherst was the medalist at the first stage of the LPGA Qualifying Tournament
in September; she was 16 under par over four rounds to win by six strokes. Later that month Blumenherst, entered on a sponsor's exemption, finished tied for 5th at the CVS/Pharmacy LPGA Challenge
in California. In December at Daytona Beach
, she won the five-round LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament by two strokes to earn her tour card for 2010
.
LPGA season, the Honda PTT LPGA Thailand and the HSBC Women's Champions
as sponsors' invites. She finished T18 and 62nd, respectively, but as a sponsor invite her earnings did not count on the official LPGA money list. She went on to play in 22 tournaments and finished 51st on the 2010 money list and fourth in the LPGA Rookie of the Year standings, won by Muñoz.
LA = Low Amateur
DNP = did not play
"T" = tied
CUT = missed the half-way cut
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10.
1 Blumenhurst turned pro in May 2009 and was not an LPGA member; earnings were unofficial for the 2009 LPGA money list.
2 February earnings at the 2010 Honda PTT LPGA Thailand ($16,156) and 2010 HSBC Women's Champions ($3,251)
were unofficial under LPGA rules (sponsor invite) and are not included.
Professional golfer
In golf the distinction between amateurs and professionals is rigorously maintained. An amateur who breaches the rules of amateur status may lose his or her amateur status. A golfer who has lost his or her amateur status may not play in amateur competitions until amateur status has been reinstated;...
who plays on the U.S.-based LPGA Tour. She was a three-time National Player of the Year at Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
and won the U.S. Women's Amateur title in 2008.
High school and early life
Blumenherst was born in Scottsdale, ArizonaScottsdale, Arizona
Scottsdale is a city in the eastern part of Maricopa County, Arizona, United States, adjacent to Phoenix. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2010 the population of the city was 217,385...
, and began playing golf at the age of four. She attended high school at Xavier College Preparatory in Phoenix
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
, where she was a four-time Rolex
Rolex
Rolex SA is a Swiss watchmaking manufacturer of high-quality, luxury wristwatches. Rolex watches are popularly regarded as status symbols and BusinessWeek magazine ranks Rolex No.71 on its 2007 annual list of the 100 most valuable global brands...
All-American and was the third ranked national recruit as a senior. She led Xavier College Prep to the 5A state championships for four straight years. She held the Arizona's 5A High School Girl's Golf State Tournament record with a score of 69–66=135 (−9).
2005–06 (Freshman)
At Duke UniversityDuke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
in Durham
Durham, North Carolina
Durham is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the county seat of Durham County and also extends into Wake County. It is the fifth-largest city in the state, and the 85th-largest in the United States by population, with 228,330 residents as of the 2010 United States census...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, Blumenherst was named the National Freshman of the Year by numerous publications. She had the lowest stroke average by a Duke freshman, 71.62, and was the second freshman at Duke to win her first collegiate golf tournament. She set a Blue Devil
Duke Blue Devils
Duke University's 26 varsity sports teams, known as the Blue Devils, compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The name comes from the French "les Diables Bleus" or "the Blue Devils," which was the nickname given during World War I to the Chasseurs Alpins, the French Alpine light infantry...
freshman record with a 54-hole total of 208 at the Mason Rudolph Championship.
2006–07 (Sophomore)
Blumenherst was named the NGCA National Player of the Year for the second year in a row. She won the Golfstat Cup to join Lorena OchoaLorena Ochoa
Lorena Ochoa Reyes is a Mexican professional golfer who played on the U.S.-based LPGA Tour from 2003 to 2010, and was the top-ranked female golfer in the world for over three years, from April 2007 to her retirement in May 2010...
as the only two-time winners. She set a school-record 71.00 stroke average, and tied an NCAA record with a 63 (−9) at the NCAA East Regionals.
2007–08 (Junior)
Blumenherst won her second consecutive Honda Sports AwardHonda Sports Award
The Honda Sports Award is an annual award in the United States of America, given to the best collegiate female athlete in each of twelve sports. There are four nominees for each sport, and the twelve winners of the Honda Award are automatically in the running for the Honda-Broderick Cup award, as...
for golf as the best collegiate female golfer, which put her in the running for the Honda-Broderick Cup
Honda-Broderick Cup
The Honda-Broderick Cup is a sports award for college-level female athletes. The awards are voted on by a national panel of more than 1000 collegiate athletic directors. It was first presented by the late Thomas Broderick, owner of a sports apparel company, in 1977, with the first award going to...
award as the collegiate Female Athlete of the Year. She was named the ACC
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
Player of the Year for the third consecutive year, and had 30 career top 10 finishes. She won her third straight individual ACC championship in Daytona Beach
Daytona Beach, Florida
Daytona Beach is a city in Volusia County, Florida, USA. According to 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the city has a population of 64,211. Daytona Beach is a principal city of the Deltona – Daytona Beach – Ormond Beach, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which the census bureau estimated had...
, Florida, and finished fifth at the NCAA championships at Albuquerque
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Albuquerque is the largest city in the state of New Mexico, United States. It is the county seat of Bernalillo County and is situated in the central part of the state, straddling the Rio Grande. The city population was 545,852 as of the 2010 Census and ranks as the 32nd-largest city in the U.S. As...
. She led the Blue Devils to a second-place team finish at the NCAA East Regional and a third-place national finish in New Mexico. Blumenherst won an unprecedented third "NCGA" National Player of the Year award.
2008–09 (Senior)
In her senior year, Blumenherst saw less impressive results, winning only once during the regular season, while still being named the ACCAtlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
Co-Player of the Year. She graduated magna cum laude with a 3.84 GPA from Duke in May 2009 with a degree in history and minors in English
English major
The English Major is a term in the United States and a few other countries for an undergraduate university degree focused around the consumption, analysis, and production of texts in the English language...
and Theater. She was awarded the Dinah Shore Trophy by the LPGA Foundation for the second consecutive year. The award is presented to the female collegiate golfer who excels in both academics and athletics, while also demonstrating outstanding leadership skills and community service. In 2009, Amanda was a semi-finalist (one of twelve) for the Sullivan Award given annually to the worlds most outstanding amateur athlete. She was also one of nine finalists for the 2009 NCAA Woman of the Year Award.
Other amateur golf achievements
In 2008, Blumenherst finished 30th at the LPGA Kraft Nabisco Championship2008 Kraft Nabisco Championship
The 2008 Kraft Nabisco Championship was played April 3–6 at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California. This was the 37th edition of the Kraft Nabisco Championship, and the 26th as a major championship....
on the LPGA Tour, and in 2006 and 2008 helped the U.S. win the Curtis Cup
Curtis Cup
The Curtis Cup is the best known team trophy for women amateur golfers, awarded in the biennial Curtis Cup Match . It is co-organised by the United States Golf Association and the Ladies Golf Union and is contested by teams representing the United States and "Great Britain and Ireland"...
. At the 2006 U.S. Women's Open
2006 U.S. Women's Open Golf Championship
The 2006 U.S. Women's Open Golf Championship was contested from June 30 to July 4 at Newport Country Club in Newport, Rhode Island. It was the 61st edition of the U.S. Women's Open....
, she finished tied for tenth and shared low amateur
Amateur
An amateur is generally considered a person attached to a particular pursuit, study, or science, without pay and often without formal training....
honors with Jane Park
Jane Park
Jane Park is an American professional golfer who plays on the Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour. Before turning professional, Park reached the finals of the 2003 U.S. Women's Amateur Championship and 2004 U.S. Girls' Junior Championship, and won the 2004 U.S. Women's Amateur Championship....
. The following year she finished tied for 50th at the 2007 U.S. Women's Open
2007 U.S. Women's Open Golf Championship
The 2007 U.S. Women's Open was played from June 28 to July 1 in 2007. It was won by Cristie Kerr by one stroke over Angela Park and Lorena Ochoa. The victory was the first major championship won by Kerr....
, one of four amateurs to make the cut. She advanced to the second round of match play at the U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links
U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links
The U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links Championship, often referred to as the Public Links or the Publinx, is a women's amateur golf tournament, one of 10 individual amateur championships organized by the USGA and first played in 1977. The USGA officially calls the event the U.S. Women's Amateur...
(WAPL), and at the North and South Women's Amateur. Blumenherst was the runner-up at the 2007 U.S. Women's Amateur
United States Women's Amateur Golf Championship
The U.S. Women's Amateur is the leading golf tournament in the United States for female amateur golfers. It is played annually and is one of the 13 United States national golf championships organized by the United States Golf Association . Female amateurs from all nations are eligible to compete...
, falling 1 up to Maria José Uribe
Maria José Uribe
María José Uribe Durán is a professional golfer from Colombia, currently playing on the LPGA Tour.- Amateur career :...
in 36 holes. In 2008
2008 U.S. Women's Open Golf Championship
The 2008 U.S. Women's Open Golf Championship took place in Edina, Minnesota at Interlachen Country Club from June 26 to June 29. The winner was 19-year old Inbee Park, edging out Swedish golfer and winner of the 1993 Kraft Nabisco Championship Helen Alfredsson....
, she again made the cut at the U.S Women's Open and finished tied for 38th. A month later she won 2008 U.S. Women's Amateur in Eugene
Eugene, Oregon
Eugene is the second largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and the seat of Lane County. It is located at the south end of the Willamette Valley, at the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast.As of the 2010 U.S...
, Oregon, with a 2 & 1 victory over NCAA champion Azahara Muñoz
Azahara Muñoz
Azahara Muñoz Guijarro is a Spanish professional golfer on the U.S.-based LPGA Tour and Ladies European Tour.-Amateur career:...
in the 36-hole final on August 10.
2009
On May 27, 2009, Blumenherst announced that she turned professional and had signed with the IMG sports management company and with NikeNike, Inc.
Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
Golf as a paid member of its touring staff. Her amateur accomplishments qualified her for membership of the Futures Tour
FUTURES Tour
The LPGA Futures Tour, previously styled in uppercase as FUTURES Tour and known for sponsorship reasons between 2006 and 2010 as the Duramed FUTURES Tour, is the official developmental golf tour of the LPGA Tour...
and she played in six Futures Tour events in the summer of 2009, with three top-10 finishes. Blumenherst was the medalist at the first stage of the LPGA Qualifying Tournament
Qualifying school
In professional golf the term qualifying school is used for the annual qualifying tournaments for leading golf tours such as the U.S. based PGA and LPGA Tours and the European Tour. A fixed number of players in the event win membership of the tour for the following season, otherwise known as a...
in September; she was 16 under par over four rounds to win by six strokes. Later that month Blumenherst, entered on a sponsor's exemption, finished tied for 5th at the CVS/Pharmacy LPGA Challenge
CVS/pharmacy LPGA Challenge
The CVS/pharmacy LPGA Challenges was a 72-hole golf tournament for professional female golfers that was part of the LPGA Tour from 1996 through 2010. It was played at various sites in Northern California and was managed by the Bruno Event Team...
in California. In December at Daytona Beach
Daytona Beach, Florida
Daytona Beach is a city in Volusia County, Florida, USA. According to 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the city has a population of 64,211. Daytona Beach is a principal city of the Deltona – Daytona Beach – Ormond Beach, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which the census bureau estimated had...
, she won the five-round LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament by two strokes to earn her tour card for 2010
2010 LPGA Tour
The 2010 LPGA Tour was a series of weekly golf tournaments for elite female golfers from around the world that began in Thailand on February 13, 2010 and ended in Florida on December 5, 2010...
.
2010
Blumenherst played the first two tournaments of the 20102010 LPGA Tour
The 2010 LPGA Tour was a series of weekly golf tournaments for elite female golfers from around the world that began in Thailand on February 13, 2010 and ended in Florida on December 5, 2010...
LPGA season, the Honda PTT LPGA Thailand and the HSBC Women's Champions
HSBC Women's Champions
The HSBC Women's Champions is a golf tournament for professional female golfers that is part of the LPGA Tour. It was played for the first time in 2008 at the Tanah Merah Country Club in Singapore....
as sponsors' invites. She finished T18 and 62nd, respectively, but as a sponsor invite her earnings did not count on the official LPGA money list. She went on to play in 22 tournaments and finished 51st on the 2010 money list and fourth in the LPGA Rookie of the Year standings, won by Muñoz.
Results in LPGA majors
| Tournament | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kraft Nabisco Championship Kraft Nabisco Championship The Kraft Nabisco Championship is one of the four major championships on the LPGA Tour. It was founded in 1972 by Dinah Shore and has been classified as a major since 1983... |
DNP | DNP | 30 LA | DNP | DNP | T41 |
| LPGA Championship LPGA Championship The LPGA Championship, currently known for sponsorship reasons as the Wegmans LPGA Championship, is the second-longest running tournament in the history of the Ladies Professional Golf Association surpassed only by the U.S. Women's Open. It is one of four majors on the LPGA tour... |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | 71 | CUT |
| U.S. Women's Open | T10 TLA | T50 | T38 | T52 | CUT | CUT |
| Women's British Open Women's British Open The Women's British Open is a leading event in women's professional golf and the only tournament which is classified as a major championship by both the Ladies European Tour and the LPGA Tour. Since 2007, it has been called the Ricoh Women's British Open, for sponsorship reasons... |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT | T54 |
LA = Low Amateur
DNP = did not play
"T" = tied
CUT = missed the half-way cut
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10.
LPGA Tour career summary
| Year | Tournaments played | Cuts made | Wins | 2nd | 3rd | Top 10s | Best finish | Earnings ($ United States dollar The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies.... ) | Money list rank | Scoring average | Scoring rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 2006 LPGA Tour The 2006 LPGA Tour was a series of weekly golf tournaments for elite female golfers from around the world which took place from February through December 2006. The tournaments were sanctioned by the United States based Ladies Professional Golf Association... |
3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | T10 | n/a | 72.00 | n/a | |
| 2007 2007 LPGA Tour The 2007 LPGA Tour was a series of weekly golf tournaments for elite female golfers from around the world that took place from February through December 2007. The tournaments were sanctioned by the United States based Ladies Professional Golf Association... |
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | T50 | n/a | 74.00 | n/a | |
| 2008 2008 LPGA Tour The 2008 LPGA Tour was a series of weekly golf tournaments for elite female golfers from around the world that took place from February through December 2008. The tournaments were sanctioned by the United States based Ladies Professional Golf Association... |
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 | n/a | 73.87 | n/a | |
| 2009 2009 LPGA Tour The 2009 LPGA Tour was a series of weekly golf tournaments for elite female golfers from around the world that took place from February through November 2009. The tournaments were sanctioned by the United States based Ladies Professional Golf Association .... |
5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | T5 | 74,0251 | n/a | 71.56 | n/a |
| 2010 2010 LPGA Tour The 2010 LPGA Tour was a series of weekly golf tournaments for elite female golfers from around the world that began in Thailand on February 13, 2010 and ended in Florida on December 5, 2010... |
22 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | T7 | 178,1812 | 51 | 72.86 | 64 |
| 2011 2011 LPGA Tour The 2011 LPGA Tour was a series of weekly golf tournaments for elite female golfers from around the world that began in Thailand on February 17, 2011 and had its last official event end on November 20, 2011 in Florida... |
18 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | T9 | 143,162 | 52 | 73.16 | 74 |
- official as of October 16, 2011
1 Blumenhurst turned pro in May 2009 and was not an LPGA member; earnings were unofficial for the 2009 LPGA money list.
2 February earnings at the 2010 Honda PTT LPGA Thailand ($16,156) and 2010 HSBC Women's Champions ($3,251)
were unofficial under LPGA rules (sponsor invite) and are not included.
Junior golf and high school
- Rolex Junior All-American (2002–2005)
- Two-time Arizona 5A State Player of the Year (2003–2004)
- Phoenix Women’s Sports Association H.S. Scholar-Athlete of the Year (2004)
- Arizona Female High School Senior Scholar-Athlete of the Year (2005)
College and amateur career
- NGCA National Freshman of the Year (2006)
- Golf Week National Freshman of the Year (2006)
- Edith Cummings Munson Golf AwardEdith Cummings Munson Golf AwardThe Edith Cummings Munson Golf Award is an annual award inspired by Edith Cummings Munson that is given to one of the top collegiate female golfers who excels in academics. The award is presented by the National Golf Coaches Association . The award goes to the student-athlete who is both a NGCA...
(2006) - ACC Freshman of the Year (2006)
- Golfstat Cup winner (2006–2008)
- NGCA First Team All-American (2006–2008)
- Honda Sports Award Golf (2006–2008)
- Golf Week First Team All-American (2006–2008)
- ACC Player of the Year (2006–2008)
- ACC First Team (2006–2008)
- NGCA National Player of the Year (2006–2009)
- Nancy Lopez Award (2007–2009)
- Golf Week National Player of the Year (2007)
- NGCA Scholar All-American (2007)
- ESPN The MagazineESPN The MagazineESPN The Magazine is a bi-weekly sports magazine published by the ESPN sports network in Bristol, Connecticut in the United States. The first issue was published on March 11, 1998....
Academic All-American (2007, 2009) - ESPN The MagazineESPN The MagazineESPN The Magazine is a bi-weekly sports magazine published by the ESPN sports network in Bristol, Connecticut in the United States. The first issue was published on March 11, 1998....
Academic All-District III (2008) - 'Golf WorldGolf WorldGolf World is a weekly magazine covering the game of golf published by Condé Nast Publications. It celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2007, and is therefore the oldest golf publication in the United States...
Player of the Mid-Year (2008) - NCAA Woman of the Year Finalist (2009)
- Sullivan Award Semi-Finalist (2009)
- ACC Co-Player of the Year (2009)
External links
- GoDuke.com – profile – Amanda Blumenherst
- The ACC.com – Amanda Blumenherst Q&A