A difficult week for Emma Talley ended with some joy.
Talley birdied her final two holes for a Top-5 finish at the Marathon LPGA Classic presented by Dana.
Talley ended the event at 8-under-par 276 and in a four-way tie for fifth place.
After a first round 1-over 72 on Thursday, Talley worked her way back up the leaderboard with rounds of 66, 69 and 69.
On Sunday, Talley had four birdies and two bogeys.
She hit 11 of 14 fairways and 14 of 18 greens in regulation. She had 30 putts over the final 18 holes.
It is the fifth Top-10 finish on the LPGA Tour for Talley and her fourth Top 5.
Talley, a Caldwell County native, said this week that she will be making a donation to the Cullan Brown Memorial West Kentucky Junior Golf Development Fund for every birdie she makes each week. She had 15 of them this week at Highland Meadows Golf Club in Sylvania, Ohio.
“Haven’t decided how much yet,” Talley told Golfweek of her donation pledge. “It’s probably going to be quite a bit.”
Brown, a former state champion at Lyon County High School and All-SEC Freshman at the University of Kentucky, died Tuesday after a year-long battle with cancer. He was 20.
“We don’t really have a western Kentucky golf program,” Talley added. “So this is kind of the perfect opportunity to live his legacy and continue letting people know who he was.”
Danielle Kang rallied to win the Marathon Classic at 15-under-par. Kang also won the LPGA Drive On Championship the previous week in the Toledo area.
Lydia Ko took a one-shot lead to the final hole on Sunday, but a double-bogey seven on No. 18 dropped her into a tie with Jodi Ewart Shadoff for second place at 14-under.
Talley and the LPGA Tour will now head overseas for the next two events.
The Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open is Aug. 13-16 in North Berwick, Scotland.
The AIG Women’s Open is the following week at Troon, Scotland.
Talley was already qualified for the Ladies Scottish Open, but her showing this week in the Marathon Classic has earned her a spot in the Women’s Open as well.
