Byrne and Walsh advance to LPGA Final Qualifying
Sara Byrne closed with a brilliant 68 to advance to Final Qualifying as Lauren Walsh made a 15 clutch footer at the last to also keep her LPGA dream alive in Florida.
Douglas star Byrne went into the final round of the Qualifying Stage at Plantation Golf and Country Club tied for ninth in the race to make the top 35 and ties.
But she showed no sign of nerves, making six birdies in a four-under closing effort on the Bobcat Course to tie for sixth and claim Epson Tour status at the very least.
The Curtis Cup star (23) and Walsh must now finish inside the top 25 and ties at Final Qualifying at Magnolia Grove Golf Club in Alabama from December 5-9 to win their LPGA Tour cards.
Dromoland Castle touring professional Byrne played brilliantly in Tampa to finish just three shots behind co-medalists Mimi Rhodes and French amateur Adela Cernousek on 11-under-par.
A total of 43 players advanced on four-under or better, including Walsh, who had nothing to spare.
Byrne hit all 18 greens in regulation, and while she three-putted the fifth and 15th for bogeys, she birdied the third, eighth, 11th, 14th, 16th and 17th in another excellent ball-striking display.
It was more of a struggle for Kildare native Walsh, who began the day just inside the top 35 and shot a one-under 71 to make it on the four-under limit in a tie for 31st.
The Carton House touring professional and Ladies European Tour regular started on the back nine at the Bobcat Course and dropped early shots at the 10th and 11th before reeling off birdies at the 14th, 15th and 17th to get back inside the top 35.
She then parred her next nine holes before being forced to roll in a 15-footer for a par five at the ninth, her final hole, to advance to Final Qualifying.
“Yeah, what a week,” Walsh said. “Obviously it has its stressful times, but I’m delighted to get through to Final Qualifying.
“I didn't make it easy on myself on the last and had to roll in a 15-footer for par. But I got the job done, and I’m looking forward to the next stage.”
Byrne’s Curtis Cup teammate Rhodes and amateur Cernousek ultimately shared medalist honours, finishing the 72-hole event tied at 14-under.
Rhodes started the day seven shots behind the leaders but fired a seven-under 65 to top the leaderboard with Cernousek, who shot 70.
“I woke up today and actually my goal was 8-under, so I was a bit disappointed not to get eight-under, but I'm so happy with my game and with how I'm putting,” Rhodes said after her final round. “Everything with my game, it was just really solid. I'm just super happy.”
Melanie Green, who won the Women’s Amateur at Portmarnock this summer, tied for third with Zoe Antoinette Campos and Bi Shin.
The Final Qualifying portion of LPGA Q-Series will be held at Magnolia Grove Golf Club in Mobile from December 5-9.
After Final Qualifying, the top-25 competitors and ties will earn their LPGA Tour cards for the 2025 season.
Meanwhile, Leona Maguire made five birdies and a late bogey in a four-under 68 to move up to tied 25th heading into the final round of the LPGA Maybank Championship in Malaysia.
The Co Cavan star is nine shots behind Thailand’s Jeeno Thitikul, China’s Ruoning Yin and South Korea’s Haeran Ryu.
Thitikul shot 64, and Yin a 66, and Ryu shot 67 to give them a two-shot lead over halfway leader Maja Stark of Sweden, who shot 70, on 16-under.
