It was an all weather gear, three way duel to the finish at the 12th annual Island Resort Championship at the Sweetgrass Golf Club in Harris, Michigan on Sunday.
23 year old Tsai Ching-Tseng got wet and then got hot on the back nine to earn $31,850.00 with her first win on US soil in just her second start on the LPGA’s Epson Tour. She was in a tense battle with second round leader Auston Kim and Natasha Oon, who’s challenged almost every week this year. Ching-Tseng poured in 4 straight birdies from holes 14 to 17 to grab the lead and the Chinese Taipei native calmly delivered a 2 putt close on the par 5, 18th to secure the win.
The final pairing started with Kim on top at -10 after a bogey free, 8 under 64 on Saturday, one shot off the tournament and course record. Kim led Oon by one and Tseng by 2 to start an overcast final round after playing in hot, humid conditions the first two days.
The trio put on a show. They totaled 21 birdies between them over the final 18 but Tseng was the only player who didn’t record a birdie.
A front nine 31 had Kim reach -15 at the turn but a double bogey on the par 5, 11th allowed the gap to close. Kim would bounce back with a birdie on the par 3, 12th but both she and Oon bogeyed the tough, par 4, 13th.
That’s when the clouds opened a bit, with heavy rain falling on the 12th and light rain through the 13th. And when it started raining, Tseng started raining in birdies. The sprinkles ended and even the sun poke through clouds for a moment before a cloudy, breezy finish.
On the short par 4, 14th, Oon drove the green and made birdie. Kim got had a long bunker shot from the right side of the green and threw up a beauty to within a couple feet for biride. Tseng also delivered a tight one from the sand for a birdie.
On the picturesque island green 15th, all three found the island but only Tseng was able to make 2, pulling her even with Oon at -13 and only one off the lead. On 16, again, Tseng’s putter was true, rolling in an 8 foot biride to grab a share.
Then on the 17th, Tseng drove to the right rough and narrowly escaped a more wooded fate. Her second came up just short of the green in front. Both Kim and Oon had makeable birdies nip and edge and just slide by. Tseng rolled her putt from the fringe and up the hill into the bottom of the cup for the lead.
On the final hole, all three were in the fairway but Kim outdrove the others by a good 50 yards. When Tseng and Oon laid up, Kim went for the green. Her downwind fairway wood found the green but the ball rolled off the back into a second cut swale. Tseng and Oon both got tight with pretty wedge shots. Kim used a wedge but the ball released well past the hole and her desperate birdie try to tie came up just left of the cup. Oon made birdie to catch Kim for second but it was Tseng who calmly rolled her first one close and then finished off the tournament from less than 2 feet.
It didn’t take long for the Tournament Director Tony Mancilla and the committee to present Ching-Tseng with her first place check, the ceremonial quilt and the Island Resort Trophy.
Tsai then met reporters off the 18th green and talked of a wet and wild ride to an unforgettable start to her American pro career.
All smiles, Island Resort champion Tsai Ching-Tseng.
Rounding out the top five were Becca Huffer at -11 and Hira Naveed at -10. Two Wisconsin golfers missed the cut. Five time Wisconsin Women’s State Open champ Tess Hackworthy (+6) and Steve Stricker’s daughter Bobbi Stricker (+3).
