Jessica Welch Repeats as Wire-to-Wire Champion at Michigan PGA Women’s OpenJessica Welch may be a Thomasville, Ga. native, but she continues to feel right at home at Crystal Mountain. The LPGA Epson Tour professional successfully defended her title at the 32nd Michigan PGA Women’s Open Championship presented by Coca-Cola, becoming just the second golfer in tournament history to win back-to-back titles. Welch carded a final-round 2-under-par 70 on the Mountain Ridge Course—matching her closing round from last year—to finish at 9-under 207. That total gave her a four-shot victory over runner-up and low amateur Ana Murcia, a Michigan State University standout from Colombia, who closed with a 71 for a 5-under 211 finish. With the win, Welch, 31, earned the $8,000 winner’s share and joined Jackson native and former LPGA pro Elaine Crosby as the only golfers to win consecutive Michigan Women’s Opens. Crosby accomplished the feat in 2000 and 2001. Welch played steady throughout the final round, going 2-under on the front nine and nearly holing her approach on the par-5 ninth. During the trophy ceremony, she reflected on a week that felt like “coming home,” and expressed gratitude to God, the Michigan PGA, Crystal Mountain, her competitors, and host family Steve and Pam Perry. Other top finishers included Olivia Stoll of Haslett (Grand Valley State), who shot 72 to finish third at 2-under 214, and Elise Fennell of Caledonia (Illinois State), who also shot 72 to place fourth at 1-under 215. The day also featured another repeat winner: Suzy Green-Roebuck of Ann Arbor, a former LPGA pro and the event’s only three-time overall champion, claimed her second straight victory in the Senior Division. The Michigan PGA Women’s Open once again enjoyed strong support from presenting sponsor Coca-Cola, a longtime partner of Crystal Mountain and the championship. |