South Africa’s Lee-Anne Pace leaped into the top 60 on the LPGA Tour’s Official Money List after a fourth-place finish at the Marathon Classic in Ohio on Monday.
Pace carded a final-round 71 at the Highland Meadows Golf Club to join American Kelly Tan and Katherine Kirk of New Zealand for a share of fourth on 11-under-par 273.
The trio finished four shots behind 17-year-old New Zealander Lydia Ko, who edged out South Korea’s So Yeon Ryu with a flawless 65 to triumph on 15-under-par 269.
A cheque worth $60,000 (about R637,000) lifted the reigning Investec Cup for Ladies champion to 57th place on the Money List and boosted her to 63rd in the CME rankings.
The 33-year-old Pace, who was an eight-time LET champion, has had limited starts on the LPGA Tour in 2014.
The season’s best performance in Ohio has brought her closer to a full card for 2015.
Pace held a share of the overnight lead with American Laura Diaz after rounds of 66, 66 and 68.
She slipped out of contention after back-to-back bogeys at the 14th and 15th holes, but rallied with a birdie at the 16th and got herself back in the top four with a birdie at the par-five 18th.
Ladies European Tour rookie Nicole Garcia of South Africa broke a run of missed cuts to earn her first cheque in Germany.
Garcia joined compatriots Stacy Lee Bregman and fellow LET rookie Kim Williams on the weekend at the Ladies German Open near Munich.
Source : Sapa /gbm/od/fg/ar
