Jessica Wallace
Acton, Ont. - Amateur Jessica Wallace of Langley, B.C., carded a final round, even-par 72 and went on to defeat Kirby Dreher of Fort St. John, B.C., in a one-hole playoff to capture the season's third and final event on the 2011 CN Canadian Women's Tour at Blue Springs Golf Club in Acton, Ont. on Wednesday.
Wallace, a member of Team Canada, had three birdies along with three bogeys to finish with a two-day total of 1-over par 145, earning her first CN Canadian Women's Tour victory.
"When I was playing my actual round, I had no idea if I was in contention or not," Wallace said. "When I found out that there were only a couple of players tied at 1-over, and then that Kirby was the one I would play in the playoff…I played junior with her back in the day and I haven't seen her in years. It means a lot to come out with a win over someone who has done so well on the pro circuit."
With the victory, Wallace also secured the Tour's final champion's exemption into the 2011 CN Canadian Women's Open this August 22-28 at Hillsdale Golf and Country Club in Mirabel, Quebec.
"That was the whole reason why I came here, to play in this tournament so I could get into the CN Canadian Women's Open," added Wallace. "My brother [Darren]played in the Canadian Open like seven years ago, so ever since he got in, I was like, that would be so awesome if I could play in my National Open too. I'm just so psyched. That was my goal all along."
Anna Scott of England finished third, one stroke back while Toronto's Alexa Kim was fourth at 3-over par. Team Canada Development Squad member, Brittany Marchand of Orangeville, Ont., finished tied with six other players at 4-over par.
Alena Sharp of Hamilton, Ont., Canada's top-ranked LPGA Tour player, finished tied for 11th at 5-over, while Lisa Meldrum of Montreal finished at 9-over. Samantha Richdale of Kelowna, B.C., ended the season's final event at 10-over par.
Wallace joins Jessica Shepley of Oakville, Ont., and Katy Harris of Humble, Tex., - the other two Women's Tour winners - in earning invitations to the Canadian Open.
Dreher, along with 15-year-old Jisoo Keel of Coquitlam, B.C., and Danielle Mills of Pointe-Claire, Que., also secured exemptions into the Canadian Open based on their standing in the Order of Merit.
Shepley, who finished tied for 13th at 6-over par, captured her second straight Jocelyne Bourassa Player of the Year award by finishing first in the Tour's Order of Merit points list.