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Posted by Rich Tortorelli - Wed, Sep 2, 2009 - [ Women's Golf ] - Viewed 614 times
Ashley Sholer
Ashley Sholer

CALGARY, Alberta - Former Oklahoma City University golfer Ashley Sholer will become the first former Star to play in an LPGA event when she tees off in the CN Canadian Open on Thursday.

Sholer, the 2006 NAIA women's individual champion, will be the first former OCU player in the LPGA since OCU started women's golf in 2000-01 and the first since Susie Maxwell Berning, who competed for the OCU men's team.

The CN Canadian Open tees off at 8:20 a.m. Central time. CBC will provide a live Internet video stream, which is available by clicking here.

Sholer, from Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, captured her exemption by finishing in a tie for ninth in the CN Canadian Women's Tour event at Hillsdale Golf and Country Club on July 13-15.

Tuesday, Sholer played 27 holes on the Priddis Greens in preparation for her LPGA debut. She played the first nine holes with longtime Canadian pro Lori Kane, then played her next nine with Cristie Kerr.

"I get to play with the big players," Sholer said. "It's a different experience. I'm trying to soak it up. I signed about 40 autographs."

Kane invited her niece to walk a few holes of the practice round. Coincidentally, Sholer had done the same with Kane when she was younger.

"She was my favorite growing up," Sholer said of Kane. "Today she asked if it was okay if her niece walked a few holes with us. I had watched her at a tournament when I was younger and walked a few holes with her. I had watched her ever since.

"Ever since I picked up a club it's been my dream to play professionally. I never imagined I would play in the LPGA my first year out. The greens are super quick, and the rough is really rough. They are exaggerated. I thought I'd struggle with the par 4s, but it's not playing as long as I thought."

In 2008-09, Sholer had a 77.31 stroke average. Sholer had the two lowest single-season stroke averages and became one of five four-time all-Americans in OCU program history. She posted a career average of 77.03 shots per 18 holes.

"I am so glad that our program and university will be represented at the Canadian Open," OCU coach M.J. Desbiens said. "I am so excited for Ashley to be playing in this prestigious event. She has worked really hard for this moment, and she deserves it."

Sholer also tied for third in the NAIA Championships as a sophomore and finished as the NAIA individual runner-up as a senior. Sholer captured the Sooner Athletic Conference individual crown as a junior. She helped the Stars win four NAIA championships before finishing her eligibility in May - OCU has won the past five national titles.

Also in 2006, Sholer won the Ontario Women's Amateur, advanced to the Round of 16 in the U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links Championship and represented Ontario in the Royale Cup.

Berning became the first woman to compete on a golf scholarship at OCU. She turned pro in 1964 and won four major championships on the LPGA - the 1965 Western Open and the U.S. Women's Open in 1968, 1972 and 1973.

SAC Scoreboard
Yesterday
Volleyball
Hillsdale Free Will Baptist College at 0
Saint Gregory's 3
MACU at 0
Austin College 3
Women's Soccer
Northwestern at 1
Southwestern Oklahoma 2
Southern Nazarene at 0
McKendree University 2
Today
Men's Tennis
Oklahoma Baptist at  
TBA  
Oklahoma City Collegiate Open (Sept. 10-11 at the Oklahoma City Tennis Center)
Volleyball
Oklahoma Baptist vs 11:00am
Doane College CST
Hastings Tournament Sept. 10-11 in Hastings, Neb.
Lubbock Christian vs 12:00pm
Texas A&M International University CST
Angelo Retina Angelo State University Invitational - San Angelo, Texas
MACU vs 12:00pm
Sul Ross State University CST
Austin College Volleyball Classic
Oklahoma City vs 1:00pm
William Jewell College CST
Baker Invitational in Baldwin City, Kan. - Sept. 10-11
Benedictine College vs 1:00pm
John Brown CST
Baker University Invitational
Wayland Baptist vs 2:00pm
Holy Names College CST
Embry-Riddle AZ Tournament - Sept. 10-11
Lubbock Christian vs 3:00pm
Central Oklahoma CST
Angelo Retina Angelo State University Invitational - San Angelo, Texas
Dordt College vs 5:00pm
Oklahoma Baptist CST
Midwestern State at 6:00pm
Lubbock Christian CST
Oklahoma City at 7:00pm
Baker University CST
Baker Invitational in Baldwin City, Kan.
William Jewell College vs 7:00pm
John Brown CST
Baker University Invitational
Wayland Baptist at 8:00pm
Embry-Riddle (AZ) CST
Embry-Riddle AZ Tournament - Sept. 10-11
MACU vs 8:00pm
University of Texas-Tyler CST
Austin College Volleyball Classic
Men's Cross Country
John Brown at  
Friends Invitational
Northwestern at 6:00pm
Friends Invitational - Lake Afton, Kasas
Women's Cross Country
John Brown at  
Friends Invitational
Northwestern at 6:00pm
Friends Invitational - Lake Afton, Kansas
Men's Soccer
Oklahoma City vs 12:30pm
Belhaven University CST
John Brown Classic in Siloam Springs, Ark. - Sept. 10-11
Brescia University at 3:00pm
USAO CST
Lyon College at 3:00pm
John Brown CST
2010 Quality Inn Fall Classic
Friends University at 7:00pm
Rogers State CST
Women's Soccer
Oklahoma City vs 2:00pm
Midwestern State CST
Central Oklahoma Classic in Edmond, Okla.
MACU at 2:00pm
Southwest Christian CST
John Brown at 3:00pm
Mount Vernon Nazarene College CST
Friends University at 5:00pm
Rogers State CST
Saturday, Sep 11
Volleyball
Wayland Baptist vs  
TBA  
Embry-Riddle AZ Tournament - Sept. 10-11
Lubbock Christian vs 9:00am
Incarnate Word University CST
Angelo Retina Angelo State University Invitational - San Angelo, Texas
Oklahoma City vs 11:00am
Benedictine College CST
Baker Invitational in Baldwin City, Kan.
Ottawa University vs 11:00am
John Brown CST
Baker University Invitational
Oklahoma Baptist vs 11:00am
Briar Cliff University CST
Hastings Tournament Sept. 10-11 in Hastings, Neb.
Lubbock Christian at 12:00pm
Angelo State University CST
Angelo Retina Angelo State University Invitational - San Angelo, Texas
MACU vs 2:00pm
Mary Hardin-Baylor CST
Austin College Volleyball Classic
Oklahoma City vs 3:00pm
Avila College CST
Baker Invitational in Baldwin City, Kan.
Northwestern College vs 3:00pm
Oklahoma Baptist CST
John Brown at 5:00pm
Baker University CST
Baker University Invitational
MACU vs 6:00pm
Hardin-Simmons CST
Austin College Volleyball Classic
Men's Cross Country
Oklahoma Baptist at  
UCO Land Run
Oklahoma Christian at  
UCO Land Run
Women's Cross Country
Oklahoma Christian at  
UCO Land Run
Men's Soccer
Oklahoma City vs 12:30pm
Lyon College CST
John Brown Classic in Siloam Springs, Ark.
Brescia University at 2:00pm
Saint Gregory's CST
Belhaven University at 3:00pm
John Brown CST
2010 Quality Inn Fall Classic
Lubbock Christian at 3:00pm
Texas Wesleyan University CST
Oklahoma Christian at 4:00pm
Oklahoma Wesleyan University CST
Wayland Baptist at 4:00pm
Howard Payne University CST
St. Thomas - Houston at 4:00pm
USAO CST
Women's Soccer
John Brown at 12:00pm
Cincinnati Christian University CST
Lubbock Christian at 1:00pm
Texas Wesleyan University CST
Oklahoma Christian at 2:00pm
Sterling College CST
Wayland Baptist at 2:00pm
Howard Payne University CST