Page 26 - SWFGM Magazine Summer 2019

SYMETRA TOUR

OPENS 2019 SEASON

@CHARLOTTE HARBOR NATIONAL

FIRST

DELIVERS A FIREWORKS SHOW!

How good was the inaugural SKYiGOLF By twilight at Charlotte Harbor National, Pano, who’d played so well all week,
Championship played at Charlotte it was another promising young player was off with her game in the final
Harbor National Golf Club at Bobcat who would seize the trophy. She, too, round. She managed only one birdie
Trail? Well, for starters, the final round is a great story. You see, the very first against two bogeys, three-putting for a
of the 72-hole event began with history SKYiGOLF Championship produced a bogey at the par-3 fifth and again at
on the line. There was a 14-year-old winner who was making her very first 18, where she settled for a final par.
amateur playing in the final group, tied professional start. Uriell, 22, birdied Her 1-over 73 left her at 7-under 281
for the lead. the par-5 18th hole in regulation to for the week, her tie for eighth place,
join a three-way playoff, then won the her best showing in a professional
And it ended with an incredible championship when she knocked in a event. It was a great way to get ready
fireworks show, an exciting three-golfer 12-foot eagle putt on the same hole on for the historic start that awaited her, as
playoff that was decided by Alana Uriell the first hole of a sudden-death playoff. Pano was off to participate in the first
delivering a thunderbolt finish, sinking Augusta National Women’s Amateur in
a 12-foot eagle putt. In a slow-developing final round that Augusta, Ga.
saved its fireworks for the close of
The event was a huge hit in the Port the show, Uriell, who was playing “I’m pretty happy with it,” Pano
Charlotte area, shining a spotlight on collegiately at Arkansas in the spring of said of her week at the SKYiGOLF
the rich talent of a tour that provides 2018, shot 5-under 67 to close, then Championship. “Definitely I have a lot
future women's stars a pathway to turned away Lauren Coughlin (66) and of shots that I wished I had back, but
the LPGA. The spotlight on Sunday Julieta Granada (67) to prevail in her it’s nothing to dwell on, I guess.
in the Symetra Tour’s season-opener first pro start.
was squarely on 14-year-old amateur “It’s pretty frustrating not making
Alexa Pano, who started the final round “I’ve been nose-to-the-grindstone all birdies, especially when the whole
with the share of the lead, looking to season, practicing hard and hoping it week, that’s what you’re doing, and
become the youngest champion in would be enough,” Uriell said. “Truly especially in the final group. I can’t
Symetra Tour history. it was.” be too upset with it. I feel like I played
really well the whole week and just had
She didn’t have her best stuff in the final Uriell earned $37,500 for her victory, a lot of off-shots today.”
round, but hung in there with a good which matched the highest winner’s
deal of grit, shooting 1-over 73 on a payout in Symetra Tour history. The
difficult course and tying for eighth. championship tied a Tour record with a
purse of $250,000.
26 SPRING.SUMMER.2019 SWFL 240.832.3237 www.SWFLORIDAgolfmag.com