A successful sand shot on Wednesday afternoon for Ashley Shaw earned her an eagle, a hug from mom, and a ticket punched to the March 23rd Monday qualifier of the LPGA Ford Championship, alongside Cynthia Lang.
For the second year, AZ GOLF and the LPGA gave 2 female amateurs the opportunity to advance to the Monday qualifier for the Ford Championship, with a pre-qualifier the Wednesday two weeks prior.
"It's a really cool opportunity for these players that the LPGA is providing," Kylie Shoemake said, assistant director of competitions.
Lang and Shaw were joined by 10 other outstanding Arizona female amateurs, who have all been prominent on the AZ GOLF scene in the past year.
The pre-qualifier took place at the Cattail Course at Whirlwind Golf Club, the same location where the Monday qualifier and Ford Championship will take place, March 23rd through 29th..
The round was a tight race all around, with almost every player in the field taking a top spot at some point within the round. With a bogey-free scorecard and three birdies to count for, Lang found her place at the top of the leaderboard early in the round, and never gave it up.
"I wasn't trying to know about my spot on the leaderboard, so there wasn't any pressure on me," Lang said.
Lang carded a 3-under-par 69, grabbing first place, and the first ticket to Monday's qualifier.
"Well I didn't think I would be able to do it, I was told Cattail was a lot harder than Devil's Claw, but it just happened," Lang said.
Lang is currently a senior in high school and will attend Illinois State University to continue her athletic career, but has never earned such an opportunity as this.
"I'm just really excited for Monday," Lang said. "I've never experienced anything like this."
While Lang cruised to her win, Shaw had a longer and more difficult path to her victory.
A crucial par putt on 18 led Shaw to a 2-under-par round, and a three-way playoff, where she competed against Asia Young and Alexis Lamadrid, both incoming players to the University of Texas women's golf team.
"I was mentally prepared to play 27, I didn't know how far it would go," Shaw said. "Obviously, Asia and Alexis are fantastic players, I knew something had to happen for it to end, because we're all just going to keep playing great golf."
A tight race continued through two holes, until the bunker-lined 7th, a par 5. Second shots for each of the competitors fell just short of the green, and Shaw's found its way into the bunker.
"I didn't know how my lie would be, I was just hoping for a good one, and my goal was just to hit it on the fringe and let it trickle down," Shaw said.
Shaw not only fulfilled her goal, but went a step further, dropping the ball in the hole, carding an eagle, and ending the close race then and there. Shaw has experience in Monday qualifiers before, qualifying for the Monday race at the Cognizant Founders Cup 2 years prior.
"Ever since then, I've just been chasing and wanting to get back to play another LPGA event, so I'm really excited to have this chance," Shaw said.
A current junior, Shaw is taking her talents to the University of Georgia, to continue her golf career there and hopefully find her way back to another LPGA Monday qualifier.
Shaw and Lang will join 46 other players on Monday, the 23rd, to vie for two spots into the Ford Championship, from March 26th through 29th.