(13 August 2012 – South Bend, Indiana)
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Australian rookie Julia Boland has won the Symetra Tour&aposs 2012 Four Winds Invitational to claim her maiden professional victory and the biggest first prize offered on the Tour which provides the "road to the LPGA."
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Starting the final round three shots off the pace, Boland , from Tamworth NSW, posted a bogey free round of 3 under par 69 to earn a one shot victory over American Jenny Suh and South Korea&aposs Birdie Kim, the 2005 US Women&aposs Open Champion.
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With scoring difficult due to tough weekend weather conditions at the Blackthorn CountryClub, it was a bunched leaderboard showing twelve players within four shots of the lead onSunday. American Sarah Hurwitch entered the final round with a three shot lead over six players including Boland and fellow Australian Kristie Smith.
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It was Suh and Kim who applied the early pressure with birdies on the outward nine, as Hurwitch struggled to be two over at the turn. Boland was playing steady golf posting eight pars and one birdie on the 8th, to stay within a stroke of Kim and Suh. The 26 year old rookie then applied the pressure with birdies at the 11th and 13th holes to hold a one shot lead which she would maintain with her five finishing pars. Neither Kim nor Suh could respond with birdies and both parred each of the remaining remaining holes, neither able to snatch a late birdie to force the playoff with Boland.
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Boland celebrated the biggest moment in her career which she said gave her the belief that she belonged on Tour. "I think for my career it is certainly life changing but we still have some of the season left to go. I certainly feel very blessed to be here." she said. "I&aposve been in pressure situations before but I honestly have never felt anything like this, it was a whole new level."
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Boland said it may not have been the prettiest performance and that some good breaks in her round helped her finish on top. "You hvae ot have luck to win. Actually, maybe not luck but you have to have the putts roll in. I was fortunate it was my day. I holed a putt at 11 and then at 13 I knocked it close but had a slider. Obviously I wouldn&apost changeanything at this point. I certainly didn&apost breeeze it in."
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The winner&aposs check of $22,500 catapults Boland from 30th to 3rd place on the Official Money list and with just four events remaining on the Symetra Tour this season, she seems set to earn full exemption status on the LPGA Tour for 2013.
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For Smith, already a winner on the Symetra Tour this year, it was a day when the putts didn&apost fall and she was unable to mount a challenge. Two birdies and two bogies for a final round of even par 72, left her in a tie for 6th place at one under par. She sits at 11th in the race for the LPGA card.
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Of the other ALPG members in the field, Emma De Groot tied for 33rd at +4; Jessica Speechley T41 at +5 whilst Courtney Massey, Cathryn Bristow and Inhong Lim all missed the cut.
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The Tour moves to Richmond Virginia next week&aposs for the Eagle Classic.
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Click here for the final leaderboard.
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