Monday, June 17, 2019

The Forsyth Classic presented by Decatur Park District
Hickory Point Golf Club | Decatur, Ill. | June 14-16

Final-Round Notes
June 16, 2019

Course Setup: 36-36—72; 6,756 yards

Quick Links:

LEADERBOARD

Player
To Par
Score
1
Jillian Hollis
-13
67-66-70 – 203
T2
Mind Muangkumsakul
-11
70-68-67 – 205
T2
Esther Lee
-10
70-69-67 – 206
T4
Min Seo Kwak
-10
68-70-68 – 206
T3
Cydney Clanton
-10
69-64-73—206

JILLIAN HOLIS WINS 35TH EDITION OF THE FORSYTH CLASSIC
Last year, Jillian Hollis made her Symetra Tour debut as a professional at the Forsyth Classic. She forced a four-hole playoff with the eventual winner Isi Gabsa but missed out on her first title. This year, Hollis put those demons to rest as she conquered Hickory Point Golf Club and won by two strokes at -13. The win is her second of 2019 and slides her into the No. 1 spot on the Volvik Race for the Card standings.

Hollis played in the final pairing with Cydney Clanton, who forced her way into contention with a second-round 64 to enter the third round tied with Hollis at -11. “We were back and forth for a little bit, and I made some birdies earlier on. She had a birdie, but the pins were in really hard locations,” said Hollis. “It was great having her in the group…we had a fun time.”

The 22-year-old Hollis returned a 2-under 70 in the final round and was almost perfect off the tee, hitting 13 of 14 fairways. This was the last playing of the Forsyth Classic and while Hollis is sad to see the tournament leave the schedule, she was thrilled to win on a course that felt so comfortable.

“I was so excited to play this year because you go and play a golf course that you play really well at and you love, and I loved this golf course,” said Hollis. “It’s very similar to my golf course at home and the courses I play at home, so to get to play here and finally win after four playoff holes last year…that’s just experience. Just having that and believing in myself and knowing that I could do it.

Mind Muangkhumsakul finished in solo second at -11. Clanton, Esther Lee and Min Seo Kwak tied for third at -10. Karolina Vlckova, who was also in the final grouping and T2 after the second round, ended T23 at -5.

CYDNEY CLANTON COMES UP SHORT AFTER SPECTACULAR SECOND ROUND
“I’m a little tired. I’m ready to eat and I’m ready to get off my feet.” That is all that Cydney Clanton needed after a long day in Decatur, where she finished her second round early Sunday morning. The 29-year-old went on to shoot her Symetra Tour career-best 8-under 64 to tie Jillian Hollis for the lead at -11.

The afternoon played out a little different for Clanton, who fell to -10 and T3 by the end of the day after playing in the final grouping with Hollis and Karolina Vlckova. “I played great this morning. I hit the ball well, I did everything I was supposed to do to get myself an opportunity to be where I was,” said Clanton. “Unfortunately, I just didn’t get anything rolling this afternoon, and that’s how golf is. Sometimes you’re stripping it and sometimes you’re not. That’s just how it was today.”

Despite missing out on another win in 2019, Clanton said she looks back fondly on what she was able to accomplish in the morning, which included six consecutive birdies on holes 5 through 11. On top of that, she has already set a goal in mind for her next round.

“I hit the ball really well and made a lot of really good putts. To make nine birdies in any round is really good,” said Clanton.” I think last week at the ShopRite LPGA Classic I had eight in one round, so to even top that…three times I’ve had six birdies in a row so I was trying to beat it but came up short again. So eventually I’m going to get to seven birdies in a row.

VOLVIK RACE FOR THE CARD STANDINGS AFTER WEEK ELEVEN
Following the 11th tournament of the 2019 Symetra Tour season, the Volvik Race for the Card welcomes a fresh top 10.

The victory and $30,000 winner’s check move Jillian Hollis up five spots to No. 1, having earned $84,327 across nine starts this season. Here is a look at the current top 10 heading into the ninth annual Island Resort Championship at Sweetgrass Golf Club in Harris, Mich., from June 21-23:

1. Jillian Hollis (Rocky River, Ohio) - $84,327
2. Leona Maguire (County Cavan, Ireland) - $75,654
3. Perrine Delacour (Paris, France) - $73,714
4. Julieta Granada (Asuncion, Paraguay) - $58,899
5. Nuria Iturrioz (Mallorca, Spain) - $56,402
6. Min Seo Kwak (Seoul, Republic of Korea) - $42,311
7. Cydney Clanton (Concord, North Carolina) - $41,854
8. Maddie Szeryk (London, Ontario, Canada) - $41, 207
9. Kyung Kim (Chandler, Arizona) - $39,080
10. Maria Parra (Guadiaro, Spain) - $38,360

NOTABLE QUOTES
Esther Lee (-10, T3) on it being the final Forsyth Classic:
“It’s the 35th year and it’s the longest tournament we’ve ever had. It’s such a special thing to have and I am sure and I know that a lot of players are really sad about it being the last year but you never know!”

Bailey Tardy (-8, T10) on shooting 6-under 66 during the final round after completing her second round Sunday morning:
“I played 27 holes today, so it’s all blurring together. But I guess this last 18 I got off to a good start. Birdied No. 1 and 3, and then I think I just kept on birdie-ing. I birdied No. 4 and 6 and 9, so I was just hitting them close and making the putts and I had real fun. I had one of my best friends on the bag, so we were just laughing the whole time really.”

PLAYER NOTES
Jillian Hollis
  • Hollis, 22, is from Rocky River, Ohio
  • Made her professional debut at the 2018 U.S. Women’s Open
  • Spent three years at the University of Georgia and was a three-time All-American
  • Two-time All-SEC Second Team selection before being named to the First Team in 2018
  • Competed in the 2014 Canadian Pacific Women’s Open, as well as the 2016 and 2018 Marathon Classic on the LPGA Tour
  • Made the cut in eight of 12 starts in her rookie campaign on the Symetra Tour last season
  • Lost in a sudden-death playoff in her Symetra Tour debut at the 2018 Forsyth Classic
  • Stepped into the winner’s circle for the first time in her professional career at the 2019 IOA Championship presented by Morongo Casino Resort & Spa

ABOUT SYMETRA TOUR
The Symetra Tour is the official qualifying tour of the LPGA Tour and enters its 39th competitive season in 2019. With the support of its entitlement partner Symetra, the Tour’s mission is to prepare the world’s best young women professional golfers for a successful career on the LPGA Tour. Since Symetra’s inaugural sponsorship year in 2012, the Symetra Tour has grown from 16 tournaments and $1.7 million in prize money to $4.0 million in prize money awarded over the course of 24 events. With more than 600 alumnae moving on to the LPGA, former Symetra Tour players have won a total of 43 LPGA titles. Follow the Symetra Tour on the web at www.SymetraTour.comFacebook.com/Road2LPGA,Twitter.com/Road2LPGA, and YouTube.com/Road2LPGA.

ABOUT SYMETRA
Symetra Life Insurance Company is a subsidiary of Symetra Financial Corporation, a diversified financial services company based in Bellevue, Washington. In business since 1957, Symetra provides employee benefits, annuities and life insurance through a national network of benefit consultants, financial institutions and independent agents and advisors. Symetra began its partnership with the Road to the LPGA in 2010 as the title sponsor of the Symetra Classic. It secured naming rights for the Symetra Tour in November 2011. In addition to its title sponsorship of the Tour, which runs through 2021, Symetra sponsors two events on the tournament schedule—the Symetra Classic and the season-ending Symetra Tour Championship. For more information about Symetra, visit www.symetra.com.

 

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