Southern California's No. 1 Golf Source
SITE
SEARCH
GOLF RESOURCE GUIDE:
News
|
||||
|
After a successful amateur career, Tiffany Joh has won for the first time as a professional. The former UCLA All-American and two-time U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links champion seized the Duramed Futures Tour’s ING New England Golf Classic title over the weekend in Bloomfield, Conn., defeating Gerina Mendoza on the fourth hole of a sudden-death playoff. Mendoza, who opened the 54-hole event with rounds of 62-65, entered Sunday’s final round with a five-shot lead over Joh at Wintonbury Hills Golf Course. However, Mendoza stumbled down the stretch with a 73 and Joh took advantage with a 68 to force a tie at 10-under par. The first two playoff holes were the par-4 18th, and both players advanced with par each time. The third playoff hole was the par-3 17th, which was again halved with pars. Returning to the 18th once again, Joh stuck her approach shot to 3-and-a-half feet to set up the winning birdie. “This is just completely unexpected because I was five back, and because Gerina is such a great player,” Joh said after the round. A San Diego resident, Joh took home a $14,000 winner’s check and now stands 10th on the season money list. The top 10 players earn LPGA Tour status the following year. Once Joh turned professional in 2009 upon graduating from UCLA, she struggled to find her form on the Futures Tour by making only three cuts in eight starts. The 23-year-old has been much more consistent in 2010, though, missing only one cut in her first 11 starts and posting four top-15 finishes prior to her victory. Joh’s former UCLA teammate, Ryann O’Toole (San Clemente), stands sixth on the Futures Tour money list thanks to a pair of victories. ALSO SEE: Joh awarded sponsor's exemption to Kia Classic Joh wrapping up college career |
||||
RSS Subscribe
