Montreal Woman Makes History

Isabelle Beisiegel, a 32-year-old Montreal native who played collegiate golf at the University of Oklahoma, became the first female to earn a playing card on a men's professional golf tour.

Beisiegel, known as "Izzy," carded a third-round, 4-under 68 at the 7,000-yard Morningstar Golf Club in in Parksville, British Columbia, and closed with a 75 on a rainy May 27th to tie for ninth in the Canadian Tour's Spring Qualifying School and take one of the two remaining nonexempt spots.

She opened with rounds of 75 and 78 to finish at 8-over 296. Andrew Kelly of Australia won the event to earn the first of five full exemptions, posting a 75 in the last round to finish at 1-under 287. American Phil Telliard (70) ended up a stroke back.

"I still can't believe it. It's a little overwhelming," Beisiegel said. "I went into today just trying not to get ahead of myself. I focused on thinking about where I was and not what could happen. I was assured in the fact that no matter what happened it was going to be OK."

This was Beisiegel's third attempt to earn a Canadian Tour card. It looked like she had a bright future after finishing as medalist in the 2003 LPGA Q-school in 2003. But she experienced difficulties in her first year on the LPGA Tour in 2004 and was later diagnosed with Graves Disease, which affects the autoimmune system.

Now completely recovered, Beisiegel is looking toward the future. But she admitted doubts to reporter James Clarke of the Parksville Qualicum Beach News on the eve of Spring Qualifying School.

"Oh my goodness, this course is a great challenge, and it was in great shape and the greens were faster than I thought they'd be today," she told Clarke. "I found the course extremely challenging, so challenging I even considered withdrawing from the event . . . I'm glad I didn't."

A pep talk with her husband back home in Oklahoma after a practice round helped buoy her for the task at hand. "I called and talked with my husband and he said it was okay to come home if I wanted to, if I felt it wasn't serving me," she told Clarke. "I prayed to God to renew my purpose and give me strength so that I could persevere, and that's just what He did."

Count a Canadian Tour official impressed with Beisiegel's accomplishment. "It went really well - we're really happy with the result," said Reegan Price, director of business and tournament affairs for the Canadian Tour. "Izzy did a great job. She played very well and earned the right to play on the Canadian tour this year.

"It's an exciting thing," Reegan told Clarke. "She's the first woman to ever qualify for a men's tour, and were very proud to be part of such a history-making moment."

The Canadian tour starts this week in Victoria at the Times Colonist Island Savings Open.

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