(26 March 2012 – Winter Haven, Florida)
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The typically outgoing Megan McChrystal was left speechless after shooting a final round 2-over par 74 to win the Florida’s Natural Charity Classic, her maiden professional victory. Her finish of 5-under par was one shot better than Canada’s Sara Maude Juneau and American Nicole Smith. McChrystal commented “I don’t have any words right now, I’m speechless which is something different.”
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McChrystal went into Sunday’s final round at the Lake Region Yacht and Country Club with a one-stroke lead over Seul-Ki Park and after a double-bogey at the par-4 second, McChrystal’s lead suddenly slipped away.
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“It didn’t really shake me that much,” said McChrystal. “I made a double the first round and I knew I was striking the ball really well. I hit my drive out to the right a little and I just went to the next hole and birdied the next one. That got a little bit of my momentum back on the next hole.”
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With momentum regained, McChrystal proceeded to par the next 10 holes including missed birdie opportunities at holes 11, 12 and 13. The next blemish on the scorecard came after a bogey at the 14th followed by another bogey at the 16th.
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McChrystal then answered with a birdie on the par-3 17th after rolling in a 15-foot putt to take a one-stroke lead into 18. “I figured I needed it,” said McChrystal. “I knew there were people at minus three but I figured that was wrong and I wanted to get it back to five under anyway.”
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After a par at the par-5 18th McChrystal clinched her first professional victory and guaranteed herself entry into the remaining tournaments on the 2012 Symetra Tour schedule.
rn“It changes my year a little bit, it means I get into all the events now,” said McChrystal. “It just makes me feel a little better to move my status up. It is definitely a huge relief to not have to worry about that. I have been stressing about it since Q-School.”
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McChrystal played her collegiate golf at Louisiana State University (LSU) where she recorded 20 top-10 finishes, including five wins.
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A group of players finished in third including Mi Hyang Lee, defending champion Tzu-Chi Lin, Cara Freeman, Park and 2005 U.S. Women’s Open Champion Birdie Kim.
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There were three ALPG members in the field, with Julia Boland faring the best, finishing in a tie for 15th after an impressive final round of 2-under in the strong winds. Meanwhile, Cathryn Bristow (T54) and Emma De Groot (T58) struggled on the final day.
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“Volvik Race for the Card” – The Symetra Tour’s annual ‘Race For the Card’ got underway with the season-opening Florida’s Natural Charity Classic. The “Volvik Race for the Card” spotlights movement on the Tour’s 2012 season money list as players jockey for position among the top-10 money winners. Players finishing in the top-10 at the conclusion of the tournament season will earn exempt status on the 2013 LPGA Tour.