LONGWOOD, Florida, September 30, 2017 - The first-round of the IOA Golf Classic resumed at 9:57 a.m. on Saturday and concluded just after 2:00 p.m. The second-round is now underway. Hannah Green (Perth, Australia), who finished Friday, remained the leader at 7-under, 64 heading into round two. Liv Cheng (Auckland, New Zealand) was in second place at 6-under, 65.
The entire second wave of round one finished on Saturday at Alaqua Country Club.
Paola Moreno (Cali, Colombia) resumed her round on hole 10 and played the final nine holes of her first round. She finished at 4-under, 67.
“It didn’t rain so that was the good news for us,” said Moreno, who finished as the sun began to come out. “I stayed patient and hopefully we can get in as many holes as possible later today and make this an official tournament.”
Moreno made birdies on holes 13, 14 and 16 and closed with two pars.
“I think I’m in a good position to try and move up the leaderboard,” said Moreno, who ranks 14th on the Volvik Race for the Card money list. “I’m excited for this afternoon.”
Moreno began her second round at 1:33 p.m off the tenth tee.
Moreno finished second on the Epson Tour’s money list in 2012 so she has experience handling the pressure of trying to earn an LPGA card.
“I’ve been doing well so far and my game plan is to hit fairways and greens and making putts,” said Moreno, who is just $12,000 outside the top 10. “We will see how it plays out, but I’m excited.”
The winner’s payout of $22,500 would likely move Moreno to 9th on the Volvik Race for the Card money list.
Clariss Guce (Artesia, Calif.), who won twice on the Epson Tour in 2016, made five birdies in her 11 holes on Saturday morning to get into a tie for second at 6-under, 65.
Victoria Morgan (Pasadena, Calif.) also finished nine holes on Friday and made three birdies and six pars to cap her first round at 5-under, 66. She is in a tie for third, just two back of the lead. Morgan is a rookie on the Epson Tour and going for her second top 10 finish of the season.
There are just two events remaining in the 2017 season. Ten LPGA Tour cards will be awarded next week at the Epson Tour Championship in Daytona Beach.
ROUND ONE - Suspended Play: Green Grabs Clubhouse Lead in Round One as Play Suspends at IOA Golf Classic
LONGWOOD, Florida, September 29, 2017 - Hannah Green (Perth, Australia) has been one of the top performers all year and especially over the last two weeks when she captured a win in Arkansas and a top five in Alabama. Green’s stellar play continued on Friday at the IOA Golf Classic at Alaqua Country Club with a bogey-free 7-under, 64 to lead as play was called for the night at 4:55 p.m. Liv Cheng is in second place at 6-under, 65 and four players are in the clubhouse at 5-under, 66.
Thunderstorms wrecked havoc on afternoon play and the first-round did not finish. Rain first started around 1:45 p.m. and play was halted at 2:03 as greens began to puddle. Play was suspended for thirty minutes. Players returned to the course until another cell moved in and horns blew again at 4:02 p.m.
The first-round will resume at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 30 while the second-round will begin no earlier than 1:00 p.m.
Green, 20, putted out on the 18th hole just as the rain was beginning to fall. She started the day with four pars and then got hot with birdies on holes five, six and seven. After a par on eight, she ended the front with a birdie on nine. Green made a birdie on 13 and then made back-to-back birdies on 16 and 17 before a par on 18.
“I didn’t miss a green today and that was my goal because I know the greens are quite small compared to last week,” said Green, who has already wrapped up her LPGA Tour card for 2018. “I gave myself a lot of opportunities and to convert seven birdies, I was pretty happy with my round.”
Green won the Murphy USA El Dorado Shootout two weeks ago and finished in a tie for fifth last week at the Guardian Championship. She has amassed $82,544 in 18 starts.
“This is probably the best I’ve played over a stretch of three tournaments,” said Green. “I’m just really comfortable with how I am hitting it and I’m hitting spots on the greens where I want to roll it. I hope I can continue it for the next couple days and next week."
Green says she’s really just trying to maintain her swing over the final few weeks of the season.
“My swing can change drastically from day-to-day and that is a long-term thing that I’m working on,” admitted Green. “Luckily I have Paul (caddy) and my dad here and they know what I am working on so that is always handy.”
Green has had her dad, Tau, with her the last four weeks and hopes to have her mom and dad join her on the LPGA in 2018.
“I’m starting to think like two more events and then I’m on the LPGA,” said Green. “I just want to knuckle down these last two, but it is slowly starting to sink in.”
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