Stephanie Kono wins LPGA card only to lose UCLA eligibility

Stephanie Kono didn’t plan to earn her LPGA Tour playing privileges this year. It just turned out that way.

Kono traveled to Florida last week just hoping to earn a spot on the LPGA Futures Tour and then finish out her final golf season at UCLA, leaving with a degree and maybe an NCAA championship.

Instead, Kono finished tied for ninth overall at the LPGA qualifying tournament and is now in possession of an LPGA Tour card — but is ineligible to play her senior season at UCLA.

The LPGA and the Futures Tour used to have separate qualifying tournaments, and most college players entered the Futures event. This year the two were combined. There are three stages, the final one being five rounds that began last Wednesday. The top 20 finishers earn LPGA Tour cards.

Kono and her UCLA coach, Carrie Forsyth, were confused about the qualifying process. After Kono advanced to the third stage, Forsyth twice asked LPGA officials if Kono needed to play in the final stage to secure a spot on the Futures Tour. And twice Forsyth was told that Kono did, indeed, need to play in the third stage to get a Futures card.

“I’m obviously disappointed that I didn’t get the correct information from the LPGA,” Kono said Monday. “I wish I had received the correct information from the start. I’m definitely happy I got my LPGA card, but I feel robbed a little bit too. It’s mixed feelings.”

LPGA spokesman Mike Scanlan acknowledged that Kono had received incorrect information from the LPGA.

“This was an isolated incident and we have accepted responsibility for the misinformation,” Scanlan said.

But Scanlan also said there would be no exception to the rule that LPGA membership can’t be deferred.

“Our expectation has been that amateurs who have entered final qualifying have intended to turn professional if they earn LPGA status,” he said.

As soon as a player finishes her last hole of the qualifying event, she is offered her LPGA card. Kono could have refused it, returned to UCLA and started the process from scratch next year.

“But you never know,” Kono said. “In one way, I’ve reached my dream — to play on the LPGA Tour. You can’t say no. I just wish it hadn’t happened this way.”

Kono was granted one exception by the LPGA: All the other newly minted LPGA Tour members had to stay in Florida for rookie orientation. Kono received permission to leave early so she could return to UCLA to take final exams starting Tuesday.

diane.pucin@latimes.com

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