LPGA Tour’s Sarah Burnham, ex-MSU star, shoots 63 to run away with Michigan PGA Women’s Open

The Detroit News
July 1, 2020

Thompsonville — It could’ve been a lost golf season for Sarah Burnham, who saw her second season on the LPGA Tour shut down because of COVID-19.

But on Wednesday, the former Michigan State star shot a 9-under 63 for a 10-shot victory in the 27th Michigan PGA Women’s Open Championship on the Mountain Ridge course at Crystal Mountain.

Sarah Burnham’s 63 turned the Michigan Women’s PGA into a rout Wednesday. Burnham, 29, finished 18 under par, one shy of the tournament record.

She won $6,500 for first place.

“I feel like I was a little lucky,” she said. “I felt like I was hitting it well, but when it went in for my eagle early I was just able to play comfortable and confident and try to shoot a great round.”

This was the fourth victory over the year for Burnham, who also won mini-tour tournaments in Arizona and Florida during the LPGA Tour shutdown.

Her shot of the day Wednesday was a 7-iron she holed from 145 yards for an eagle on the par-4 third. Burnham, a Minnesota native, also had seven birdies.

DeWitt’s Liz Nagel, another LPGA Tour player and ex-Spartan and the 2018 winner of this tournament, finished tied for second with Jessica Porvasnik of Ohio and Emma Jandel of Georgia.

Burnham started the day with a one-shot lead before turning it into a laugher. She led by five strokes after walking off the eighth hole.

“I knew how far ahead I guess I was at the turn, but I just was like, I’m here to play golf and I’m playing the golf course so let’s see how well I can end up playing,” she said.

“I didn’t want any bad mistakes to happen so I just kept playing my game.”