TALLEY ONE OFF LEAD

Second-year Epson player Emma Talley fired a bogey-free round of 6-under par (66) on Friday to sit one stroke behind leader Liu. Talley finished her day with three straight birdies to mark her career-best round, and she was feeling content walking off of 18.

“I’m just playing really well right now,” she said. “My game feels good. No mistakes really today, but the mistakes I had I was able to get up and down. Everything’s pretty good right now.”

The Island Resort Championship marks the midway point in the 2017 Epson season, and Talley is currently 14th in the Volvik Race to the Card. ThePrinceton, Ky. native has started in all 10 Epson tournaments, collecting five top-10 finishes on her way.

“It feels wonderful,” Talley said of her opening-round score. “I’ve been playing well the past couple of weeks so it’s good to finally see everything rolling together. I’ve been working really hard on my game the past few weeks so I’m excited to see where it goes.”

Talley tees off the second round at 1:26 p.m. on Saturday playing with Selanee Henderson and Sophia Popov.

THE GIFT KEEPS ON GIVING

Benyapa Niphatsophon was leading for a stretch on Friday after her birdie on 14 got her to 7-under par, but three putts on 15 and 18 dropped her down to 5-under par and sole possession of third. Niphatsophon, whose nickname is “Gift”, was making jokes after her round and keeping it all in perspective.

“I just do my best to get in the lead, but if not it’s okay - it’s just golf,” she said with a laugh. “It’s not life, it’s just golf. Some days good, some days bad. I just want to stay happy, happy with golf, happy with my game - that’s it.”

The Bangkok, Thailand native is currently third in the Volvik Race to the Card, with three runner-up finishes and an additional four top-25 finishes.

Niphatsophon also posted an opening-round score of 66 at the Epson Classic this season, where she went on to finish fifth. She will tee off round two on Saturday at 8:25 a.m. with Erynne Lee and Augusta James.

OF NOTE

Four of the 11 players in the top 10 following the first round at the Island Resort Championship are 2017 Epson Tour rookies, including the leader Ruixin Liu. This season, six of the ten events have been won by first year players: Daniela Darquea, Hannah Green, Chorphaka Jaengkit, Nanna Koerstz Madsen and Celine Boutier.
‘Team Ferrell’ (Allyssa and Brooke) are tied for 12th after they each posted first round scores of -2 (70).
The lowest winning tournament score is 10-under (2015), but the winning score has been as high as 1-under (2014).
The Island Resort Championship is the second of four Potawatomi Cup events. The Potawatomi Cup, which is in its fourth year, provides a $40,000 pot of bonus money available to the players based on performance in the four events sponsored by Potawatomi nation tribes. There is $8,500 up for grabs at each tournament.
The winner of the Island Resort Championship has gone onto earn a Tour card (through the Volvik Race for the Card money list or Qualifying Tournament) three of the last four years: Sherman Santiwiwatthanaphong (2016), Dani Holmqvist (2015) and Kim Kaufman (2013).

Talley One off Lead and More from Round One Island Resort Championship

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