NATALIE GULBIS
Birthdate: January 7, 1983
Birthplace: Sacramento, Calif.
Age: 22
Ht: 5'9"
Home: Lake Las Vegas, Nev.
Turned Professional: 2001
LPGA Tour Wins: None
Player Notes:
Professional
2004 Highlights
• Recorded her season-best finish at the Chick-fil-A Charity Championship hosted by Nancy Lopez, where she tied for seventh and carded a season-low 66 during the second round.
• Posted an additional five top-15 finishes: tied for 10th at the Safeway Classic Presented by Pepsi; tied for 11th at both the BMO Financial Group Canadian Women's Open and the Giant Eagle LPGA Classic; tied for 13th at the Weetabix Women's British Open; and tied for 15th at the LPGA Takefuji Classic.
• Also fired a 66 in the first round of the LPGA Corning Classic and the second round of the Wachovia LPGA Classic Hosted by Betsy King.
• Carded her first LPGA career hole-in-one during the final round of the Safeway Classic Presented by Pepsi.
2004 Stats (Rank)
Rds under par: 41/89 (29)Rds in the 60s: 19/89 (46)Birdies: 296 (21)
Eagles: 7 (19)
Greens in reg: 67.1% (50)
Driving accuracy: 68.9% (99)
Sand saves: 33.3% (103)Putts per GIR: 1.82 (53)
Driving avg: 261 (18)
2003 Highlights
• Tied for 12th at the Chick-fil-A Charity Championship hosted by Nancy Lopez for her best finish of the season.
• Tied for 13th at both the U.S. Women's Open and the Kellogg-Keebler Classic.
• Carded a career-low 63 in the third round of the Welch's/Fry's Championship.
2003 Stats (Rank)
Rds under par: 33/82 (42)Rds in the 60s: 20/82 (28)Birdies: 260 (29)
Eagles: 3 (52)Greens in reg: 66.4% (38)Driving accuracy: 70% (71)
Sand saves: 35.6% (90)Putts per GIR: 1.81 (37)Driving avg: 247.9 (96)
2002 Highlights
• Tied for fifth at the ShopRite LPGA Classic and the Giant Eagle LPGA Classic for her best finishes of the season.
Carded a career-low 65 in the final round of the Jamie Farr Kroger Classic Presented by ALLTEL, where she tied for seventh; also finished eighth at the Aerus Electrolux USA Championship Hosted by Vince Gill and Amy Grant.
• Finished second to Beth Bauer in the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year points standings.
2002 Stats (rank)
Rds under par: 29/77 (50)Rds in the 60s: 18/77 (30)Birdies: 235 (34)
Eagles: 3 (56)Greens in reg: 65% (47)Driving accuracy: 70.7% (76)
Sand saves: 41.5% (40)Putting avg: 29.97 (67)Driving avg: 250.6 (69
• In 2001, tied for third at the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament to earn exempt status for the 2002 season; won the LPGA Sectional Qualifying Tournament in Venice, Fla., by eight strokes.
Amateur
At the age of 14, Gulbis became the youngest player to Monday qualify for an LPGA tournament (1997, Longs Drugs Challenge). She held the record for five years until until Michelle Wie, 12, Monday qualified for the 2002 LPGA Takefuji Classic. She has represented the State of California in two USGA State Team Championships and was the U.S. Women's Amateur medalist in 1998. She won four collegiate tournaments while at the University of Arizona, including the NCAA West Regional. She was named a First-Team All-American in 2001. . .Also competed in the Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship in 1999. . .Started playing golf at the age of 4...Credits her father, John Gulbis, as the individual most influencing her career...Hobbies include working out and running.