Nicole Felce, PGA/LPGA, had one goal when she qualified for the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Hazeltine National Golf Club: to have a weekend tee time. Mission accomplished.
Felce fired a 2-under 70 in the second round, thanks to a birdie on her 34th hole, to make the cut on the number (1-over 145) and earn the opportunity to play with the game’s stars in a major for two more days.
“It’s really, really special to be here,” Felce said after earning Low PGA of America and LPGA Professional honors. “Making the weekend was my goal this week, so to have done it and just to soak it all in and to have played along with the world’s best was really special, and really amazing and really humbling. Something I never could have imagined.”
Felce, a 21-year-old PGA of America and LPGA Assistant Golf Professional at Countryside Country Club in Clearwater, Florida, was playing in her second KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. She became the first member of the Corebridge Financial Team since 2019 to make the cut at the KPMG.
The last to make the cut was Jimin Kang, PGA/LPGA. Kang also accomplished the feat at Hazeltine.
“I knew I had to shoot a couple under to do it,” said Felce, who made her KPMG debut last year at Fields Ranch East at PGA Frisco. “I just stuck to my game plan and trusted every shot, trusted my caddie and trusted what I was doing.”
After opening with a 75 that included a confidence-building birdie on her last hole, Felce had two birdies in her first five holes in the second round while starting on Hazeltine’s back nine to have a chance at the projected cut of 1-over.
A bogey on the par-4 second hole, however, jeopardized her weekend plans. She knew she had one last good opportunity for a birdie at the par-5 seventh hole. And that’s exactly what she did, making a 2-foot birdie putt after a deft chip. Then she closed with two pars.
“I knew I needed that, so that was huge,” said Felce, a member of the North Florida PGA Section who was elected to PGA of America Class A Membership in February. “Definitely coming down the stretch, I was like, if I need to go for it, I will.”
Felce was a standout junior player, winning the Girls 11–12 division at the 2016 FCG Callaway Jr. World Championships in Rancho Mirage, California. She turned professional in 2022, entered LPGA Q-School and earned partial status on the Epson Tour.
Once she made the cut at Hazeltine on June 26, it was time to set another goal: “Just kind of enjoying every moment, seeing how low I can go and seeing what I can do out there,” Felce explained.
She closed with rounds of 81 and 73 to finish 68th and earn $26,878. She’s confident it won’t be the last paycheck she receives for playing golf.
“I’m going to Q-School this fall, so ultimately the goal is to play on tour,” Felce said. “I am glad I got my certifications under my belt (with the PGA of America and LPGA). I’m really honored to be part of two great organizations.”
The other seven members of the Corebridge Financial Team were Sandra Changkija, Orlando, Florida; Joanna Coe, Haverford, Pennsylvania; Loretta Giovannettone, Hobe Sound, Florida; Allie Knight, Knoxville, Tennessee; Kim Paez, Frisco, Texas; Natalie Vivaldi, Oceanside, California; and Allie White, Lancaster, Ohio. —Craig Dolch
