After a weekend of rain delays and suspended play, Misun Cho of Cheongju, South Korea, claimed her second Tour victory at the $90,000 USI Championship, presented by Havenwood-Heritage Heights. Cho won by one shot at 206 (-10), over Kentuckian Whitney Wade.
"I actually started out very well with a birdie on No.1," said Cho (70), who also won the iMPACT Invitational earlier this year in Daytona Beach, Fla. "I three-putted the 8th hole, which was disappointing. But I made a birdie on the 9th hole. The first few holes on the back nine my ball striking was a little off, but I was trying to hang in there. I three-putted No. 14 and again, right after that bogey, I made birdie on 15."
Cho, who now resides in Orlando, Fla., kept an eye on the leaderboard as Wade (69) of Glasgow, Ky., held a three-stroke lead over the field midway through the round.
"When I three-putted, she was at 12-under-par," recalls Cho, who finished fifth individually at the 2007 NCAA West Regional Championships while at Pepperdine University. "Then I saw where she dropped three shots, and I knew I had to make a birdie. I try to keep an eye on the leaderboard because I'd rather know than not know. I'd hate to find out afterwards that it was just a one-putt difference."
The staff at the Beaver Meadow Golf Course, site of this week's tournament, created a shrine to previous winners on the 16th green. Plants with signage depicting past title-holders mark the spot, with one plant remaining, ready for this year's winner.
"I love it," said Cho, whose name will now join the other winners. "It's nice to have that left behind. Hopefully, I'll move on to the LPGA next year, and it will be a reminder that this Tour really is a developmental tour. Compared to last year, I've improved so much. I've learned how to play professional golf."
Wade, who was also in the hunt for her second title this year, got off to a slow start in the final round.
"I got a little confidence after my tap-in for birdie on No. 6," said Wade, who won The Duramed Championship in Mason, Ohio. "I got really close on the eighth hole and had a good birdie on nine. I was thinking, 'Ok, I'm up there with everyone else now. I'm being patient.' I was fine until the 16th, which I bogeyed. I shot par every day for the past two rounds on 16, until today."
Despite coming close this week, Wade has her eye on the tournament in two weeks. The Falls Auto Group Classic takes place in her native Kentucky.
"It'll be nice to be home," said Wade, who ended the day in a four-way tie for second at 9-under-par (207). "Especially after my win [in June] and my finish today."
Joining Wade in second are Paola Moreno (65) of Cali, Colombia, Ashley Knoll (67) of The Woodlands, Texas, and 2008 USI Championship runner-up Gerina Mendoza (68) of Roswell, N.M.
Pernilla Lindberg (64) of Bollnas, Sweden, Mina Harigae (69) of Monterey, Calif., and Samantha Richdale (71) of Kelowna, British Columbia tied for sixth at 208 (-8), while Yoora Kim (67) of Seoul, South Korea, Cindy LaCrosse (69) of Tampa, Fla., and Jessica Shepley (71) of Oakville, Ontario finished tied for ninth at 209 (-7).
With her win, Cho moves up from third to second on the Duramed FUTURES Tour money list. Jean Reynolds of Newnan, Ga., remains in first place, with Harigae moving from second to third. Richdale remains in fourth, while Angela Buzminski of Oshawa, Ontario, moves into the top five.
Next stop for the Duramed FUTURES Tour is the Alliance Bank Golf Classic in Syracuse, N.Y., July 31 - August 2.
For scores and more information, visit duramedfuturestour.com.
Weather: Cloudy. Highs in the low 80s. Winds from the south at 5 to 10 mph.
Pernilla Lindberg Wins iPod Touch For Sunday’s Low Round
Pernilla Lindberg of Bollnas, Sweden, was the recipient of a new 8 GB Apple iPod Touch to continue Duramed’s season-long promotion of the Sunday Low Round Award with her final-round score of 64 (-8), a Beaver Meadow Golf Course record. Lindberg improved from a tie for 42nd to a tie for sixth with her total score of 208 (-8). Her round was highlighted by eight birdies.
2008 Skycaddie LPGA T&CP Champion Competes in Concord
Laura Shanahan Rowe of Bedford, N.H., wasn't even sure she'd make it to the 2008 Skycaddie LPGA Teaching and Club Professional (T&CP) National Championship, let alone win.
"I was playing on the LPGA Legends Tour a few days before," recalls Shanahan Rowe. "On Sunday, we had several rain delays and I had to cancel my flight. I made it to Pinehurst (N.C.) an hour before I was to tee off. It was wonderful to win."
Shanahan Rowe is competing in the week's USI Championship as a Tour special invitee, the first year this honor has been awarded to the T&CP champion.
"I get to see both sides of the story here," said Shanahan Rowe, of competing on the Legends Tour [for players age 45 and above] and the Duramed FUTURES Tour. "It's unique. I'm seeing a lot of good players with great futures in front of them. They know what they're doing."
When not playing in tournaments, Shanahan Rowe is the head teaching professional at Sagamore Hampton Golf Course in North Hampton, N.H. She selected the USI Championship as her special invitee tournament due to it being held in her home state.
"It's been nice to see all the people this week who know me," said Shanahan Rowe. "It's nice to be able to drive 30 minutes to my home. You don't get to do that very often."
