Ashli Bunch Claims Back-To-Back Titles on 2009 CN Canadian Women’s Tour

Prange, Brown, Sholer and Team Canada’s Sue Kim earn exemptions into 2009 CN Canadian Women’s Open

Mirabel, Que. (RCGA) – Ashli Bunch of Morristown, Tenn. outlasted the field at Hillsdale Golf and Country Club in Mirabel, Que. to take home top spot, the $10,000 winner’s cheque and the Tour’s Player of the Year award at the final event on the 2009 CN Canadian Women’s Tour.

Bunch, a 10-year LPGA Tour veteran, started the day a single-stroke ahead of the pack and shot a 1-over par 73 to edge out the field and claim back-to-back wins on the CN Canadian Women’s Tour.

The 2009 CN Canadian Women’s Open will mark Bunch’s third kick-at-the-can at an LPGA Tour stop north of the border.

She previously played at the Canadian Women’s Open as a rookie in 1999 where she missed the cut, and she followed that up with a T65th in 2000. Although she no longer holds an LPGA Tour card, the 33-year old looks at her recent bout of success on the CN Canadian Women’s Tour as a sign of a possible comeback.

“Calgary is going to be a great experience,” said Bunch. “I played at Priddis Greens (host of the 2009 CN Canadian Women’s Open) back in 1999 – my rookie year on the LPGA Tour. This time it’s going to be more of a circus with my 4-year old daughter and 20-month old son, not to mention my husband.”

The win today ensured Bunch the Tour’s Jocelyne Bourassa Player of the Year award.

Bourassa, a member of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and the only Canadian to win an LPGA Tour event in Canada, had the trophy named in her honour in 2005.

Team Canada’s Sue Kim of Langley, B.C. made a mid-day charge at Hillsdale, momentarily overtaking the lead, but a triple-bogey seven on the par-4 13th hole proved to be costly for the 2008 Player of the Year award winner.

Kim would go on to card a 2-under par 70 (74-70-144) to finish second at even-par for the championship.

“I played great today except for the one hole,” said Kim. “I pushed my drive right off into the trees and tried to hit a 3-wood under a branch. I ended up clipping a tree before getting it out and three-putting for the triple.”

LPGA Tour member Jessica Shepley of Oakville, Ont. and Jaclyn Burch of Satellite Beach, Fla., shot matching final-round 71’s (75-71-146 +2) to tie for third with Noriko Nakazaki of Hanover Park, Ill. (73-73-146).

Erin Thorne of Bracebridge, Ont., was named the top club/ teaching professional for the second consecutive event after firing a 77-75-152 +8 this week.

In addition, four more exemptions were awarded after today’s round through the CN Canadian Women’s Tour order of merit final standings.

Bunch led the 2009 order of merit standings for most of the season due to her win at the second Tour’s second event held at the Cutten Club in Guelph, Ont., where she won her exemption. She finished with 1575 points rounding out her stellar year on Tour.

Also earning order of merit exemptions into this year’s CN Canadian Women’s Open is Amber Prange of Noblesville, Ind. with 570.83 points, Sara Brown of Tucson, Ariz. with 537 points, Ashley Sholer of Hamilton, Ont. with 488 points and Team Canada’s Sue Kim of Langley, B.C. with 468.33 points.

The following are final-round results for Wednesday July 15, 2009 at the CN Canadian Women’s Tour - Hillsdale Golf and Country Club.

1. Ashli Bunch, Morristown, TN, 70-73-143 -1
2. Sue Kim (a), Langley, BC, 74-70-144 E
3. Jessica Shepley, Winter Garden, FL, 75-71-146 +2
3. Jaclyn Burch, Satellite Beach, FL, 75-71-146 +2
3. Noriko Nakazaki, Hanover Park, IL, 73-73-146 +2
6. Danielle Mills (a), Pointe-Claire, QC, 75-72-147 +3
7. Jessica Carafiello, Coral Springs, FL, 75-73-148 +4
7. Brogan McKinnon (a), Mississauga, ON, 72-76-148 +4
9. Jennifer Hong, Evanston, IL, 76-73-149 +5
9. Taya Battistella, Bend, OR, 73-76-149 +5
9. Kirby Dreher, Fort St. John, BC, 73-76-149 +5
9. Sara Brown, Tucson, AZ, 71-78-149 +5
9. Ashley Sholer, Hamilton, ON, 72-77-149 +5
14. Adrienne White, Red Deer, AB, 79-72-151 +7
14. Christine Cho, Elmhurst, NY, 78-73-151 +7
14. Katie Miller, Jeannette, PA, 76-75-151 +7
14. Mallory Blackwelder, Versailles, KY, 76-75-151 +7
14. Jennifer Greggain, Rosedale, BC, 76-75-151 +7
14. Jessi Gebhardt, Bellingham, WA, 75-76-151 +7
20. Tonya Choate, Mount Vernon, MO, 77-75-152 +8
20. Erin Thorne, Bracebridge, ON, 77-75-152 +8
20. Bridget Dwyer, Riverside, CA, 75-77-152 +8
20. So Heui (Sophie) Jang, Los Angeles, CA, 75-77-152 +8
20. Susan Choi, Orlando, FL, 74-78-152 +8
20. Christina Lecuyer, Edmonton, AB, 73-79-152 +8