(29 August 2011 – Vidalia, Georgia)
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Rookie Sydnee Michaels won her first tournament as a professional on Sunday by eight shots at 9-under par 207 at the inaugural Vidalia Championship in Georgia. Runner-up Ayaka Kaneko was the only other player in the field to finish under par at 1-under 215 while Tzu-Chi Lin of Chinese Taipei and Jody Ewart of England tied for third at even-par 216.
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Michaels was calmly prophetic after she had moved into second place during the opening round of this week’s tournament. She entered the week ranked 13th on the money list and admitted she came here with a purpose and a plan, saying, “I know where I’m at on the money list and I know what I need to do, I just have to bring it.”
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And by Sunday, that’s exactly what the rookie did. The former UCLA All-American carded three birdies and one bogey for a final-round score of 2-under par 70 on the fast and firm greens at Hawk’s Point Golf Club.
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With the outer reaches of Hurricane Irene moving up the east coast during Friday’s opening round and producing steady winds around 35 kmph with gusts up to 50 kmph, players struggled to hit enough club and yet hold the greens. More wind buffeted South Georgia on Saturday.
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However, Michaels appeared unfazed by the gusts or even the humid temperatures that hovered in the high 30’s. In three days, she put together rounds of 68-69-70, looking more like a savvy young pro peaking at the right time in the season rather than a rookie fumbling along hoping for something good to happen.
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“She stuck to her game plan for three days, hitting the ball well, putting and chipping well, and staying unwavering in her self-belief,” said professional caddie Lorcan Morris, who has caddied for some of the top names on the LPGA Tour. “What Sydnee has mentally, you can’t teach. It was just a matter of her maturing as a professional, and I think she did that this week.”
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In the end it was a stroll around the back nine for Michaels who eventually settled for a tap-in par on the last and a huge sigh of relief from the Californian who started the season playing alongside good friend and former UCLA teammate Tiffany Joh. On Saturday night, with Joh tied for the lead at the LPGA’s tournament in Canada and Michaels holding a five-shot lead, the two posted messages on each other’s Facebook page. The gist had something to do with “Bruin Power.”
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“At UCLA, we fed off each other’s energy and I felt like that again,” said Michaels, who played on the team with Joh for three years. “I said, ‘Let’s do this!’”
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With the win, Michaels bumped Joh out of the top five on the LPGA Futures Tour money list and moved to the top of the Futures Tour’s rookie race. “I’m stoked!” said Michaels of this week’s win. “It feels incredible and the timing of it makes it even better. I’m going into the final event in Albany [N.Y.] really confident and ready to win again.”
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As for the ALPG Members, Stephanie Na showed some of the form that saw her finish in the Top-3 three times in Australia over last summer. A final round of 73 saw her finish in a tie for 8th at 2-over par, by far her best finish of a somewhat disappointing season. Cathryn Bristow also made the cut finishing in a tie for 51st.
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J Golf Race For the Card
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The “J Golf Race For the Card” spotlights movement on the Tour’s 2011 season money list as players compete for position among the top-10 money winners. Players finishing in the Top-10 at the conclusion of the tournament season will earn membership on the 2012 LPGA Tour.
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This week’s winner, rookie Sydnee Michaels jumped from No. 13 to No. 5 on the money list. It was her first professional win and it came in the tour’s second-to-last tournament of the year.
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“My goal for the last two tournaments was to try to get into the top 10,” said Michaels. “I would love to not have to go to LPGA Q-school, more than anything. And now that we are down to the last tournament in Albany [N.Y.], my feeling is just ‘let’s get it done.”
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Tzu-Chi Lin of Chinese Taipei, who won the tour’s season opening Florida’s Natural Charity Classic in March, made a big move on the money list following today’s final round. She jumped from 17th to No. 8.
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Other players making timely moves on the money list this week were: Sophia Sheridan of Guadalajara, Mexico, moving from 11th to No. 10; Ayaka Kaneko of Honolulu, Hawaii, improving from 30th to No. 14; and Jodi Ewart of North Yorkshire, England, jumping from No. 45 to 26th.
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At the conclusion of the Vidalia Championship, the Top-10 on the Money List are as follows:
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1. Kathleen Ekey, $65,685; 2. Lisa Ferrero, $56,708; 3. Mo Martin, $49,668; 4. Jane Rah, $46,028; 5. Sydnee Michaels, $39,432; 6. Tiffany Joh, $37,566; 7. Valentine Derrey, $33,730; 8. Tzu-Chi Lin, $29,134; 9. Hanna Kang, $28,092; and 10. Sophia Sheridan, $28,041.
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