MADEIRA, Ohio ‒ Ally Ewing’s Sunday started with eight straight pars as she watched her 54-hole lead disappear to Xiyu Lin in the final round of the Kroger Queen City Championship at Kenwood Country Club.
But, a little patience paid off for Ewing on Sunday.
“The first eight holes it was just pars,” Ewing said. “I don’t think I missed any greens. I was just kind of two-putting. I hit a couple good putts, but think a big putt for me was that par putt I made on 7. It was a six-footer, but I saw a six-footer go in and was able to get to 9 and roll in an 18-footer down the hill.
“Kind of calmed me down. But I struggled with nerves all day because I just haven’t been able to put this together for a full tournament this year.”
Ewing’s first birdie came at the ninth hole, foreshadowing what was about to happen on the back nine.
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Ewing birdied five holes in a row ‒ Nos. 12-16 ‒ to shoot 31 on the back nine and secure her third career LPGA Tour victory.
Lin made it interesting, though. Trailing Ewing by two shots on the 72nd hole, Lin birdied the difficult par-4 18th, forcing Ewing to get up-and-down from just short of the green to hang on.
Ewing put together four consecutive rounds in the 60s in Cincinnati to finish 22 under, one shot better than Lin, who finished alone in second place.
Over four rounds at Kenwood Country Club, Ewing, the 29-year-old American, made only four bogeys and none on Sunday.