LAKELAND, Fla., June 20, 2006 — Duramed FUTURES Tour player Gaelle Truet of Noumea, New Caledonia died in a car accident Sunday afternoon. The third-year, 27-year-old pro was driving from last week’s tournament in Decatur, Ill., to the next event in Lima, Ohio, on eastbound I-74 when her car lost control on the wet surface, veered across the median and collided with a westbound tractor trailer.
"We are terribly saddened by this news," said Zayra F. Calderon, president/CEO of the Duramed FUTURES Tour. "Gaelle was an exemplary player, a great ambassador and wonderful friend to many. We were privileged to have had the opportunity to share many moments with Gaelle on and off the golf course and will always remember her warm personality, her friendliness and her constant and bright smile."
The Duramed FUTURES Tour will hold a Memorial Service in remembrance of Truet Wednesday at 9:00 a.m., at The Lost Creek Country Club in Lima, Ohio, site of this week’s event. Gaelle is survived by her parents Remy and Madeleine Truet who live in New Caledonia and her twin brother, Loic, who resides in Queensland, Australia. Funeral arrangements currently are incomplete.
This is the first time in the 26-year history of the Tour that a player has died in a traffic accident.
"Gaelle’s untimely death leaves us with heavy hearts and a loss for words," continued Calderon. "We unite with all the players and staff of the Duramed FUTURES Tour in sending our condolences to her family. We know that all who met her, whether they were housing hosts, fellow players, or fans, will be saddened by this news, as we are. We will always remember this great person, with her constant smile and charming French accent."
Truet was a member of the Arizona State University women’s golf team from 2001-2003. She was a two-time NCAA Academic All-American First Team selection in 2002 and 2003 and won the 2003 South Pacific Games while representing New Caledonia. Truet’s career-best finish came this year when she tied for sixth at the IOS FUTURES Golf Classic in El Paso, Texas.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Gaelle Truet Fund and sent to the Duramed FUTURES Tour headquarters at 1643 Williamsburg Square, Lakeland, Florida 33803. Any cards or correspondences should be sent the Tour’s headquarters or can be made on the Duramed FUTURES Tour web site at www.duramedfuturestour.com/Tribute.
Special Note: The reason for the late release was the difficulty the Indiana State Police had in notifying the family in Noumea, New Caledonia.
About the Duramed FUTURES Tour
Celebrating 26 competitive seasons in 2006, the Duramed FUTURES Tour has remained committed to developing the skills and dreams of women golfers, establishing role models for youth and creating LPGA stars of tomorrow. With more than 280 alumnae as current members of the LPGA Tour, former FUTURES Tour players have won a total of 295 LPGA titles, including 31 major championships through 2005. Designated as "the official developmental tour of the LPGA," the Duramed FUTURES Tour has become the largest international developmental tour and the second largest women’s golf tour in the world. At season’s end each year, the top five players on the Tour’s Money List earn automatic LPGA Tour exemptions for the following year. Throughout its first quarter century, membership has increased from approximately 150 North American players to more than 300 players from 31 different nations. The Tour now conducts 19 tournaments in 14 states and has raised nearly $4 million for charitable organizations since 1989.
Contact:
Lisa D. Mickey
Duramed FUTURES Tour
419-516-4502 (this week in Lima, Ohio)
lisa@duramedfuturestour.com
