Epson Tour player from Georgia wins Michigan Women’s Open
Jessica Welch from Georgia had Michigan on her mind this week.
Welch, a 30-year-old player on the LPGA’s Epson Tour, had to cut her eight-stroke lead to just one before birdieing her final hole on Wednesday to win the 31st Michigan Women’s Open at the Mountain Ridge Course at Crystal Mountain in Thompsonville.
Welch made a 7-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to seal the win and collect the $7,500 first-place check.
She entered the final round with a six-stroke lead before Taylor Kehoe of Strathroy, Ontario, who recently transferred to Michigan State, shot 5-under-par 67, highlighting a chip-in for an eagle on the par-5 final hole.
“It’s very humbling and I’m very grateful,” said Welch, who finished with a score of 1 under par 71. “To come to a place as beautiful as this, to be around and play with great people and then to win it all is just the icing on the cake. I’m honestly over the moon and humbled and maybe a little shocked.”
The Michigan Women’s Open is open to players who have their primary residence in other states, but not to the Michigan Men’s Open.
Welch finished the three-round tournament at 12 under par, two strokes better than Kehoe.
Julia Stevenson of Birmingham Country Club finished third at 3 under par, while Michigan State’s Shannon Kennedy, this year’s Michigan Women’s Amateur champion, tied for fourth at 2 under par with Alejandra Llaneza of Mexico.
Kehoe, 20, was playing her first tournament since April and was on the same court as her new head coach, Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll.
“I didn’t get off to the best start, but I pulled myself together and made a couple of birdies and then holed out for an eagle, which was nice,” she said. “It was cool to play well in Michigan and come back here again. We’ve been here before and it’s always a really nice tournament. It’s always nice to be back at Crystal Mountain.”
Crystal Mountain hosted the Michigan Women’s Open, presented by the Michigan PGA, for the 22nd consecutive year.
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