Playing for the first time as a Professional, Kokomo’s
Kristi Cardwell never faltered from the top of the leader board at the Pepsi Indiana
Women’s Open. Cardwell began the day at 5-under-par and three shots ahead
of Allison Lindley, also from Kokomo.
Despite the difficulty of Purgaory
GC, Cardwell continued to hit fairways and greens and make birdie putts. She finished the tournament at 7-under-par,
with a two day total of 137, which was enough for a seven shot victory and a
second Open title.
“I played steady both days,” said
Cardwell, a recent graduate from the University of Iowa. “It was nice finishing each nine with a
birdie. I had eagle putts on both 9 and
18 and even though I wasn’t able to convert them, I gave myself great chances.”
Cardwell’s round consisted of six
birdies coming on the par 4, 2nd hole, the par 5, 9th
hole, the par 4, 11th hole, the par 4, 14th hole, and the
par 5, 18th hole. She also
carded four bogeys on holes 4, 10, 16, and 17, but still finished under par for
the day.
“This is a great way to start my
career,” Cardwell said. “I wasn’t really
thinking about the fact that this would be my second win at the Open, but it’s
a great feeling and I hope to come back next year to three-peat.”
With back-to-back wins in ’12 and ’13,
Cardwell is the first player to ever win the Open as both an amateur and a
Professional.
Muncie’s Jenna Hague finished second
with a two day total of even par 144.