MONDAY FINISH IN CHINA

SOUTH AFRICAN LEE-ANNE PACE

SCORES FIRST LPGA TOUR WIN

Photo Credit: CFP/Getty Images

Lee-Anne Pace of South Africa holds her trophy during day five of the 2014 Blue Bay LPGA at Jian Lake Blue Bay Golf Course on October 27, 2014 in Hainan Island, China.

Jian Lake Blue Bay Golf Course
Sanya, China

FROM THE LPGA WEBSITE
After four days of heavy rain fall and delays, Lee-Anne Pace was finally crowned the Blue Bay LPGA champion on Mon­day morning at Jian Lake Blue Bay Golf Course. 

Pace finished her final five holes on Monday morning and hung on for the three-shot victory over Caroline Masson. 

She finished atop the leaderboard at 16-under par for her first LPGA Tour win. Pace becomes the sixth Rolex First-Time Winner this season and said it was worth all the wait.

Final-round play was planned to resume at 8:30 a.m. on Monday but was delayed until 9:55 a.m. due to dangerous weather and unplayable conditions.
“I can’t actually believe it. I’m still so in the moment of one shot at a time that I think it’s going to hit me,” said Pace. “It’s like literally now I can relax. It’s amazing. Obviously one of my life goals, not only on the golf course, but to do some­thing like that very special.”
The final group started Monday morning on the 14th hole and Pace said she stayed patient through the final delay and had an extra cup of coffee to get things going.
“I woke up and heard the weather outside,” said Pace referring to the rain and thunder. “So I had a fairly good idea it’s going to be delayed. So I took my time, got coffee. I knew it was going to be delayed and went for a lengthy breakfast.
" I had a lot of coffee, felt tired this morning but all in all felt pretty confident. I knew I was hitting well. I knew I could do it down the stretch. I’ve done it before.”
Pace stayed steady through the final stretch with pars on Nos. 14-17. Germany’s Caroline Masson made a late charge with four birdies on her final six holes including three in a row to finish on Nos. 16 -18 but it was too little too late.
“I’m happy with that finish and that was all I could do,” said Masson. “Obviously I wanted to play.  I was in a good po­sition and wanted to play.  I knew we were going to play and we probably were going to play in any condition.  So I think it’s hard to have a good attitude, you know, but just once you get out there, do that, and I fought hard.”
Pace, who was coming off her ninth-career Ladies European Tour victory last week said confidence in her swing this week was never an issue.
“I look back at last week and how I actually played better towards the end,” said Pace. “So I thought, you know, just do the same thing and I hit some really nice iron shots coming in on the last few holes. 
"To out with a birdie is obviously a bonus. I saw Caroline making a move but I said to myself, you’re far ahead, come on.”
With Masson in the clubhouse and two shots back, Pace kept her composed demeanor she held all week and went to the 18th with a confident stride. She hit her third shot on the par 5 18th hole to about five feet from the hole and said made a point to enjoy the walk up the 18th fairway.
“When I hit the shot quite close, I thought ‘all right, it’s good now. I was pretty relaxed,” said Pace. “I was like ‘yeah, you can enjoy this.’ Jessica (Korda) came over and was like ‘enjoy this walk.’ I was like ‘I will.’
Americans Michelle Wie and Jessica Korda finished in a tie for third at 11-under par.
With her win, Pace joins five other LPGA members to record their first-career LPGA Tour victories in 2014.
 Pace knew her win was a statement victory for her career but hopes it can also boost golf in South Africa. She said the final round was being picked up back in her home country and had family and friends up in the early hours watching every shot. 

TO VIEW ALL THE FINAL TOTALS

CLICK HERE