By ANNIE FOWLER, CUJ Special Contributor
MISSION — Pornanong Phatlum got a look at the leaderboard on the 13th hole. She saw she had a two-stroke lead, and by the time she teed off on the 18th hole, she admitted she was a little nervous.
Those nerves were soon put to the rest as she shot par on the final hole to win the Wildhorse Ladies Golf Classic on Sunday, Aug. 18, at Wildhorse Golf Course.
“I just tried to focus on my game,” Phatlum said. “When I see the leaderboard, I get too excited. I tried to birdie the last four or five holes to keep the lead. I tried to stay calm.”
Over the course of three rounds, Phatlum, 34, shot a 21 under 195, two strokes better than runner-up Amy Lee, and three better than Cynthia Lu, whom she played with during the final round.
Phatlum, who hails from Thailand, earned $39,375 for her efforts, along with a championship trophy and a hand-beaded medallion.
Every player who made the cut for the final round earned a paycheck from the purse of $262,500.
The tournament is part of the Epson Tour, the official qualifying tour of the Ladies Professional Golf Association. This was the third event at Wildhorse, and Wildhorse Resort and Casino CEO Gary George said Epson would like them to consider signing on for another three years.
“We think it has been a great event for us,” George said. “We have 144 lady professionals from 25 countries and six continents come to Pendleton. With the players and their support staff, it is a big economic plus for the community. We have great support from our sponsors, and 140 volunteers that helped put this together. The community loves the event and gets excited about it.”
Phatlum put her second shot of the 18th hole on the green just 5 feet from the pin. She was looking for her 10th birdie of the round, but the ball curled around the lip of the cup and settled a few inches away. She knocked the ball in for par.
“I had a bogey on 17, so I was glad when that shot went onto the green on the 18th,” Phatlum said.
Lu had a bogey on the hole to stay one stroke ahead of Kate Smith-Stroh, who finished fourth with a 199. Lu finished the third round with six birdies.
It was the first win on the Epson Tour this season for Phatlum, who has split her time between the LPGA and the Epson Tour. It also was her third top-10 Epson Tour finish this year.
“I’m happy to win this time,” Phatlum said. “I haven’t won for a long time. “This puts me in the top 10. I will play more Epson events and finish the season and get my LPGA tour card for next year.”
Phatlum’s best finish at a major LPGA event was second at the 2018 Women’s British Open.
It was the first Wildhorse Classic for Phatlum, who said she enjoyed the course and the weather.
“This is a nice course,” she said. “The conditions were great and the greens were fast.”
The event was close all three days, with 100 players breaking par on the first day. Smith Stroh, who carded a 30 on the back nine to start play, finished the round with a 63 for the lead — one stroke better than Jenny Bae.
Phatlum and Lu were tied for first after the second round at 131.
The top fifteen players at the end of the Epson Tour are awarded membership in the LPGA for the following year. Phatlum is currently seventh.
Phatlum said she will spend a week in Portland before competing in the FM Global Championship in Boston from Aug. 29 to Sept. 1.
