This is the young lady that started with me as a 9 year old in a junior clinic. She also played in the U.S. Women's Open, last year. This is her first professional win, and I'm very proud of her. She's a fighter.
Reynolds Wins Season Opener In Three-Hole Playoff
JEAN REYNOLDS of Newnan, Ga., captured the Duramed FUTURES Tour’s season opener last week, edging out South Korea’s SONG YI CHOI in a three-hole playoff to win the $100,000 Florida’s Natural Growers Charity Classic.
Reynolds carded rounds of 69-73-70 to win at 212 (-4), outlasting Choi after three return visits to the 18th tee for a playoff at Lake Region Yacht and Country Club in Winter Haven, Fla. Choi carded rounds of 64-73-75 to finish second in the inaugural event.
“I knew this day was coming, but it feels so awesome,” said Reynolds, 24, a second-year professional. “It’s been a really bizarre week because I stayed so calm.”
Choi held a one-shot lead going into the final hole of regulation. She had bogeyed the 16th, but bounced back with a birdie on No. 17, so the South Korean was ready to close the deal. But throughout the day, stiff winds had kicked up the whitecaps on the surrounding Lake Hamilton and rain clouds had rolled in and out by the late afternoon. Choi held an 8-iron in her hands on a 110-yard approach shot on the par-5 18th hole with wind directly in her face. Seconds later, she watched as that shot fell short and found the water hazard bordering the green.
“It was not a good shot,” said Choi of Seoul, South Korea, who admittedly struggled in the wind and hit only 13 greens and nine fairways in regulation.
Reynolds and Choi matched pars for the first two visits back to No. 18. Finally, on the third extra trip down the 447-yard 18th hole, Choi again landed on the back fringe, 35 feet from the hole. She burned the right edge and rolled three feet past, making her comeback for her tap-in par. From the right rough, Reynolds stroked a three-quarter-swing pitching wedge 88 yards to three feet, and then tapped in for the winning birdie.
ASHLEY PRANGE of Noblesville, Ind., and former NCAA champion DEWI CLAIRE SCHREEFEL of The Netherlands matched final-round scores of three-under-par 69 to rocket up the leaderboard in the final round. Prange moved from a tie for eighth into a tie for third at 213 (-3) with NICOLE HAGE of Coral Springs, Fla. (75), while Schreefel jumped from a tie for 21st into a tie for fifth with CHRISTINE SONG (70) of Fullerton, Calif., and LISA MELDRUM (73) of Montreal, Quebec at 215 (-1).
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