(Getty Images Photo)
Emma Talley earned just under $10,000 for her work in Victoria, Australia this week.
Talley spent part of Saturday’s third round in the top 10 before falling back into a tie for 26th place in the final standings on Sunday at the ISPS Handa Vic Open.
Talley carded a 4-over par 76 in the final round as the golfers battled windy conditions for the second straight day.
That left the former Caldwell County High School and University of Alabama star at 1-under 288 for the 72-hole event.
She was one of seven golfers to finish tied for 26th. Those seven each made $9,739.
Talley shot rounds of 73, 66, 73 and 76.
Meanwhile, Hee Young Park is an LPGA Tour champion for the first time in 6 years, 6 months and 26 days. The 32-year-old from the Republic of Korea survived a four-hole playoff with countrywomen Hye-Jin Choi and So Yeon Ryu to win the ISPS Handa Vic Open at 8-under overall.
Park started the day at -9, three strokes off the 54-hold lead held by Ayean Cho. Just as on Saturday, winds increased throughout the day and as the final group of Cho, Madelene Sagstrom and Alena Sharp fell back, Park, Ryu and Choi surged to the top of the leaderboard.
Choi’s early 3-under 69 gave her the clubhouse lead at 8-under. Some 30 minutes later, Park and Ryu forced the second three-person playoff of the season. Park birdied the par-5 18th to pull into the playoff, while Ryu got up and down for par after her tee shot went out of bounds.
On the first playoff hole, Park just missed a 6-foot eagle putt that would have captured the win. On the following hole, Ryu missed her birdie putt to drop out of the playoff. After two more birdies, Choi’s tee shot went into the trees and her punch-out found the opposite hazard. Park ultimately two-putted for par and a hard-fought victory.
Next up for Talley and the LPGA Tour is the ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open, which begins Thursday in Grange, South Australia.
(Information from an LPGA media release was used in this story.)
