LPGA Tour's Allison Fouch Wins Michigan Women's Open

CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN RESORT - Allison Fouch, of Grand Rapids, birdied the last hole of Wednesday’s final round to win the $40,000 Michigan PGA Women’s Open at Crystal Mountain Resort. Fouch, 28, began the day one stroke behind but shot 70 to finish a shot ahead of second round leader Laura Kueny, of Whitehall. She collected the $5,700 first prize by finishing the championship at 8-under-par.

Fouch, an LPGA player and Michigan State University alum, made two birdies on the last four holes. 

“That’s the way I prefer to win," said Fouch, who lost the championship in a playoff in 2003. "I did what I had to do. The adrenaline was flowing pretty good but I tried to stay calm and handle my emotions. Whew! What a nice way to win.

This was her 8th Michigan Open appearance.

“Competition like this helps," she stated. "I haven’t been in game face mode in a while. I never lost my confidence. I stayed patient.”

Fouch has earned more than $79,000 on the LPGA Tour this year, including a T-12 finish at the Jamie Farr Classic in Toledo in July.

Kueny, who led the tournament wire-to-wire, eagled the 475-yard 9th hole, and opened up a two-stroke lead during the back nine.

“I tried not to think about it, but then I noticed a leader board," said Kueny, an amateur, who is entering her final year at Michigan State University. "I think that got to me because I bogeyed the next hole."

That bogey, coupled with a Fouch birdie, erased the lead.

Kueny came to the 18th tee tied with Fouch, but pulled her drive left of the fairway and was forced to punch out of the trees. She managed to par the hole.

“I had been pushing my drives all day so maybe I overcompensated some,” said Kueny, who shot 72 “I didn’t play badly, it just didn’t work out for me.”

Lisa Strom, of Huntersville, NC, shot 71 to finish the event at 2-under-par; tied for third place with amateur Elise Swartout, of Ann Arbor. Strom won the Michigan PGA Women’s Open in 2007.

Crystal Mountain Resort and Spa’s Mountain Ridge course is 6,164 yards long.

One hundred and ten professional or amateur golfers began play in the $40,000 Michigan Women’s Open on Crystal Mountain Resort’s Mountain Ridge course Monday. First prize was $5,700. 

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