(5 July 2010 – London, Kentucky)
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California&aposs Ryann O&aposToole picked up her first tournament win in May in the tournament in Kansas. However, she always thought it wasn’t the complete victory as the tournament was rain-shortened to just 18-holes. Since then she has kept the winner’s cheque in her back seat vowing to notch a full 54-hole tournament win. This week she completed that goal, needing an extra hole to defeat Canada’s Angela Buzminski after they both finished the three rounds at 14-under par. England’s Jodi Ewart finished in outright 3rd at 12-under par.
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rnThrough 12 holes on the final day, O’Toole and Ewart held the lead but there was so much golf left, no one could tell whether it would be one of these two or Buzminski who would hold aloft the trophy. Buzminski made the first run with four birdies in succession from the 12th hole, while O’Toole countered with four of her own birdies in the last seven holes for both players to reach the 14-under mark. Unfortunately for Ewart, in only her fifth event as a professional she made a crucial bogey on the 17th and needed an eagle at the last to make the playoff. She failed to do this so it was O’Toole and Buzminski who made their way back to the 18th tee.
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With O’Toole so long off the tee, Buzminski knew she needed a birdie in the playoff and while going for the green in two, she left her gripped-down 3-wood out to right. O’Toole placed her second shot 30-feet below the cup in two and when Buzminski couldn’t get up-and-down from the rough the title was hers. Afterwards, relieved that it was over she said, “This feels like a real win, and I got to grind it out against a veteran player.” With her winner’s cheque for $16,100, she moved up to 6th on the Money List.
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Kristie Smith made the switch from the LET back to the FUTURES Tour in the fight to gain an automatic LPGA card, but wasn’t helped by the airlines losing her clubs after she flew from Portugal to the United States. It meant a late arrival at the tournament site, however she acquitted herself well, as always, finishing in a tie for 7th at 8-under par. She remains at 17th on the Money List. Leanne Bowditch also had a good result, finishing with a final round of 6-under par 66 to tie for 12th, just one shot behind Smith. Rachel Bailey (T54) also made the cut.
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Photos courtesy of Duramed FUTURES Tour.