Christina Foster, the second-round leader, followed her Thursday 66 with a Friday 68. Most days, that would be good enough to secure a tournament title. Ana Paula Valdes remembered the 62 that Brooke Henderson shot last year to triumph from behind and figured a reprise would give her a shot at the tournament. She didn’t quite get to 62, but the Morelia (Mexico) native, by way of Blufton, S.C., managed a 65 to seize the title from Foster. Valdes birdied the 16th and eagled the 17th holes, then closed the door with a two-putt par on the last. Foster made it interesting by taking a run at ace on the closing hole, sinking a 10-feet birdie putt after her tee shot just missed.
In third place was first-round leader Josee Doyon at minus-two, six back of the leader and five behind the runner-up. Fourth place, at minus-one, was co-occupied by Jessica Porvasnik and Brittany Marchand . Local stalwarts Maren Cipolla of Nichols School and Catherine Peterson of the University of Michigan, earned superlative, top ten finishes. Cipolla’s closing 67 was just behind Valdes’ 65 for low round of the day, earning her a 7th place tie with Princess Superal (Phillipines) and Naomi Ko (British Columbia.) Peterson added a 69 to finish in a 10th-place tie with Bing Singhsumalee of Illinois.
For all results, click here. For Jay Skurski’s piece in the Buffalo News, visit here.
