(4 June 2012 – Fishers, Indiana)
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Known for her contagious smile and bubbly personality the normally outgoing Sara Brown was filled with emotion after shooting a final-round 3-under par 69 at The Hawthorns Golf & Country Club to win the inaugural My Marsh Golf Classic. She finished two shots in front of American Victoria Elizabeth while Malaysia’s Jean Chua and Columbia’s Paola Moreno tied for third.
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“Awesome,” said Brown of her first Symetra Tour victory. “To be honest I guess you should go into every tournament thinking you are going to win but this one is on a new golf course and I was just ready to play. I got some new wedges in the bag and I just hit them good, hit my drives good and the greens were amazing.”
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When Brown began the day with a 5-under par front nine that included three consecutive birdies on Nos. 7, 8 and 9 it looked as if the former Michigan State University Spartan was going to walk away with the title. It wasn’t until a few missed up-and-down opportunities that Brown’s lead dwindled to one.
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Playing in the group behind her Elizabeth rebounded from a double-bogey on the 10th hole with back-to-back birdies on 14 and 15 to move her to within one stroke of the lead.
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“I played steady but hit three shots over the green coming down the stretch and just didn’t get up-and-down,” said Brown. “I thought the person closest to me was Jean (Chua) so I’m playing with her and thinking I’m going to make her make birdies and I’m going to make pars, that’s it.” Brown attempted to avoid looking at scoreboards all day but a brief backup forced her to take a glance at Elizabeth’s score and that is when she realized her lead was down to one.
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“She (Elizabeth) birdied 15 to go to 4-under then she just missed a birdie chance on 16, I could see it all happening in front of me and I’m just thinking be calm and do what you have to do,” said Brown.
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Elizabeth came into the par-4 18th one-stroke behind Brown until an unfortunate bounce left her in the hazard and forced her to take a drop. Elizabeth then knocked her third shot on the green and two putted for bogey.
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Brown capitalized on Elizabeth’s mistake and parred the last hole to fire rounds of 75-67-69 and secure a 2-stroke victory for her first Symetra Tour win.
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Cathryn Bristow was the best of the ALPG contingent. She began the final round tied for the lead but had a disappointing day to finish in a tie for 11th. Courtney Massey, Julia Boland (both T30) and Kristie Smith (T42) also made the cut.
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“Volvik Race For the Card” Continues At My Marsh Golf Classic – The “Volvik Race For the Card” spotlights movement on the Tour’s 2012 season money list with players finishing in the top-10 at the conclusion of the season earning exempt status on the 2013 LPGA Tour.
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Brown has already gotten a taste of the LPGA Tour during her rookie season in 2011 and a return next year is right up there on her priority list. A victory this week launched Brown up the Volvik Race for the Card standings from No. 60 to No. 4. Other notable moves this week were Victoria Elizabeth who jumped from No. 41 to No. 9 and Paola Moreno who moved from No. 40 to No. 13.
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At the conclusion of the My Marsh Golf Classic, players moving into the top 10 spots on the money list are as follows: 1. Esther Choe of Scottsdale, Ariz., $33,750; 2. Megan McChrystal of Stuart, Fla., $20,868; 3. Jean Chua of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, $17,600; 4. Sara Brown of Tucson, Ariz., $16,532; 5. Nicole Smith of Riverside, Calif., $14,845; 6. Sara Maude Juneau of Quebec, Canada, $13,153; 7. Mi Hyang Lee of Incheon, South Korea, $12,932; 8. Ginger Howard of Bradenton, Fla., $11,596; 9. Victoria Elizabeth of Daytona, Ohio, $11,526; 10. Cara Freeman of Chandler, Ariz., $11,325