First Time Tour Winner Sinks Dramatic Birdie Put on 18 for Victory
MASON, OH (June 22, 2008) -- Stephanie Otteson, a second-year player on the Duramed FUTURES Tour, holed a clutch 30-foot putt on the final hole to win the second annual Duramed Championship at the Golf Center at Kings Island with a three-round total of 9-under par 204.
Otteson, who had never won before on tour, started the day with a one-shot lead over Mindy Kim, her co-leader after the first round, and traded the lead with Kim most of the day. But after a nice third shot on 18 that landed on the upper tier past the pin, Otteson coolly nailed the birdie putt to clinch the win.
“Everything just seemed to come together this week,” said Otteson, whose best previous finish this season was 12th place last week at the Decatur stop. “I’ve been working hard on my putting. You don’t know how hard I’ve been working on my putting.”
To make things even more interesting, Jessica Shipley, playing in the group behind the leaders, made a dramatic charge on the back nine, posting four birdies on the final five holes, including a 20-foot putt of her own on 18 to move into a three-way tie and finish with a three under for the day, finishing at -8, 205 for the tournament .
With a playoff looming and Otteson’s second shot some 40 yards closer to the pin, Kim chose to go for the water-protected green on the dogleg left 18th but instead found the pond. Her next shot off her drop landed in the right bunker behind the pin and she settled for a bogey six on the final hole to finish in third place by herself. That was still good enough to move her to the top of the money winning list, displacing Vicky Hurst from the top spot.
For the victory, Otteson, who led or co-led each round of the Tournament, earns $15,400 to move into eighth place on the Tour’s money list.
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