Jamie Farr Toledo Classic Presented by Kroger, Owens-Corning and O-I
Highland Meadows Golf Club
Sylvania, Ohio
August 12, 2012
Final-Round Notes and Interviews
Highland Meadows Golf Club
Sylvania, Ohio
August 12, 2012
Final-Round Notes and Interviews
So Yeon Ryu -20, Rolex Rankings No. 22
Angela Stanford -13, Rolex Rankings No. 20
Stacy Lewis -8, Rolex Rankings No. 2
Angela Stanford -13, Rolex Rankings No. 20
Stacy Lewis -8, Rolex Rankings No. 2
LPGA Tour rookie So Yeon Ryu fired a final-round 9-under par 62 to win the Jamie Farr Toledo Classic Presented by Kroger, Owens Corning and O-I and become the fifth Rolex-First Time Winner this year.While Ryu won last year’s U.S. Women’s Open, this marks her first official LPGA Tour victory as a member.
Ryu entered Sunday’s final round tied atop the leaderboard with fellow South Koreans I.K. Kim, Jiyai Shin, and Hee Kyung Seo. Ryu got her first birdie of the day at the par-4 third then rolled in another one for birdie at the par-4 fifth.
Ryu then had relatively short birdie putts on numbers seven and eight but did not capitalize on the opportunities and the nerves began to flow.
“Actually, timing is really important in golf,” said Ryu. “So I felt like I must have success with the birdie on hole 7 and 8, but I missed it. So it made me nervous because I really wanted to win this tournament.”
It was then time for Ryu to kick it into full gear beginning at the ninth where she knocked in a long putt for birdie. Ryu then reeled off five more consecutive birdies at numbers 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14.
“I felt really, really great. And I think my birdies finished at 14, yeah, 14. So 15, 16, 17 I got a par, but felt like bogeys,” said Ryu. “Even it felt like a little weird. But anyway, I finished the birdie on the last hole, so I felt so great. I'm just really, really happy, and I'm so glad to win this tournament.”
Ryu earned an impressive seven-stroke victory over Angela Stanford. Inbee Park and Chella Choi tied for third at 12-under-par.
Currently leading the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year race, a win this week further extended Ryu’s lead to 403 points over Lexi Thompson.
Friendly Advice… After being tied atop the leaderboard after Saturday’s third round of the Jamie Farr Toledo Classic Presented by Kroger, Owens-Corning and O-I, Ryu received a bit of advice from fellow South Korean Yeon Jae Son. Son recently competed in this year’s Summer Olympics in rhythmic gymnastics.
“But actually I have one friend who is a gymnastic player, actually she finished the Olympics yesterday, and she said that the rhythm gymnastics has four part of different ones,” said Ryu. So after finishing the two, she finished the third, and she said she kept thinking in her mind that oh, maybe I have a chance to get a medal. But she's thinking of that, and then missed it. She had some mistakes. So I learned from there that I don't want to think about winning. I just want to think of the game and my score.”
Despite being four years younger than Ryu, both South Koreans share the same psychologist and Ryu credited Son for much of this week’s victory.
She helped me a lot,” said Ryu. “Actually, she's four years younger than me, but she's qualified for the first time in the final for the Korean rhythm gymnastics. She's really great. Especially her psychologist is same as mine, and she said just enjoy your tournament.”
Consistency is Key… Last year, Angela Stanford recorded nine top-10 finishes and all she wanted was a win. This year is a little different for Stanford, while she won the HSBC Women’s Champions 2012, she has only finished in the top-10 two additional times including a runner-up finish this week.
While most people would be satisfied with an LPGA Tour win, Stanford is left wanting more and that includes consistency.
“Yeah, what's funny about that, the year before, I think I had nine or ten Top 10s, and I remember being at the end of the year and complaining about not winning,” said Stanford. “Then I have these years that I'll win, and never finish in the Top 10 the other weeks. So it's like which one do I want?”
“Yeah, what's funny about that, the year before, I think I had nine or ten Top 10s, and I remember being at the end of the year and complaining about not winning,” said Stanford. “Then I have these years that I'll win, and never finish in the Top 10 the other weeks. So it's like which one do I want?”
Like all LPGA Tour players, Stanford thrives on being in the hunt come Sunday and that is just what she did this week as she went into the final round trailing the lead by a mere three-strokes.
“I'd like them mixed, because I've always taken a lot of pride in being consistent,” said Stanford. “I think that is what bothered me the most about this year is I haven't been consistent. I haven't given myself a chance to win on Sunday much. As great as the win was, I'd like to be more consistent.”
Let’s Give ‘Em Something to Cheer About… Rolex Rankings No. 2 Stacy Lewis wanted to give the Lew Crew something to cheer about on Sunday and that is exactly what she did. Lewis carded a 5-under par 67 in the final round which included six birdies and one bogey.
“My family was so supportive all week, and I finally gave them something to cheer about today,” said Lewis. “So I'm just happy to finish it off with them, and thank the whole town for their support this week.”
The 5-under par round catapulted Lewis up the leaderboard from a tie for 26th into a tied for 11th. With the LPGA heading to Portland next week for the Safeway Classic Presented by Coca-Cola, Lewis’s final round this week gave her just the momentum she needs.
“Yeah, any time you shoot a low number on Sunday, you just hope you're in contention and have a shot at winning,” said Lewis. “So just drag momentum into next week and keep playing good.”
Ryu is going to Canyon Ranch…With her victory at the 2012 Jamie Farr Toledo Classic Presented by Kroger, Owens-Corning and O-I, So Yeon Ryu earned an all-inclusive stay for two at a Canyon Ranch resort. In a combined effort to promote health and overall well-being among Tour players, Canyon Ranch will provide every winner of an LPGA event with one all-inclusive stay at one of Canyon Ranch's two destination resorts.
Golden ticket winners: Jennie Lee, Jacqui Concolino and Lindsey Wright punched their "Ticket to CME Group Titleholders" at the Jamie Farr Toledo Classic Presented by Kroger, Owens-Corning and O-I, each earning a spot in the season-ending CME Group Titleholders event, which will be held Nov. 15-18, 2012 at The TwinEagles in Naples, Fla. The second annual CME Group Titleholders is a season finale with a field made up of three qualifiers from every LPGA Tour tournament.
