After six long years of collapsing under pressure when the going got rough Heather Bowie finally collided with victory today at the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic. No, Heather didn't win the tournament in valiant fashion scoring an eagle on the eighteenth green. It took Bowie three playoff holes and Gloria Park dropping a low hook into the creek on the 18th for a triple-bogey to gain the victory. But I guess a win is a win.

Bowie was excited nonetheless with her first win ever on the LPGA tour after 138 starts receiving a $180,000 paycheck, a beautiful silver trophy delivered by celebrity Jamie Farr and a big kiss from her caddie.

With a five stroke deficit starting the final round Heather Bowie probably never thought that she had a chance. In final round scoring events Bowie hasn't shot in the 60's at all.

The leader by two entering the final round, Hee Won Han was showing signs of victory early with birdies on the second and fourth holes. It would be difficult to defeat the Korean knowing her impressive stats. Han is 20th on the money list and has three top-10's in five starts. With $325,000 already in the bank this year and a three-time winner on the LPGA tour Han was virtually impossible to rally against. But golf is a strange game. As my husband always tells me, "you never give up until the last putt is in the final hole".

The eleventh hole marked the end of the tournament for Han. Although only making bogey and still up on the competition Han went into the twelfth and thirteenth holes dejected with shoulders hunched and sloppy posture. Her body language had changed dramatically and it showed as she double-bogeyed the thirteenth after a fried-egg lie in the sand and a mediocre shot to a challenging pin. After defeating herself mentally Han strayed lethargically out of the tournament. Although she got her three-wood as far as she could down the eighteenth fairway Han needed more than the par she made to continue on to the playoff holes.

Runner-up Gloria Park also has impressive stats. She has made the cut in every event with fifteen starts, seven top-ten finishes and overall thirteenth position on the official money list. Even with a bogey-free round today Park wasn't a consideration in my mind until her birdie at 17. With her par on the eighteenth Park decended into the clubhouse in a four-way tie for the lead. After Han and Yim dropped out of contention it was a two-woman race for the trophy.

The thought running through my mind on the playoff holes was "Who chokes first?". The entire game today wasn't about one player taking the lead and running with it. It was more about which golfer would drop under pressure. There was a tremendous amount of missed, short putts. The ladies all seemed as if they were deciding amongst themselves who would remain at the end of the day instead of which one would rally triumphantly for the win.

Park choked first this time. Her second shot into the water on the third playoff hole, a chip over the green and a two-putt for an eight was her admission of defeat and a "gimme" for Bowie.

In other news at the Owens Classic, Paula Creamer (64) continues her terrific rookie season with a tie for fifth place. Her final round also marked the low round of the tournament. Keep up the good work Paula!

For all you Natalie Gulbis fans out in cyberspace, Natalie maintained a very even round today with a single bogey and one birdie on the back nine. Her top-twenty finish won't move her up on the money list but it will keep her in view of her fans while she awaits the start of her new reality series this month.

Morgan Pressel didn't compete as well as she thought she could. Although Pressel finished two-under for the tournament in a tie for 23rd position, Morgan didn't get her momentum going until the fifteenth where she birdied following with two more birdies on the finishing holes. It was still an impressive finale for the 17-year old amateur. Morgan currently has a full scholarship awaiting her at Duke University, a college famous for dishing out some of the top golfers on tour. Instead Morgan has petitioned LPGA Commissioner Ty Votaw to allow her to play professionally giving up that scholarship. Is it wise for Morgan give up the opportunity that many students only dream about? Is she too young to make that decision?

Pos   Player                  Today    Tot    R1    R2    R3    R4
1     Heather Bowie             -4     -10    72    66    69    67
2     Gloria Park               -5     -10    67    70    71    66
T3    Sung Ah Yim               -3      -9    69    70    68    68
T3    Hee-Won Han               +2      -9    69    67    66    73
T5    Paula Creamer             -7      -8    72    68    72    64
T5    Jeong Jang                +1      -8    68    69    67    72
T7    Pat Hurst                 -2      -7    71    70    67    69
T7    Leta Lindley               E      -7    69    69    68    71
T7    Meg Mallon                +1      -7    68    69    68    72
10    Marilyn Lovander          +2      -6    69    68    68    73

Photo Credit: © " title="Heather Bowie Wins Owens Corning Classic" class="external">AP.

Trackback URI | Comments RSS