RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. – LSU’s Austin Ernst, the defending NCAA individual champion and a member of the 2012 Curtis Cup team, will tee off here Thursday in the first LPGA major of the year, the Kraft Nabisco Championship at the Mission Hills Country Club.
Ernst is one of five amateurs invited to the event on a sponsor’s exemption. She joins former LSU star and U. S. Women’s Amateur Champion, Meredith Duncan, who represented LSU in the tournament in 2002.
The four-round event runs through Sunday and will be televised exclusively on The Golf Channel.
Ernst has three career wins to her credit, including this year’s Cougar Classic at 13-under par 203 (67-69-67). She has posted three top five finishes in seven events, including a fourth-place finish in her most recent start at The University Club, finishing at 2-over 218 (73-73-72).
Wednesday, Ernst said about her preparations and the atmosphere at the tournament site: “This week has been nothing short of amazing so far. The people at Mission Hills and in Palm Springs have been so welcoming and friendly. The atmosphere has changed since we got here on Saturday and you can feel the excitement in the air.
“I’ve been working hard to get my game sharp for the next four days,” the sophomore from Seneca, S.C., said. “The course is in great shape and is set up very fair to give us an opportunity to score. I was fortunate to play a few holes (Tuesday) with seven-time major champion, Karrie Webb. It was a great experience and I’m looking forward to getting the week started (Thursday).
Ernst will be one of the last off the tee on the opening day, going off No. 1 at 4:14 p.m. CST.