She didn’t play in the 2020 CME Group Tour Championship because of her brother’s wedding, but Ally Ewing has found a groove at Tiburón Golf Club. A second-consecutive bogey-free 68 Friday has Ewing’s bogey-free streak in the season finale at 49 holes dating back to 2019.
The Mississippi State University alumna and two-time LPGA Tour champion is six shots off the lead on -8 and in a share of ninth heading into the weekend.
“I made a joke with him [my brother]. I was like, ‘This is a pretty pricey wedding. You’re costing me.’ No, it was awesome,” said Ewing, who hit 14 greens in regulation. “I am excited to be [back] here. This golf course is so much about being smart and aggressive when you can, which is kind of my game in general from course to course. There are certainly places you don't want to be, and if you can give yourself a lot of looks, that's how you play this golf course.
“I was lucky to kind of sneak out a couple par saves in my opening few holes when it looked like a couple bogeys might come. So, very happy with that.”
Ewing has been on a run ever since her win at the Bank of Hope Match-Play hosted by Shadow Creek in May, playing 12 more events as well as the Solheim Cup. It was a stretch of competition that warranted time away, which she happily took after the Cognizant Founders Cup in early October.
“I really needed that month between the last [New] Jersey event and last week at the Pelican [Women’s Championship]. I was mentally, physically tired. I needed to kind of recharge to get back out here and be excited to be here,” Ewing said. “I was kind of missing home and my body just felt really rundown. Being able to get the rest and to physically regroup, I'm really excited where my game is through 36 holes.”
Her break was filled with immediate family and her Bulldogs family.
“I put the clubs away for a good couple weeks. Mississippi State hosted their home golf tournament, so I was able to be around. It’s really important for me to support my husband [who coaches their women’s golf team] but also support my alma mater,” said Ewing, a two-time First Team All-American for the Bulldogs. “They named the [home] tournament after me, changed the name [to The Ally].
“The girls are great. Being around that atmosphere kind of reenergizes you. To see the girls so hungry, because a lot of them are in pursuit to get here, it was a lot of fun.
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