Garden City Charity Classic
Buffalo Dunes Golf Course
Garden City, Kansas
Final-Round News & Notes
September 13, 2014
Shake Up in the Top-10
Lasso For Birdies
Tifosi Optics Low Round
GARDEN CITY, Kan., September 13, 2014 – It was only a matter of time before Min Lee captured her first career Epson Tour victory. She fired a final-round 3-under 69 on Saturday to win the inaugural Garden City Charity Classic at Buffalo Dunes Golf Course. Lee carded a three-day total of 6-under 210.
“It’s my first professional win and I’m definitely happy for that,” said the overjoyed Lee. “This is my father’s birthday present, it’s his birthday next week and I won a tournament so he will be very happy.”
Lee, who started the day two shots off the lead, made up ground immediately. She poured in birdies on the first and second holes to own a share of the lead. Lee made birdie on the sixth and ninth holes and made the turn in a share of the lead with Rebecca Artis.
“She played great, it is cold and windy and I just told her to focus on the targets and hit great golf shots,” said her caddie Meaghan Francella, who won as a player on the Epson Tour in 2006 and on the LPGA Tour in 2007 at the MasterCard Classic. “She hit a ton of great golf shots today and I kept telling her that she has no idea how good she is.”
The 19-year-old made nine pars on the back nine while Artis made two bogeys. Artis did birdie the 15th hole to pull within a shot of the lead, but was unable to make birdie on 18 to tie Lee. Jessica Wallace also had a long birdie putt on 18 to tie Lee.
Artis and Wallace finished in a tie for second at 5-under 211.
Lee has had near misses this year including finishing second at the SEFCU Championship by one stroke when Sadena Parks tied the course record with a 9-under 62. Lee also finished in a tie for second last week in Mayetta.
“This win means I am close to the LPGA Tour,” said Lee. “I’m just speechless.”
The Taoyuan County, Taiwan native climbs from ninth to fourth on the Volvik Race for the Card money list and virtually secures her LPGA Tour card for the 2015 season. The $15,000 payout pushes her total earnings to $53,487.
“This is super cool, I can’t wait to tell my family and all my friends in Taiwan.”
Lee, who travels with her mom, was most excited to be able to tell her dad and brother about her first win.
“The LPGA is the biggest stage in women’s golf and I am now closer to my dream.”
Francella, who played in 140 career LPGA Tour events from 2005-2013, has watched the best in women’s golf play for a long time and had nothing but praise for Lee.
“She is definitely ready to play on the LPGA Tour,” said Francella, who had seven career top-10 finishes as a player. “She is one of the best ball strikers I have seen.”
Lee is excited to join her role model Yani Tseng on the LPGA Tour next year. Tseng, also a native of Taiwan, has 15 career wins on the LPGA Tour.
“I can’t believe I will get to play practice rounds with her next year.”
Lee also moves to first on the Gaelle Truet Rookie of the Year award standings. She passes Cindy Feng, who has held the top spot for much of the year.
Artis moved from 42nd to 25th on the money list with her tie for second. Wallace moved from 93rd to 51st on the money list.
SHAKE UP IN THE TOP-10: There was significant shake up in the top-10 heading into the Epson Tour Championship next week in Daytona Beach at LPGA International.
Sadena Parks moved from fifth to third at $55,232. Parks shot a 2-under 70 on Saturday to finish in a tie for fifth in Garden City.
Lee jumped up from ninth to fourth and everybody else moved back one spot.
5. Wei Ling Hsu
6. Cindy Feng
7. Jackie Stoelting
8. Kendall Dye
9. Mallory Blackwelder
Veronica Felibert finished in a tie for fourth in Garden City to move from 11th to tenth on the money list.
LASSO FOR BIRDIES: There were just two birdies on the 17th hole on Saturday. Kendall Wright and Jessica Wallace each received $100 in cash when they walked off the green.
The top three birdie totals for the day were Hye-Min Kim (7), Therese Koelbaek (5 birdies, one eagle) and Marita Engzelius (5). Kim took home $1,700 in cash, Koelbaek received $1,300 and Engzelius earned $800.
The Finney Country CVB presented the three players with their cash during the trophy ceremony.
TIFOSI OPTICS LOW ROUND: Hye-Min Kim, who ranks 26th on the Volvik Race for the Card money list, shot a final-round 5-under 67 to finish in a tie for fifth in Garden City.
Kim poured in seven birdies over a nine-hole stretch between the sixth and 14th holes and was 7-under for the day after 14. She made bogey on the 17th and 18th holes coming in to drop to 5-under for the day.
“Compared with my first two days when I was struggling with my putting, today was good,” said Kim, who made just two birdies over the first 36 holes. “I wasn’t expecting to go this low so this helps get me a little more money.”
Kim’s Saturday performance moves her from 26th to 22nd on the Volvik Race for the Card money list.
She had the low round of the day and will receive a free pair of Tifosi Optics sunglasses. Tifosi Optics is the official sunglasses provider of the Epson Tour.
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