ORLANDO, Fla. – Former University of Montevallo women's golfer Elaine Wood captured the first win of her professional career on the NWGA's Eggland's Best Ladies Professional Golf Tour at Stoneybrook East Golf Club. Wood fired off a final round score of 66 to win the event by two strokes.
Wood carded three subpar rounds (71-68-66=205) to get to eleven under par for the tournament.
After her second-round score of 68, Wood found herself in the final pairing in a three-way tie with LPGA Tour veteran Perrine Delecour (France), and former FSU standout and NWGA Tour winner Matilda Castren (Finland), all of whom sat at five under par beginning their final round.
"I wasn't intimidated, but I did have some butterflies beginning the day", said Wood. "After I hit a solid tee shot to begin my final round I calmed down, and just played."
Wood found herself with a three-shot lead after the fifteenth hole, but a bogey at the dangerous sixteenth brought Delecour, and LPGA Tour winner Kris Tamulis (St. Petersburg, FL) back into the mix with only two holes to play. In pure champion fashion, Wood maintained her composure and birdied the seventeenth hole.
"I didn't know Kristin was that close to me playing in the group ahead, but I knew after that bogey, I only had a two-shot advantage on Perrine - I just wanted to go shot-for-shot with her to the finish", said Wood. "She hit her approach to about two feet on seventeen, and I followed leaving myself about seven feet. We both made the putts and that took a little pressure off for me standing on the eighteenth tee. I hit two good shots, two-putted and walked off with a par."
Wood turned pro in August 2017, just before stage one of the LPGA Tour Q-School. "I was a bit disappointed because I only missed advancing by a shot, which in turn means I have very little status and I doubt I will get into many Symetra events this year; the NWGA will be my primary tour for this season as I prepare to move up next year," Wood said.
As many amateur and collegiate players learn, there is a learning curve that is present in the transition from one level of competitiveness to the next. Wood states, "I found the transition to professional golf similar to that of the transition from high school to college golf. I faced some good golfers in college, but out here everybody can play at a high level. Being able to win my first event in my rookie season, especially playing in the same field as players who have found success on the LPGA Tour, does wonders for my confidence right now. I feel today's win against a tough field affirms my goals of playing professional golf, and I can compete at the next level."
Wood had a decorated career while playing for the Falcons by racking up four wins, earning Freshman of the Year honors, was a two-time Player of the Year in the Peach Belt Conference, and was also a three-time All-American.
