Epson Classic
Raintree Country Club
Charlotte, N.C.
May 23, 2015
Final Round Notes

CHARLOTTE, N.C., May 23, 2015 – Haruka Morita-WanyaoLu (Takamatsu City, Japan) drained a 5-foot birdie putt on the second playoff hole to defeat Augusta James (Bath, Ontario) and capture the 2015 Epson Classic at Raintree Country Club.

“I thought finally, finally,” Morita-WanyaoLu said of making the birdie to win through an interpreter. “Finally, I was able to win.”

With the victory, Morita-WanyaoLu earns $16,500 and moves into seventh on the latest Volvik Race for the Card Money List.

“I never thought about winning,” Morita-WanyaoLu admitted. “I just wanted to take it hole-by-hole and that’s what helped me to post a good score.”

Morita-WanyaoLu was able to shoot a final round 67 (-5) thanks to six birdies against a lone bogey to sit at 12-under for the event. The score looked like it was going to hold up until James made birdie on the 18th and Morita-WanyaoLu’s birdie attempt stayed up on the high side to send the duo into a playoff.

After narrowly missing a chance to win at birdie on the first playoff hole, Morita-WanyaoLu sealed the deal on the second by sticking her 8-iron to 5-feet and making the putt.

“I felt like my feel on the putting never changed,” Morita-WanyaoLu said. “My demeanor was the same so I thought if I just continue to hit the putts they will go in sooner or later.”

Morita-WanyaoLu is Chinese-Japanese, hence, the origin of her lengthy name – Haruka Morita is her Japanese name and Wanyao Lu her Chinese moniker. She still plays under the Chinese flag because she cannot become a naturalized Japanese citizen until age 21 even though she was born in Japan and her first language is Japanese.

Regardless of the flag she is playing for, Morita-WanyaoLu knows that there are people across the globe who will be happy to hear about her victory on the Epson Tour.

“There’s a lot of people who are going to be very happy back home.”

JAMES COMES UP JUST SHY OF WIN NO. 2 - Augusta James (Bath, Ontario) came up just shy of her second win of the 2015 Epson Tour season when Haruka Morita-WanyaoLu defeated her on the second playoff hole.

“I definitely grinded really hard today,” James said. “It was a huge battle between a bunch of us out there. I can take away the fact that it’s out there for me, another win, and I’m working hard and grinding hard to get those.”

James entered the 18th in regulation a shot behind Morita-WanyaoLu and was able to stuff her 6-iron tee shot to 3-feet and drain the putt to force a playoff. The duo exchanged pars on the first playoff hole thanks to James making a sand save with clutch 10 footer for par. On the second playoff hole, James reached for the 6-iron again and wound up in the front bunker again but with a difficult lie she was unable to get up-and-down again to put the pressure on Morita-WanyaoLu.

“I did think it was pure,” James said of her approach on the second playoff hole. “I hit 6-iron, which I hit during regulation, and I thought it was going to be tight so that was unfortunate to see but it is what it is.”

While she may not won the trophy, James was able to walk away with a second place check for $10,102 to move up to second on the Volvik Race for the Card Money List.

“That’s always important,” James said. “I think you could ask anyone out here, people are looking to win events and have good finishes and I’m happy that I accomplished a good finish. I feel like there are lots more opportunities out here for me this year.”

JUNEAU ENJOYS HOME COURSE ADVANTAGE: Sara-Maude Juneau (Quebec, Canada) finished in a tie for 19th this week at her home course, Raintree Country Club.

“It was a lot of fun,” Juneau said. “I’ve been a member here for almost six months now and the members seem to really like having me around so they really were supporting me but sometimes that comes with a little bit of pressure.”

Despite the pressure, Juneau put together rounds of 70-71-71 to finish at 4-under for the week.

“I’m really happy considering the situation,” Juneau admitted. “I had a really good start today and just struggled to get it in but I was able to settle down and bring it home.”

The Louisville grad is now happily calling the Queen City home.

“Every time the Epson Tour had a tournament here I enjoyed the city and the area so I just decided at the end of the year last year that it was time to make a move,” Juneau explained. “When I moved here I didn’t know a lot of people here so it was quite a change but when I came to the area Raintree was really there to welcome me with open arms so it was great.”

LINDY DUNCAN WINS SHORT DRIVE TO THE TOP-5: One of the unique prizes that will be given out at this week’s Epson Classic is a $1,000 cash prize for the player who finished in the Top-5 with the shortest average driving distance for the tournament. The prize, which has been named Short Drive to the Top-5, was generously donated by Bob Mayberry Hyundai.

Duke grad and solo fourth place finisher Lindy Duncan (Jupiter, Fla.) took home the prize with a 233.83 average.

“It’s really cool,” Duncan said. “I wasn’t really expecting it because usually I hit the ball pretty far but the holes they did the measuring on I was able to hit 5-woods so I think that’s probably what helped me to get this money.”

Haruka Morita-WanyaoLu wins the 2015 Epson Classic

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