Shih Huei-Ju (石惠如) calmly made a final par putt on the 18th hole to clinch her first win of the season at the Gem Sheen TLPGA Heritage Tour with a two-round total of even-par 144. But the low tournament score was posted by Chang Ya-Chun (張雅淳) in Group Girls’ 12-16, who fired a bogey-free 7-under 65 to finish at 138.
This was the fifth time already this year Chang captured the low amateur honor. She tallied seven birdies against zero bogeys to card a final-round 65 and win by seven shots over Liu Shiao-Yun (劉少允). The 65 also marks the career-best 18-hole score in her career.
“I’ve got a little bit of advantage here as I’ve been training in the Taiwan Golf & Country Club for the past nine years,” said Chang. “But I really didn’t expect that I could go so low!”
Shih, at the same time, took away the winner prize of NT$71,000 for claiming her three-shot victory over Chen Yu-Ju (陳宇茹) in Group Professionals. With an old notebook she left playing on the Taiwan Golf Course, Shih enjoyed a steady cruise all day with one birdie and two bogeys.
“I was looking for more birdies. A bit disappointed to just make one the whole day. But at least I kept my nerves and played some consistent golf,” said Shih.
Chen could have made a final punch after making two birdies on 14-15 to make up for a double-bogey on 13 and having Shih’s lead down to just two shots, but she ended up finishing with two consecutive bogeys which proved deadly.
“It just didn’t come off the way I wanted,” said Chen. “I wasn’t hitting many fairways, which gave me a lot of pressure to salvage the shots,” said Chen, whose sole second finish earned her a NT$45,000 check.
Yvonne Weng (翁子琁) (77), Chien Pei-Yun (錢珮芸) (76), and Huang Hsien-Wen (黃賢雯) wrapped up the week in a three-way tie for third at 150.
Chang Hsuan-Ping (張瑄屏) made the biggest jump overnight from a T19 to solo sixth after improving her first-round 79 and carding a 72 today. “It’s been seven or eight years since I last played on this course. I couldn’t give myself a chance to win taking a little longer than I expected yesterday to get in the groove,” said Chang. “I’m just glad I finished okay.” Chen Tzu-Han (陳子涵) took up the solo seventh place one shot back of Chang at 152.
The TLPGA Heritage Series applies the pro-junior system, in which the TLPGA pros are grouped with amateurs and junior golfers, with an aim to provide a platform for closer interaction between the experienced and the young prospects. The concept is also one of the main focuses for the TLPGA to develop the youth generation.
The Gem Sheen TLPGA Heritage Tour, the third stop in the 2015 Heritage Series, is organized by the TLPGA, co-organized and venue provided by Taiwan Golf & Country Club, with the title sponsor being the Gem Sheen Golf Club, which is one of the highest rated golf practice zones in Taiwan, featuring a 230-yard driving range, a 150-yard wedge area, as well as an 18-hole miniature course. |