Sandra Gal wins 2011 KIA Classic
Sandra Gal of Germany outlasted Rolex Rankings No. 2 Jiyai Shin to earn her first LPGA victory at the Kia Classic after she hit a wedge from 83 yards to two feet for birdie on the 18th hole to defeat Shin by a stroke and become the only Rolex First-Time winner of 2011.
Gal, a native of Dusseldorf, Germany, started playing golf at the age of 6 and her father was her first golf coach. She had an accomplished amateur career, representing Germany at the European Team Championships from 2003-07 and winning the German National Girls Championship in 2003. Gal attended the University of Florida where she was a 2007 first team All-American and won four tournaments. In 2007, Gal won the Czech Invitational Championship and was the top-ranked amateur in both the European and German ranks. Gal turned professional in 2008.
Gal is the second German to record a victory on the LPGA Tour.
The first was Tina Fischer in 2001. Gal's best career finish prior to her win at the Kia Classic had been a tie for fifth at the LPGA Corning Classic in 2009. With the victory, Gal earns $255,000.
Shin rallied on the back nine Sunday but missed a four-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole that would have forced a playoff with Gal. Shin, whose nickname is "Final-Round Queen," recorded three bogeys on the front nine but made three birdies on the back nine to keep herself in contention until the final hole. Shin, who had led after the second and third rounds, finished alone in second place with a 15-under-par 277.
The final round featured a few of the top players moving up the leaderboard late in the day.Cristie Kerr, Rolex Rankings No. 3, shot a 7-under 66 to move into a tie for third place with Rolex Rankings No. 7 I.K. Kim. Both finished the tournament at 11-under-par 281.
Sandra Gal, Jiyai Shin and I.K. Kim punched their "Ticket to Titleholders" at the Kia Classic. By virtue of their top three-finishes, Gal, Shin and Kim each earned a spot in the season-ending CME Group Titleholders event, which will be held Nov. 17-20, 2011 at Grand Cypress Golf Club in Orlando, Florida.
The inaugural CME Group Titleholders, a season finale with a field made up of three qualifiers from every LPGA Tour tournament, is a format never previously used in professional golf.
