Annie Park of USC earned her LPGA Tour card for next season, by claiming her third victory in nine starts on the Symetra Tour, winning the Prairie Band Casino & Resort Charity Classic by three strokes over Margarita Ramos of Mexico at Firekeeper Golf Course in Mayetta, Kan.
The 20-year-old Park, who left the Trojans earlier this year in the middle of her junior season, came from three strokes behind in the final round by posting a women’s course record of 7-under-par 64. It was her 23rd consecutive round of par or better.
“It has been a lifelong dream of mine to play on the LPGA since I started golf when I was eight years old,” said Park, the 2013 NCAA champion who earlier this season won the Toyota Danielle Downey Classic and the PHC Classic. “I looked up to Annika Sorenstam and I knew I wanted to be like her when I grew up. I’m speechless and I can’t wait to play on the LPGA next year.
“My goal coming into the round was just to make a lot of putts because I missed a few in the first two rounds. I was hitting and putting well, so it was a great day.”
Ramos finished second after a 69 and Brittany Altomare was five shots back in third after a 71.
Ginger Howard shot 71 to finish another stroke behind in a tie for fourth with 36-hole leader Sara-Maude Juneau of Canada, who closed with a 74.
