Michaela Finn (Brastad, Sweden) was nearly flawless on Thursday in the first round of the Epson Tour Championship. And when she was 10-under par through 13 holes, a 59 watch was in full effect.
She hit all 18 greens in regulation and 12 of 14 fairways en route to a bogey-free 11-under par 61. That’s the 18-hole tournament scoring record on the Jones Course at LPGA International.
“At one point during the round, I knew I had a chance to shoot 59,” said Finn, who entered the week at No. 96 in the Race for the Card. “I had a lip out here and there and really wanted to shoot that, but I was trying to stay in the moment and put a good roll on it. If it goes in, it does and if not, I tried my best.”
A second-year Epson Tour rookie, Finn was a three-time All-MAC First Team selection for Kent State University. She needs a top-2 result this week in Daytona Beach, Fla., to have a chance at finishing inside the top 35 in the Race for the Card and earn exemption to LPGA Q-Series. An effort like today goes a long way in giving herself a shot.
“I don’t have any pressure on me,” said Finn, a three-time medalist for the Golden Flashes including the 2017 MAC Championship individual title. “My putter was really hot today. I had a couple birdies within six feet, but I made a bunch of birdies from 15-20 feet. That was the big difference, that I made a couple of those instead of two-putting.”
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