Final Round 63 Seals 10th Career LPGA Tour Title
Thailand’s Patty Tavatanakit Fires Tournament Course-Record 61 (-11)
ONEIDA, WISCONSIN, July 7, 2019 ~ China’s Shanshan Feng posted a sensational bogey-free 63 (-9) to reach an unassailable total of 29-under-par to capture the famous Skywoman trophy at the 2019 Thornberry Creek LPGA Classic.
In her first appearance at Thornberry Creek at Oneida, the former Rolex Ranking No. 1 scooped the $300,000 winner’s check with a one shot victory from Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn, who took her all the way to the 72nd hole.
In a closely fought final round, which saw as many as 14 players within one-shot of the lead on the front nine, Feng, who shared the overnight lead with Jutanugarn, Joh and Park, reached the turn in 31 strokes. Only to still be a shot adrift of Jutanugarn, who was making a birdie trail of her own.
Admitting to not looking at the leaderboard throughout the week, Feng took matters in to her own hands on the back nine, with her 8-iron specifically.
The 29-year-old fired an 8-iron in to tap-in range on the par 4 14th hole to draw level with the 23-year-old Thai, before taking the initiative for the first time with another pin point 8-iron on the 16th to set up a birdie from 3ft.
Not giving up and playing in the group in front, Jutanugarn fired an 8-iron of her own to 2ft on the 18th for a tap-in birdie and the clubhouse lead at 28-under-par.
Undeterred, Feng hit another precision 8-iron approach to 4ft on the 18th before calmly making the putt, her 27th of the day.
Feng added, “I guess 8-iron was maybe my best friend this week. I think I’ll just try to use the club as much as I can in the future.”
Speaking about leaderboard watching Feng continued, “I thought I was winning already because everything was set and you could tell that around the green the people were ready for the trophy presentation so I was like maybe I was winning already. Then before I putted I looked up at the leaderboard and realized that I had to make the putt.
“So, you know, just in case I didn’t want everybody to be waiting for us when we have the playoff so just to let everybody go home as quick as possible, I made that putt.”
Feng’s 29-under-par total is the second-lowest 72-hole score (in relation to par) in LPGA Tour history.
Jutanugarn, who was gracious in defeat, said, “My whole week was really good, I actually love to be here. This is my third time here so I just look forward to coming back every year”
Californian 17-year-old Yeahlimi Noh, who started the round only one-stroke off the lead closed her week with a round of 68 (-4) to finish in T6 at 23-under-par alongside Rolex Ranking No. 1 Sung Hyun Park.
“I’m just overall really happy with how I played and how I finished. My goal was to be inside the top 10 this week and I’m really happy with my finish.”
Thailand’s Patty Tavatanakit made one of the biggest moves of the day jumping xx places with a tournament record 61 (-11) which included three eagles on the front nine – tying an LPGA scoring record for most eagles in a round.
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