The final round of the French Lick Resort Charity Classic has come to a close, and the Epson Tour has added another two-time champion to the list in 2023. The Pete Dye Course at French Lick presented a challenge on the last day, with the day's low score being carded at four under. With tough pins and strong wind, the leaders had a challenging course to navigate all day.
Jiwon Jeon did not have the same fireworks on Sunday that she was able to produce on Friday and Saturday, but her performance on Sunday was just as commanding. The 26-year-old always looked in control and in sync with her game, even with a few mistakes on the card. Jeon would birdie her 72nd hole to close out her tournament with a one-under 71 and win the French Lick Resort Charity Classic by three shots.
"I had a three-shot lead, but with this course, anything can happen out there," said Jeon. "So, I tried to stick to my gameplan as much as possible. I wasn't hitting it as well today, but I made a lot of up and downs out there. Like I said yesterday, I was just really trying to stay patient."
With the win, Jeon joins Gabriela Ruffels and Jenny Bae as the only two-time winners on the Epson Tour this season and moves her to No. 3 on the Race for the Card. Jeon earned status on the LPGA Tour through the 2019 LPGA Q-Series but has since made her way to the Epson Tour. The Republic of Korea native is one step away from returning to the LPGA Tour, and her game is proving it. To go along with her two wins, Jeon has only missed one cut in 2023, demonstrating the consistency of her game this season.
"It is such a relief to be at No. 3," said Jeon. "I have been thinking about winning this tournament for like the last month. I was getting ready for just this event and was working really hard on my swing. I prepared really well for this event and now made it into the top-3 on the tour now."
Kristen Gillman tried to make a push at Jeon early in the round, making two birdies in her first five holes, but a bogey on No. 7 would be all the separation Jeon would need for the rest of the round. Gillman's performance in French Lick was her best of the season, with her seven-under third round being her best round of the season as well. The University of Alabama alumna has much to look forward to for the rest of the season. She has taken a significant jump on the money list, moving her into a good spot with eight tournaments to play.
"I feel like today, but especially on the back nine, I gave myself a lot of birdie opportunities, but I just wasn't able to make anything," said Gillman. "This week was a really solid ball striking week, so that helped me not get into too much trouble. My dad was on the bag, and it was nice that he was able to be here, and I was able to play well with him on the bag, so it was really fun having him out here.
Maddie McCrary finished alone in third, six shots back of the lead after 72-holes of play. McCrary could not find the rhythm she needed to get herself into contention on Sunday, posting an even-par 72 to close out her tournament. The third-place finish for McCrary was her best finish by far for the Texas native, and she feels like this is just the beginning of her good play.
"I felt good this weekend," said McCrary. "It is an uncomfortable feeling being in that last group but a good feeling. I want to put myself in that position as many times as possible because if I keep putting myself in those uncomfortable moments, I feel like I will improve. It feels good to finish where I did, but my goal is still to reach that top 10, so there are still quite a few events left, but this week was a big step forward."
Rounding out the top of the leaderboard are Gabriela Ruffels and Jenny Bae, who both sit at seven under for the tournament, respectively.
QUICK QUOTES
Jenny Bae (-7, T4) on another top finish:
"I felt good about going into today. The wind was a little rough, and it was a little hard to hit the right distance, but overall, it was a good tournament for me. I will definitely take this confidence that I built up to the next tournament and try to play my best."
Mariel Galdiano (-5, T6) on one of her best finishes of the year:
"My putter helped me out so much today - I saved many par putts and made a longer putt on number three for eagle. Just like yesterday, today was challenging, especially with the wind, so I didn't put too much pressure on myself when I missed the fairway or green. I had a fun pairing today with Isabella and Alyaa, which was really nice we cheered each other on. All the pieces of my game are slowly coming together, and I executed shots well, so I was able to score lower this week. Just need to clean up a few more things, especially off the tee, and get ready for the next event."
Kaitlin Milligan (E, T26) on posting the joint best round of the day:
"I actually borrowed a putter from a friend because the first three days it was not good. So, I putted with a different putter, so that really helped, and I had two chip-ins and holed out from the fairway. There was a little luck today, but sometimes that's okay, and I just felt more relaxed out there today."
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