PLAYERS gets Barbed
Barb Hoelzle established herself as the top lady golfer on the Mulligan Tour on Saturday. Already enjoying a career year, Hoelzle won her first major title by shooting a 2-under par 70 at the 2008 PLAYERS Championship winning by 6 strokes at Northville Hills Golf Club. She led the field by hitting 12 of 14 fairways and converted 7 birdie attempts. The field of 16 included the top-20 money winners on the Tour’s Central division.
Hoelzle collected her biggest payday on Tour ($48) and has taken in $126 this year, nearly doubling her previous best year ($65 in 2005). She currently ranks 8th on the 2008 money list but will skip the TOUR Championship at Shepherd’s Hollow and rejoin the action at the Commissioner’s Cup in early October.
With $299 in career earnings, Hoelzle surpassed Sue Meland as the highest ranked female on the career money list (#19). Hoelzle is the 3rd lady golfer to win the PLAYERS (Meland in 2000 and Cindy Loescher in 2005) and the 4th lady to win a grand slam event following DeVonne Mowry’s win at the 2007 Match Play Championship.
Ray Collins (36-40 – 76) led the rest of the field and finished a stroke ahead of Rick Persichetti (42-35 – 77), Bob Baar (35-42 – 77), and Bob Bruning (38-39 – 77). Bruning went over the $200 mark for the year ($206.50) and continues to lead the race for the 2008 Money Title with only the TOUR Championship remaining.
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