Sweet swinging Bowie wins first LPGA Tour event
BY Bruce Young | LPGA Tour | 2005 Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic | Wrap | 11 Jul 2005
Heather Bowie today won her first event on the USLPGA Tour by edging out Korean Gloria Park at the third extra hole of the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic.
For Bowie, in her sixth year on the LPGA Tour, this win confirms that she has the game to match what is one of the finest swings on tour. She has been a consistent money winner on the LPGA Tour, regularly making cuts, but has often been let down by her putting. While her putting has still been a problem in 2005, she had a very good week on the greens this week. “For some reason I feel really comfortable on these greens,” she said in her post tournament interview. “I never look at a putt and wonder what its doing. I feel confident about the line that I see.”
Bowie has picked up a lot of length in 2005 and perhaps as a result of that has improved her greens in regulation stat to the point where she trails only Annika Sorenstam in that category. She is a much improved golfer and with this win now behind her and the quality swing she possesses, we are going to hear more from the 30-year-old from Fort Worth. Bowie would say after the final round that she was at the point of throwing up out there such was the intensity of the thought of her first win. It should be an easier task from this point on for her.
Park was runner up for the second time this season having finished one behind Paula Creamer at the Sybase Classic but it was also her eighth top ten of the year. This is already the best season for the Korean, who crafted her game in Australian amateur golf before heading to the USA.
Hee Won Han was perhaps the surprise failure on the final day with a final nine of 40 ruining her chances. She looked very much in control of the tournament but a double bogey at the 13th would prove costly in the final analysis.
Han tied for third with Sung Ah Yim, with Paul Creamer putting behind her the drama and disappointment of US Open Sunday with a last round 64 to finish fifth with Jeong Jang.
The best of the Australians was Rachel Hetherington who was 12th, Shani Waugh 36th, Katherine Hull 48th and Nadina Taylor 65th.
The LPGA Tour now moves to for the BMO Canadian Women’s Open in Nova Scotia.
