May 31, 2002

DURHAM, N.C. - Duke University senior women's golfer Candy Hannemann announced on Friday she signed with the International Management Group (IMG) and will begin her professional career on the FUTURES Golf Tour. Her first tournament will be on June 6-9 at The Greater Lima FUTURES Open at the Lost Creek Country Club in Lima, Ohio.

Hannemann will have 11 tournaments remaining on the FUTURES Tour to try to place in the top three of the money list to receive exempt status on the LPGA Tour next season.

The Rio de Janeiro, Brazil native leaves Duke as one of the winningest women's golfers in the history of the program. She concluded her Duke career with two National Championships, 33 team victories, five individual tournament victories, one NCAA Individual Championship, 23 top-10 finishes and with the top stroke average in school history of 72.88, which she had as a junior.

Hannemann's 73.55 stroke average as a senior was the seventh best in school history and received All-America honors for the second consecutive season . Hannemann closed out her stellar career with a season-best 68 in the final round of the NCAA Championship last Friday

She will try to qualify for the U.S. Women's Open on June 3 at the Twin Orchard Country Club in Long Grove, Ill. Other Blue Devils trying to qualify for the U.S. Open are rising junior's Virada Nirapathpongporn (Bangkok, Thailand) and Leigh Anne Hardin (Martinsville, Ind.). Nirapathpongporn will play on June 5 at the Deer Brook Golf Club in Shelby, N.C., while Hardin on June 4 at the Blue Heron Pines Golf Club in Kennett Square, Pa..

Former Blue Devil and current member of the LPGA Tour, Beth Bauer, will also try to qualify for the U.S. Open on June 3 in Long Grove, Ill. with Hannemann. The U.S. Women's Open qualifying is 36-hole stroke play.

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