(16 August 2010 – Richmond, Virginia)
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Former University of Southern California&aposs Jennifer Song turned professional in March and in only her 8th start now has two victories after capturing the Greater Richmond Golf Classic in a playoff over Jenny Shin. Both players finished at 12-under par on a day where they both fired bogey-free final rounds of 6-under par 66. Australia’s Stephanie Na also went bogey-free in the final round to post a 3-under par 69 and finished outright third.
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rnThe final round started with seven players tied for the lead at 6-under par with another pair just one behind at 5-under. However, Song and Shin were at the peak of their powers to race away from the field early on the front nine. By the 9th hole, Song had added four birdies and Shin three, while Na was the only other competitor keeping pace notching birdies on the 4th and 9th holes to remain just two behind at the turn.
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The back nine was much the same, with the leaders not making any mistakes and Na trying to keep pace with them. However, by the 18th hole, neither three had made a bogey, it was just that Song and Shin had made 6 birdies each to Na’s three.
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The playoff was played on the 386-yard par-4 18th hole, a tree-lined dogleg left requiring a slight draw off the tee. The first time around, after being in trouble off the tee, Song made a miraculous up-an-down from the back of the green while Shin two-putted from 25 yards. After heading back to the tee, both players found the fairway but this time it was advantage Song after they had played their second shots. Shin was first away, having left her shot 35-feet below the hole. She missed leaving Song to drill her putt on the same line from 20-feet into the back of the cup and claim the $14,000 winner’s cheque. Afterwards she said, “It was like I saw the line burned into the green. I just needed to hit it a little firm.” She did just that and it could be the putt that secures a 2011 LPGA Tour card. The win moved her up to 4th on the Money List with just one event remaining. The Top-5 players receive full LPGA cards while the next 5 receive conditional playing rights. The current Top-10 with one event remaining is:
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| rn
Position rn |
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Player rn |
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Country rn |
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Events rn |
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Prizemoney rn |
| rn
1 rn |
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Cindy Lacrosse rn |
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USA rn |
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14 rn |
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$77,778 rn |
| rn
2 rn |
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Christine Song rn |
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USA rn |
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16 rn |
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$62,164 rn |
| rn
3 rn |
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Gerina Mendoza rn |
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USA rn |
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16 rn |
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$52,621 rn |
| rn
4 rn |
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Jennifer Song rn |
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USA rn |
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8 rn |
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$51,375 rn |
| rn
5 rn |
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Jenny Shin rn |
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USA rn |
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13 rn |
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$49,296 rn |
| rn
6 rn |
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Angela Oh rn |
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USA rn |
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16 rn |
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$45,766 rn |
| rn
7 rn |
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Tiffany Joh rn |
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USA rn |
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15 rn |
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$40,484 rn |
| rn
8 rn |
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Ryann O’Toole rn |
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USA rn |
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15 rn |
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$38,451 rn |
| rn
9 rn |
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Pornanong Phatlum rn |
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Tha rn |
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14 rn |
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$38,185 rn |
| rn
10 rn |
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Jane Rah rn |
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USA rn |
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16 rn |
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$37,329 rn |
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Leanne Bowditch (T34), Rachel Bailey (T49) and Bree Arthur (75th) also made the cut.
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Photo courtesy of Duramed FUTURES Tour.