Strong Finish Gives Danielson Victory at Morongo

National

BEAUMONT, Calif. -- Trailing by three shots with four holes to go, Casey Danielson played the 15th through 18th holes at Morongo Golf Club @ Tukwet Canyon in 1 under par on Friday, and the result was a two-stroke victory in the Morongo Champions tournament.

The former four-time Wisconsin state high school champ from Osceola, closed with a 1-over-par 73, which gave her a 54-hole total of 219. A pair of Californians, Gabriella Then and Yoohee Kim, tied for second at 221. Another two Californians, Emilee Hoffman and Andrea Wong, tied for fourth at 224.

Danielson shot 72 Wednesday in the first round and followed it with a 74. She trailed Then (69-75--144) by two strokes going into the final round, and both of them played the front nine in 1-over 37. Danielson bogeyed the 432-yard, par-4 14th to fall three behind. But Then, who started par-bogey and then made 12 pars in a row, bogeyed the 170-yard, par-3 15th, and once she got on the bogey train, she couldn't get off. She bogeyed the par-5 16th (486 yards), the par-3 17th and the 18th on her way to a final-round 77.

Kim birdied the 16th. At that point, she was within two of Then and one behind Danielson, but Danielson's birdie at the 165-yard 17th gave her the lead -- by one over Then and two over Kim. Danielson closed the deal with a par at the 18th (381, par 4).   

This was the seventh Cactus Tour event of 2021, but the first that Danielson has entered. The victory was worth $4,000, and with that, the former Stanford All-American  moved into the No. 4 spot on the Cactus Tour money list.  

Danielson was a regular on the Symetra Tour during the Covid-interupted 2020 season. She played in nine events, earned $27,562 and ended the year at No. 18 on the money list. The 2021 Symetra schedule doesn't begin until March 18, when the Carlisle Arizona Women's Golf Classic will start in Mesa. 


WOMEN'S PROFESSIONAL GOLF

Cactus Tour

At Moronga Golf Club at Tukwet Canyon

Par 72, 6,453 yards

Beaumont, Calif. 

Final results 

1. Casey Danielson, Osceola, Wis.                      $4,000      72-74-73--219 (+3)

T2. Yoonhee Kim, San Ramon, Calif.                      $1,750      70-79-72--221

T2. Gabriella Then, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.      $1,750      69-75-77--221

T4. Andrea Wong, San Francisco                            $1,050      72-76-76--224

T4. Emilee Hoffman, Folsom, Calif.                          $1,050      71-81-72--224

Out of the money (232) 

27. Brenna Lervick, Chanhassen                               --          77-80-82--239