OLIVIA JORDAN-HIGGINS LOSES LEAD, FINISHES JOINT SECOND
FROM THE SYMETRA TOUR WEBSITE
Wei-Ling Hsu had nerves of steel during Sunday’s final-round and fired a 4-under 67 to win the Credit Union Challenge at 11-under-par at Capital Hills at Albany, New York State.
The Chinese Taipei native recorded five birdies and one bogey and needed only 29 putts during Sunday’s final round to cruise to the victory and become the third Symetra Tour rookie to win on Tour this season.
Hsu began Sunday trailing second-round leader Olivia Jordan-Higgins, pictured, from the Channel Islands, by three strokes and slipped further behind after a bogey at the par-4 third.
She was then able to recover with back-to-back birdies at Nos. 8 and 9 but after a quick glance at the eye catching leaderboard nestled on No. 9, quickly feared she was too far behind to catch-up.
“On the front-nine I saw a leaderboard and saw that someone was 10 or 11-under,” said Hsu. “When I made it to the ninth hole I was 7-under so I thought maybe I don’t have a chance.
After doubts began to flood Hsu’s thoughts, she recorded four consecutive pars beginning at the par-5 10th before making back-to-back birdies at Nos. 14 and 15.
It wasn’t until Kendall Dye made a bogey at the par-3 16th and Hsu made par, that the Symetra Tour rookie would find herself tied for the lead.
“I thought I had a chance on the par-4 14th because I made a birdie there and on 15,” said Hsu. “Then I saw a leaderboard and saw the leader was at 11-under but when I made birdie, I saw the leader make a bogey.”
With her dad on the bag this week, Hsu headed into the par-4 17th with the hope of avoiding the recent trend of playoffs that have occurred during this year’s Road to the LPGA.
“I just told my dad we have three holes to finish because every tournament has had a playoff. I told my dad that I don’t want a playoff because I will be very, very, very nervous. I hoped on 17 and 18 that I could make a birdie.”
Hsu did just what she set out to do as she birdied the par-4 17th while Dye took an untimely 3-putt double-bogey to grab ahold of the solo lead.
“I fell asleep back there,” said Dye. “I don’t want to say I threw-up all over myself because I played really steady the first three days, especially for not having 100% healthy.” After taking over the lead, Hsu never looked back and safely made par on the par-3 18th hole to take home a 2-stroke victory over Dye and Jordan-Higgins, and improve on a season-best tied for sixth finish.
The tied for second finish would serve as Jordan-Higgins’ second consecutive time coming up just shy of taking home the title at the Credit Union Challenge.
While the Jersey, Channel Islands, UK native began the day with the lead, a cold putter would leave Jordan-Higgins just shy of her first Symetra Tour victory.
“I did not hole a single putt outside of four-feet,” said Jordan-Higgins. “It was just a rough day and very frustrating more than anything.”
Volvik Race for the Card…
The highly anticipated Volvik Race for the Card continued at the conclusion of the Symetra Classic. Each year since 1999 players have been playing their way onto the LPGA Tour through the Symetra Tour’s Volvik Race for the Card by finishing atop the season-ending money list.
The Volvik Race for the Card spotlights movement on the Tour’s 2013 season money list as players jockey for position among the top-10 money winners. This year marks the second year 10 players will receive fully-exempt status on next year’s LPGA Tour.
It was a day to remember for Wei-Ling Hsu on Sunday as she took her first professional victory at the Credit Union Challenge. The victory inched the Symetra Tour rookie one-step closer to obtaining her LPGA Tour card as she moved from No. 31 in the Volvik Race for the Card to No. 6.
A native of Chinese Taipei, Hsu hopes to follow in the footsteps of Yani Tseng, Candie Kung, and Amy Hung, and earn her LPGA Tour card for next season.
“I think it’s very important because the Symetra has a top-10 able to get into the LPGA and I think this tour is very focused, you have to be very focused,” said Hsu. “I think Taiwan will be very happy for me and it is my first season so I really hope I can get into the top-10. With Yani Tseng, Candie Kung, and Amy Hung, I hope I can be the fourth.”
At the conclusion of the Credit Union Challenge, players moving into the top 10 spots on the money list are as follows:
1 Sue Kim of Langley, British Columbia, $33,693
2 Cydney Clanton of Concord, N.C., $30,331
3 Jaclyn Sweeney of Bradenton, Fla., $29,550
4 Laura Kueny of Whitehall, Mich., $27,915
5 Melissa Eaton of Port Shepstone, S. Africa, $24,676
6 Wei-Ling Hsu of Chinese Taipei, $24,187
7 Marissa Steen of West Chester, Ohio, $24,080
8 Alena Sharp of Hamilton, Ontario, $22,918
9 Kim Kaufman of Clark, S.D., $22,785
10 Marina Alex of Wayne, N.J., $22,276
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 213 (3x71)
202 Wei-Ling Hsu (Chinese Taipei) 66 69 67 ($15,000)
204 Kendall Dye (USA) 72 64 68, Olivia Jordan-Higgins (Channel Islands) 68 64 72 ($8,030 each)
205 Hannah Jun (USA) 9 69 67, Catherine O'Donnell (USA) 66 68 71 ($4,747 each).
TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES
CLICK HERE
Wei-Ling Hsu had nerves of steel during Sunday’s final-round and fired a 4-under 67 to win the Credit Union Challenge at 11-under-par at Capital Hills at Albany, New York State.
The Chinese Taipei native recorded five birdies and one bogey and needed only 29 putts during Sunday’s final round to cruise to the victory and become the third Symetra Tour rookie to win on Tour this season.
Hsu began Sunday trailing second-round leader Olivia Jordan-Higgins, pictured, from the Channel Islands, by three strokes and slipped further behind after a bogey at the par-4 third.
She was then able to recover with back-to-back birdies at Nos. 8 and 9 but after a quick glance at the eye catching leaderboard nestled on No. 9, quickly feared she was too far behind to catch-up.
“On the front-nine I saw a leaderboard and saw that someone was 10 or 11-under,” said Hsu. “When I made it to the ninth hole I was 7-under so I thought maybe I don’t have a chance.
After doubts began to flood Hsu’s thoughts, she recorded four consecutive pars beginning at the par-5 10th before making back-to-back birdies at Nos. 14 and 15.
It wasn’t until Kendall Dye made a bogey at the par-3 16th and Hsu made par, that the Symetra Tour rookie would find herself tied for the lead.
“I thought I had a chance on the par-4 14th because I made a birdie there and on 15,” said Hsu. “Then I saw a leaderboard and saw the leader was at 11-under but when I made birdie, I saw the leader make a bogey.”
With her dad on the bag this week, Hsu headed into the par-4 17th with the hope of avoiding the recent trend of playoffs that have occurred during this year’s Road to the LPGA.
“I just told my dad we have three holes to finish because every tournament has had a playoff. I told my dad that I don’t want a playoff because I will be very, very, very nervous. I hoped on 17 and 18 that I could make a birdie.”
Hsu did just what she set out to do as she birdied the par-4 17th while Dye took an untimely 3-putt double-bogey to grab ahold of the solo lead.
“I fell asleep back there,” said Dye. “I don’t want to say I threw-up all over myself because I played really steady the first three days, especially for not having 100% healthy.” After taking over the lead, Hsu never looked back and safely made par on the par-3 18th hole to take home a 2-stroke victory over Dye and Jordan-Higgins, and improve on a season-best tied for sixth finish.
The tied for second finish would serve as Jordan-Higgins’ second consecutive time coming up just shy of taking home the title at the Credit Union Challenge.
While the Jersey, Channel Islands, UK native began the day with the lead, a cold putter would leave Jordan-Higgins just shy of her first Symetra Tour victory.
“I did not hole a single putt outside of four-feet,” said Jordan-Higgins. “It was just a rough day and very frustrating more than anything.”
Volvik Race for the Card…
The highly anticipated Volvik Race for the Card continued at the conclusion of the Symetra Classic. Each year since 1999 players have been playing their way onto the LPGA Tour through the Symetra Tour’s Volvik Race for the Card by finishing atop the season-ending money list.
The Volvik Race for the Card spotlights movement on the Tour’s 2013 season money list as players jockey for position among the top-10 money winners. This year marks the second year 10 players will receive fully-exempt status on next year’s LPGA Tour.
It was a day to remember for Wei-Ling Hsu on Sunday as she took her first professional victory at the Credit Union Challenge. The victory inched the Symetra Tour rookie one-step closer to obtaining her LPGA Tour card as she moved from No. 31 in the Volvik Race for the Card to No. 6.
A native of Chinese Taipei, Hsu hopes to follow in the footsteps of Yani Tseng, Candie Kung, and Amy Hung, and earn her LPGA Tour card for next season.
“I think it’s very important because the Symetra has a top-10 able to get into the LPGA and I think this tour is very focused, you have to be very focused,” said Hsu. “I think Taiwan will be very happy for me and it is my first season so I really hope I can get into the top-10. With Yani Tseng, Candie Kung, and Amy Hung, I hope I can be the fourth.”
At the conclusion of the Credit Union Challenge, players moving into the top 10 spots on the money list are as follows:
1 Sue Kim of Langley, British Columbia, $33,693
2 Cydney Clanton of Concord, N.C., $30,331
3 Jaclyn Sweeney of Bradenton, Fla., $29,550
4 Laura Kueny of Whitehall, Mich., $27,915
5 Melissa Eaton of Port Shepstone, S. Africa, $24,676
6 Wei-Ling Hsu of Chinese Taipei, $24,187
7 Marissa Steen of West Chester, Ohio, $24,080
8 Alena Sharp of Hamilton, Ontario, $22,918
9 Kim Kaufman of Clark, S.D., $22,785
10 Marina Alex of Wayne, N.J., $22,276
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 213 (3x71)
202 Wei-Ling Hsu (Chinese Taipei) 66 69 67 ($15,000)
204 Kendall Dye (USA) 72 64 68, Olivia Jordan-Higgins (Channel Islands) 68 64 72 ($8,030 each)
205 Hannah Jun (USA) 9 69 67, Catherine O'Donnell (USA) 66 68 71 ($4,747 each).
TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES
CLICK HERE
Labels: Pro Ladies
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | 11:39:00 pm
<< Home