Vikki Laing wins $15,000 as runner-up
in season-sending Futures Tour event

Last week’s Duramed Futures Tour's final season-ending tournament, the inaugural $150,000 Duramed Invitational, came down to a “Battle of the Vickies.”
Vikki Laing from Musselburgh held a two-stroke lead after 11 holes in the final round over Vicky Hurst from Florida but in the end, Hurst, the rookie, prevailed by one shot at 211 (-2) at Chateau Elan’s par-71 Chateau Course.
“It’s the last tournament of the season, so it’s special,” said Hurst, 18, who carded rounds of 71-69-71 for an unofficial payday of $21,000. “It’s not for rankings or anything like that. It’s just my last chance to see the other players and staff members and it’s pretty special to walk away with a win.”
Hurst and Laing each matched identical rounds of three birdies and three bogeys on Sunday, but Laing, who was a tournament winner in 2007, made her three birdies on the first 10 holes. She struggled with her putting on the back nine.
“Just coming down the stretch, I didn’t hole anything and you need one or two of them,” said Laing, who finished second at 1-under-par 212 to earn $15,000 as runner-up.
The turning point in the final round came on the par-three 16th hole, where both players had to scramble for par. Laing chipped 13 feet past the hole and didn’t get up and down, while Hurst drained a 20-footer to save par. On what she called “probably the toughest hole all year,” Hurst hit her 9-iron approach to seven feet on the 338-yard uphill 17th hole, and then converted for birdie. Hurst gave a shot back on the 18th when her approach landed 18 feet above the hole, but her first putt rolled six feet past the cup, rendering a three-putt finish. Still, Hurst was safe by one shot.
“She has a great golf swing and she rolls the ball well on the green,” said Laing of Hurst. “She’s doing all the right things. She’s going to do just fine at the next level.”