Hannah Green couldn’t quite get over the line on the Symetra Tour today, but took another small but important step towards her main goal.
The West Australian carded another fine 69 in the final round of the 54-hole Decatur-Forsyth Classic in Illinois, good enough for a share of third, two strokes behind champion Chorphaka Jaengkit, of Thailand.
Green, already a Symetra event winner at the Sara Bay Classic in April, began the final round three strokes back and traded a pair of early bogeys and birdies as she struggled for momentum.
But the Mount Lawley member poured in birdies on the 10th, 12th, and 14th holes to momentarily draw level with the Thai.
Jaengkit answered, though, with two late birdies to regain her overnight lead, eventually winning by one from the fast-finishing Tiffany Chan who carded a stunning nine-under-par 63 to pinch second place.
The result enabled Green to bank another $US7962, taking her season total to $36,899 and importantly up to fifth position in the Race for the Card competition.
The top 10 on that list by season’s end earn a card to the LPGA Tour for 2018.
Of the other Aussies to make the cut, Perth’s Jayde Panos had a wild rollercoaster ride with a triple-bogey, a double, five bogeys and seven birdies in a 75 that left her T38 at three under, while Rebecca Artis, of NSW, shot an even-par 72 to finish T46 at two under.
RACE TO THE CARD STANDINGS
1 Nanna Koerstz Madsen $54,619
2 Celine Boutier $52,371
3 Benyapa Niphatsophon $43,182
4 Anne-Catherine Tanguay $40,025
5 Hannah Green $36,899
6 Daniela Darquea $35,683
7 Kendall Dye $32,349
8 Paola Moreno $29,655
9 Liv Cheng $24,087
10 Daniela Iacobelli $23,642