(Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)
Emma Talley recovered from a third round bobble to finish strong and bring home her first top 10 finish on the LPGA Tour Sunday. The Princeton native shot a 3-under-69 in the final round to finish tied for seventh place at 6-under par at the ISPS Handa Australian Open. She finished eight shots behind the winner, Jin Young Ko of South Korea who led wire to wire.
After shooting 7-under par through her first two rounds and finding herself in the top five, Talley struggled Saturday to shoot a 3-over 76 and drop to 12th place.
Talley began her final round strong, getting birdies on three of her first five holes to return to 6-under. She moved back into third place at 7-under on the back nine but a bogey on her final hole saw her finish at 6-under for the tournament.
She struggled Saturday to hit just 8-of-18 greens in regulation and 10 fairways of 14. On Sunday, she hot 13-of-14 fairways and 16-of-18 greens in regulation.
Talley wins $28,528 as a result of her finish and moves to 18th on the LPGA money list after two events.
The next two LPGA stops are in Asia – Feb. 22-25 in Thailand and March 1-4 in Singapore. The Tour returns to the United States March 15-18 for the Bank of Hope Founders Cup in Phoenix.
