East Lansing, Mich. – Just a few days after finishing in 11th place during four rounds of play at the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Q-Series, former Michigan State women’s golfer Valery Plata takes to the course again on Thursday in the second round of qualifying.
Plata, who played her final semester with the Spartans this year, turned professional and competed in the first leg of the Q-Series last week. The LPGA Q-Series is a two-part event for golfers seeking to make the tour.
The top-70 players including ties from last week’s opening rounds advanced to the second week of play, which starts on Thursday at Highland Oaks Golf Course in Dothan, Ala. and runs through Sunday, Dec. 11.
Scores are cumulative and Plata will enter in 11th place after firing an 11-under par 275 last week, posting scores of 73-66-67-69. Over the final 54 holes, Plata made a total of 41 pars, 13 birdies and no bogeys.
This second week of the LPGA Q-Series is again four rounds. The top 20 finishers will earn full exempt status, with golfers placing in positions 21 to 45 gain conditional LPGA Tour status and 46 and above take spots on the Epson Tour.
Live scoring for the LPGA Q-Series can be found here.
Plata wrapped up one of the best careers in Michigan State history this Fall. She was a three-time All-Big Ten First Team selection and was the league’s Player of the Year in 2020, when she was selected an honorable mention All-American by the Women’s Golf Coaches Association. Plata owns two of the top-10 single season scoring averages in program history, with her 72.26 average in 2021 third all-time last year’s 72.63 average seventh all-time. She finishes her career ranked third all-time in scoring average at Michigan State (73.15).
Plata, who reached the semifinals of the U.S. Amateur in 2020 and the round of 32 in 2021, had an incredible summer in 2022, tying for second place during the first leg of the LPGA Q Series in California and played in three professional events, the AIG Women’s Open in Scotland, the Amundi Evian Championship in France and in the Meijer Classic.
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