(Sunshine Coast, Queensland – February 20 2005) Local favourite Katherine Hull from Sunrise Beach delighted the gallery with a final round two under par 70 to win the Titanium Enterprises ALPG Championships at the Greg Norman designed Club Pelican GC.
The powerful 22-year-old carded rounds of 69, 69 and 70 in her own back yard to post eight under par in the breezy conditions on the Sunshine Coast to finish three shots clear of Frenchwomen Gwladys Nocera (72) and Karine Icher (70) and Lynnette Brooky of New Zealand (68).
A shot further back were Lora Fairclough from England (70) Iben Tinning from Denmark (69), Cecilia Ekelundh from Sweden (72) and Sara Beautell from Spain, who had the best of the day five under 67.
Anne-Marie Knight, who led after each round and forged a one shot lead heading into the final round, was disappointed with a final round 76 and finished at three under par alongside compatriots Sarah-Jane Kenyon and Nadina Taylor and England’s Kirsty S. Taylor.
Hull, who won twice on the US Futures Tour and now plays on the LPGA Tour, has a promising career ahead of her. Already she has posted five top 20s on the LPGA Tour in her rookie season last year and begins this season with a huge confidence boost after winning the $Aus30,000 first prize in a strong field ahead of next week’s ANZ Ladies Masters down the coast at Royal Pines.
Her 70 consisted of birdies at the second, seventh and 15th with her only dropped shot coming at the difficult fifth hole. But Hull sensed it might be her day when she saved par at the ninth hole after smothering her approach shot out of the thick rough.
“I really scrambled well today,” said Hull, who plans on playing a whopping 29 events on the LPGA Tour this season.
“I wasn’t as consistent as the last two days, but my short game was the key today and made up for it. The greens were much firmer and faster than the last two days, so it was tricky out there.
“I holed a six foot par putt on the ninth and that was a clutch putt which got me into a good attitude for the back nine and I played the back nine well this week.
“It’s a very special victory for me. I don’t know how many Australian events I’ve played in and I’ve never won yet and after coming second last week, that was bitter-sweet, but this week, it’s very sweet, especially in front of my family and friends who came out to support me.”
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