California State University Northridge Athletics
Former Matador Clariss Guce Captures Symetra Tour Victory
7/18/2016 11:26:00 AM | Women's Golf
En Español
NORTHRIDGE, CA - Clariss Guce captured her first professional tournament Sunday as the former Matador won the Danielle Downey Credit Union Classic at Brook-Lea Country Club in Rochester, NY.
The native of Artesia, CA, sank a 12-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to finish the tournament at 11-under 277. Guce's score over the four-day tournament was one stroke better than both Ally McDonald (USA) and Sophia Popov (Germany) who each finished at 10-under 278.
With a winners check of $30,000, Guce moves up from 84th to 12th on the Volvik Race for the Card money list. If she can remain in the top 15 on the Symetra Tour, Guce would become the second CSUN golfer to earn her LPGA Tour card. Beth Allen earned excempt status on the LPGA Tour in 2005 and is currently competing on the Ladies European Tour.
Complete Release courtesy of the LPGA
Danielle Downey Credit Union Classic
Rochester, New York
Brook-Lea Country Club
July 17, 2016
Sunday Round News & Notes
ROCHESTER, N.Y., July 17, 2016 -Â Clariss Guce (Artesia, Calif) overcame a triple-bogey on the 12th hole to win her first career professional tournament on Sunday at the Danielle Downey Credit Union Classic at Brook-Lea Country Club. Guce dropped a 12-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to finish at 5-under for the round and 11-under, 277 for the tournament, one stroke clear of Sophia Popov (Heidelberg, Germany) and Ally McDonald (Fulton, Ms.).Â
Guce moves from 84th on the Volvik Race for the Card money list to 12th with her first place check of $30,000. Guce had missed the cut in six of nine starts coming into the week.Â
"It is an amazing feeling, especially because I have been struggling quite a bit during the season," said Guce, who missed five straight cuts between the end of May and June. "Being able to make a cut a couple weeks ago and then to win here, I can't even describe how fast this is happening. It just shows that anyone out here can win, the fields are just so good."
After birdies on 14 and 15 to recover from a triple bogey on 12, Guce arrived at the 18th green in a share of the lead with McDonald, who was in the clubhouse at 10-under after a 64.Â
"As soon as I hit it, I just thought wow, that looks really, really good but don't celebrate too early because you might get burned," said Guce. "As soon as it went in, I just looked at Jean (Chua) and was like 'oh my god, that just went in' and I gave her a big hug."
Guce, 26, had a two shot lead heading into the back nine, but made a mistake on 12 that dropped her from the lead.
"We just kind of laughed about it (triple bogey) because it is just golf and things happen," said Guce, who had a wide smile on her face all week. "I knew that I was putting the ball well enough that I could get a few back. I just tried to stay calm and have fun."
Guce, who graduated from California State, Northridge in 2014, decided to play mini tours in 2014 and then went to LPGA Qualifying Tournament in 2015 to earn Symetra Tour status. She started strong in her rookie season on Tour with two top 20 finishes in her first three events, but then hit a spell of missed cuts. Guce said the key was never getting down on herself.
"I wasn't playing bad golf, I was just making poor decisions," said Guce. "The thing I fall back on now is that I have a great group of friends out here and we really keep things light. Keeping things light made it fun to keep coming to work and the next thing I know I make a cut a couple weeks ago and now this. Being able to have fun out here is a big part of this."
After earning just $4,859 through her first nine starts, Guce isn't ready to let the big payday or her first win change her mindset.Â
"The priority right now is making sure I play good golf each individual round and things will fall into place," said Guce. "I just want to have fun out here because not a lot of people get to do what we do and I just feel blessed."
The win shouldn't be a complete surprise as Guce was the 2014 Big West Golf Player of the Year.Â
Guce, who normally carries her own bag, had fellow Tour pro Jean Chua on the bag on Sunday. They met on the range just an hour before the round and Guce decided to have Chua caddy. They made a great team and were seen smiling all round. Guce credited Chua for helping read the greens.Â
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