Date: November 25, 2011
Author: Australian Ladies Professional Golf

ALPG Tour – KEATING CLAIMS MAIDEN PRO VICTORY

 
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(24 November 2011 – Wollongong, NSW)

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On a day that threatened to be ruined by rain, play in the Hahn Premium Light and Konami Port Kembla Golf Club Pro-Am was completed in regulation time and it was Victoria&aposs Stacey Keating who claimed the win, her first as a professional. A round of 4-under par 69 saw her take the winner&aposs cheque by one shot from Sarah Kemp and Courtney Massey, who was playing her first event as a professional. A further shot back in a tie for fourth was Vicky Thomas and Sarah-Jane Smith.

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Play continued throughout the day under overcast skies and at times some solid rain, seeing the Port Kembla course play a lot longer than its 5,452 metres. However, it was Keating who mastered the conditions best, posting six birdies and two bogeys around the southern Wollongong layout. Starting on the first tee, she had a shaky start with a bogey at her second hole before regaining that dropped shot with a birdie at the par-5 4th hole. Two pars followed before she really made her score posting three straight birdies to finish the front nine at 3-under par.

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Another birdie at the 13th hole saw her reach 4-under par but she quickly gave that one back at the par-3 15th hole. At that stage it looked like a playoff but Keating added the winning birdie at the short par-4 16th hole to again get it to 4-under par. Two pars to close and the title was hers. It was the first time since she won the Australian Ladies Amateur Championship in 2010 that she&aposd had to make a winner&aposs speech and her happiness was there for all to see as she raised the trophy.

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LPGA player Kemp also made bogey at the second hole before adding birdies at the 4th and 7th holes to make the turn in 1-under par. Back-to-back birdies at the 14th and 15th holes saw her make a challenge but she couldn&apost find the extra birdie she needed to force a playoff. Meanwhile, rookie professional Massey had started on the back nine and got off to a good start, picking up birdies at the 11th and 13th holes. With no bogeys through her first nine holes she made the turn at 2-under par. A bogey at the third hole saw her drop back to 1-under par. She made amends quickly with back-to-back birdies at the 4th and 5th holes and she was then a serious contender for the title. Like Kemp, she also couldn&apost find a birdie in her last few holes and she had to settle for second place.

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After presentations Keating commented, "It&aposs very exciting to have my first professional win and I&aposm happy to have played well in what were, at best, very tough conditions. I struggled early but to pick up three birdies in a row through seven, eight and nine was very pleasing."

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Asked about the what the best part of her round was, she said, "I putted really well and to chip in on 13 was a real bonus. I&aposm really working hard to get my game into shape for the final two LET events in India and Dubai. Today was a bit of justification for the recent hard work, so yeah, I&aposm really happy."

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The 2011/12 ALPG Tour Club Car Series continues tomorrow at the Power Ford Castle Hill Country Club Pro-Am

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