FRIDAY, March 29, 2024
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Liu claims her 6th career win

Liu claims her 6th career win

After 54 holes, Ruixin Liu (Guangdong, People’s Republic of China) trailed by six strokes, but she found momentum late on Sunday’s back nine this afternoon.

 

Making birdies on the last four holes of the day helped Liu finish regulation at 15-under par and tie with Morgane Metraux (Lausanne, Switzerland). While both players made par on the first playoff hole, Liu went right for the flag on the second one and closed the day by sinking a birdie putt for the win.   

“The 18th hole today is pretty tough today. The pin location is tucked in the back with water on the right and the back. I really tried to land the ball between the bunker and the flag which only gives me about 5 to 8 yards to land it. Morgane did really good putting the ball on the green,” said Liu. “The putt was really tough because it was a hard angle to hit it, but after the first one I thought if I want to end this one quick I have to aim at the pin. I was really aggressive for the second (playoff hole) and there were great results for that.”  

Just a few hours north in Mesa, Ariz., Liu also competed in a two-hole playoff at the first event of the season with amateur Rose Zhang where she won her fifth title on the “Road to the LPGA.”  

“It was my first ever playoff and winning that one gave me a lot of confidence. Today I didn’t really worry about the results because I did pretty good from 15 to 18 already,” said Liu. “I didn’t give myself any pressure on the playoff holes at all.”  

In 2018, Liu claimed six top-10 finishes leading her to both become Player of the Year and graduate onto the LPGA Tour. Back now on the Symetra Tour, Liu remembers certain events where she did not see the results she had hoped and is looking forward to conquering them this season along with getting back into the top-10 in the Race for the Card.  

“For this season I am going to try and play as good as I am playing right now and see where it is going to take me,” said Liu. “Also, there are some golf courses we already played before I was to conquer them and not make the mistakes that I did a few years ago. The Island Resort Championship was my first win as a professional so I for sure want to play good there again, but in Kansas I didn’t play well last time. I barely made the cut so that is one I am really looking forward to.”  

 
METRAUX LOOKING FORWARD TO MORE OF 2021 

Morgane Metraux had a five-stroke lead coming into Sunday’s final round. This afternoon she carded a 1-over par with three bogeys and two birdies. Metraux’s second birdie of the day came in clutch on No. 18, as she had to make it to force a playoff with Liu. She made par on the first playoff hole but missed a birdie putt on the second playoff hole to continue play.  

“I was really calm. I surprised myself how calm I was. I was actually more nervous during the actual round that I was during the playoff,” said Metraux. “I guess because I was just happy to be in the playoff after making that putt on 18 (in regulation). I hit some good shots and good putts so there is nothing to regret.”  

After her second-place finish at the Casino Del Sol Golf Classic, Metraux took home a check of $18,940. This moved her up the money list and she now sits at No. 5 in the Race for the Card. Despite not having the outcome she had hoped, Metraux was happy to have her mom on the bag for the week. 

“It was fun. She doesn’t caddy that often for me. t was fun to just talk about other things as well on the course. She plays but she is not giving me advice or anything for the actual golf part. We just talk about other things and that was quite cool,” said Metraux. “Sometimes I have another caddy, sometimes I am on my own, but it was fun to share these memories with her that we can talk about. I wish it was a win we could talk about but maybe next time.”  

RACE FOR THE CARD STANDINGS AFTER WEEK THREE 

Following the third tournament of the 2021 Symetra Tour season, the Race for the Card money list welcomes a fresh top five. 

Here is a look at the current top-10 heading into the fifth annual IOA Championship presented by Morongo Casino Resort & Spa hosted by Morongo Golf Club at Tukwet Canyon in Beaumont, Calif., from Aug. 21-23: 
 
1. Ruixin Liu - $64,558 
2. Sophie Hausmann (Nottuln, Germany)- $30,696 

3. Fatima Fernandez Cano (Santiago de Compostela, Spain) - $26,244  
4. Sophia Schubert (Oak Ridge, Tennessee) - $20,745  
5. Morgane Metraux - $20,344 
6. Haylee Harford (Leavittsburg, Ohio) - $18,770 

7. Maude-Aimee Leblanc (Sherbooke, Quebec) - $16,919 
8. Gigi Stoll (Beaverton, Oregon) - $16,732 
9. Esther Henseleit (Hamburg, Germany) - $12,097 
10. Isi Gabsa (Munich, Germany) - $10,957 

 

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