ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - Denmark’s Nanna Koerstz Madsen took advantage of Daniela Iacobelli’s closing double bogey to win the Fuccillo Kia Classic on Sunday for her second Symetra Tour victory of the year.
The 22-year-old Koerstz Madsen shot a 5-under 66 at Capital Hills at Albany for a one-stroke victory over Iacobelli and Kim Welch.
“It came out of nowhere,” Koerstz Madsen said. “When I got up this morning, I was thinking that a top-five finish would be good this week because there were a lot of people ahead of me and tied with me.”
Five strokes behind Hannah Green at the start of the day, Koerstz Madsen earned $18,750 to take the season money lead with $53,527. The final top 10 will earn 2018 LPGA Tour cards, and Koerstz Madsen also moved within a victory of an immediate LPGA Tour promotion.
“This means a lot because I have really been focusing on this tour this year and my main goal is to reach the LPGA and that is the only thing I’m focusing on,” Koerstz Madsen said. “It feels nice that the success is coming.”
She finished at 8-under 205. Iacobelli and Welch each shot 67.
Alexandra Newell (67) and Erynne Lee (68) tied for fourth at 6 under, and Green (73) and Michelle Piyapattra (66) were 5 under.On the par-3 18th, Iacobelli left her tee shot short of the green, and missed 30-, 7- and 3-foot putts.
“I had a putt on Friday that I left four feet short and I didn’t want to do it again, so I gave it a little gas,” Iacobelli said. “On the 7-footer coming back, I probably didn’t respect it enough and there was the 3-footer that just got the edge and didn’t fall. It is what it is. Lessons. That’s all golf is right? Lessons.”
Koerstz Madsen also received a Kia Forte LX.
“It’s really nice that this tournament comes with a new car,” Koerstz Madsen said. “Pretty cool.”
Koerstz Madsen also won the Symetra Classic in April in Georgia. Ranked 83rd in the world, she won a Ladies European Tour’s event in the Czech Republic last year and represented Denmark in the Rio Olympics. She’s in the mix for one of Annika Sorenstam’s Solheim Cup captain’s picks.
“It would be really nice to play, but I know there are a lot of good players ahead of me so we will see what Annika decides,” Koerstz Madsen said. “I have to be chosen so we will see.”
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