It took Jackie Stoelting (Vero Beach, Fla.) six years to get her first victory on the Epson Tour, but it only took one event to get her second as the LPGA Tour member captured her second title in as many events at the IOA Golf Classic on Sunday. Stoelting is the first player to win back-to-back events on the Epson Tour since Esther Choe, who won the 2012 Sara Bay Classic and the Riviera Nayarit Classic in consecutive weeks.
“It was a huge monkey off my back to win two weeks ago and now to win two in a row after six professional seasons is everything I could have asked for,” said Stoelting. “This is definitely the confidence I needed and an extra bonus to win twice.”
Stoelting, who captured her first win at the Murphy USA El Dorado Shootout two weeks ago, fired her third-consecutive round of 4-under, 67, to claim a two shot victory over Brianna Do (Lakewood, Calif.).
“Today, I was one shot back just like Arkansas entering the round and my goal was to get to 12-under,” said 29-year-old Stoelting. “On hole 17, I was able to hit it close and birdie to get to my goal of 12-under so I was happy about that.”
Entering the final round one shot off the lead, Stoelting was sitting at even for the day heading to the ninth when she stepped on the gas and tallied four birdies coming in to run away from the rest of the pack. Stoelting’s run was highlighted by a perfectly struck hybrid into the par-4 17th which landed a mere foot from the cup to give her a three-shot lead heading into the final hole. Stoelting calmly two-putted to seal the deal.
The victory this week was extra special for Stoelting because her whole family was in attendance including her dad, who was on the bag, her mom, who was her high school golf coach and her husband, who is her current swing coach.
“It has been a long journey to get here, I spent five years on the Epson Tour,” said Stoelting. “None of my family was in Arkansas so to have them all here was just awesome. I’m glad that they got to witness it and be a part of it this time.”
Stoelting will now take some time off before preparing for the final stage of LPGA Qualifying School, which takes place in Daytona Beach during the first week of December.
“Both the courses in Daytona are like a home course to me,” said Stoelting. “Both of my career low rounds are on those courses so I definitely have the confidence. I needed these two wins to know that I am doing the right thing.”
Stoelting played in 18 LPGA Tour events this year and played in the last three Epson Tour events as a non-member. Stoelting finished third on the Volvik Race for the Card money list in 2014.
The Epson Tour season concludes this upcoming week with the Epson Tour Championship at LPGA International in Daytona Beach, Florida. The top 10 on the Volvik Race for the Card money at the end of the event will earn LPGA Tour membership for the 2016 season.
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