Former Woodford County, UK golfer Mallory Blackwelder plays her way on to LPGA Tour

Mallory Blackwelder, a former Woodford County and University of Kentucky standout, finished 10th on the Symetra Tour's money list to earn one of 10 full-time LPGA Tour cards available to the developmental tour's players.

Blackwelder finished tied for 18th in the Symetra Tour Championship at Daytona Beach, Fla., which was good enough to hold on to the final spot in the top-10 standings.

"Honestly, it hasn't hit me yet. I don't know when it will," Blackwelder said. "People kept saying 'Oh you're fine, you're fine' but I was not celebrating until it was all official. I was so stressed about it and I'm just so happy that I got it done. I'm speechless."

Blackwelder, who split time between the LPGA and Ladies European tours in 2010, will celebrate in a big way. She's getting married to PGA caddie Jules Trudeau this coming weekend. They met when both competed on the Golf Channel's Big Break reality-competition program.

The daughter of former LPGA star and UK coach Myra Blackwelder, Mallory will have the company of family on the LPGA Tour next season.

"Someone just texted me that I'm going to be out with my dad and my brother (both caddies) next year and it's awesome," Mallory Blackwelder said. "I've been thinking about this for so long and I just kept coming up short and coming up short and I'm so glad that I didn't come up short this time."

Blackwelder had one of the most impressive turnarounds in Symetra Tour history, jumping from a 95th-place finish in 2013 to earning her LPGA card in 2015. Her year was highlighted by her first career victory at the Symetra Classic and three additional top-10 finishes, including a runner-up finish at the Prairie Band Casino & Hotel Charity Classic.

Blackwelder was the first former UK star to have an LPGA Tour card since Tonya Gill in 2004, according to the Symetra Tour's news release.

Former University of Louisville standout Sara-Maude Juneau had a shot at earning her LPGA card, too. She began the final tournament 11th on the money list, but she ended up 13th.

This story was originally published September 21, 2014 at 9:01 PM with the headline "Former Woodford County, UK golfer Mallory Blackwelder plays her way on to LPGA Tour."