Kim Kaufman played a flawless final-round on Monday and finished at 7-under-par to win the 2014 Volvik Championship, her second career Epson Tour victory. She fired a tournament-low 6-under-par 66 to best the field by four strokes.
Kaufman, who started the day tied for fourth at 1-under, made three birdies on the front nine to make the turn at 4-under for the tournament. She proceeded to make three more birdies on the back nine to sprint past the competition.
“It’s been such a long week, but I texted my coach early in the week and said ‘at the end of the week they are going to hand out a check to someone’ so you got to go out there and play your best,” said Kaufman. “It feels great that I shot 6-under, I just felt so good about my game.”
Kaufman played a bogey-free final round.
“I took it one shot at a time today, I tried not to think ahead or think of the score,” said the 22-year-old Kaufman. “I didn’t make any mistakes, just went fairways to greens and got a few putts to fall.”
Kaufman’s first Epson Tour win came at the Island Resort Championship last year.
“This year is so different from last year when I played just a partial season where this year I came to the tour with the goal of getting my card (LPGA Tour card).” said Kaufman. “It’s pretty hard to get your card without a win so to get a win right away gives me confidence and I’m headed in the right direction.”
The former Texas Tech golfer was fortunate to steer clear of the severe weather this week. Play was suspended on Friday and Saturday due to rain, severe winds and lightning in the area.
“I probably got kind of lucky, I played a full round on Saturday and a full round today,” said Kaufman. “I practiced yesterday and you just have to go with the flow, at the end of the day someone is going to win this event so you can’t give up on it.”
Kaufman will now head to the Orlando area, where she resides, to gear up for the Florida’s Natural Charity Classic at Lake Wales Golf Club, which begins on Friday, March 21.
With the win, Kaufman moves from 41st to first on the Volvik Race for the Card money list after two events.
“It feels great, there is nothing better than going home with a trophy.”
Kaufman is also the Tifosi Optics Low Round winner. She will receive a pair of sunglasses from Tifosi Optics, the official sunglasses of the Epson Tour. Each week, the Epson Tour will award a pair of Tifosi Optics sunglasses to the player with the low final round.
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