ALABAMA — Filipino overnight co-leaders Clariss Guce and Abegail Arevalo faltered down the stretch on Sunday, allowing Mexican Isabella Fierro to run away with her first-ever Epson Tour title in the Tuscaloosa Toyota Classic.
Guce carded a 71 for a 10-under total of 206, three shots behind Fierro. It was worth $11,190.
“I am honestly just really tired right now. Today didn’t turn out the way I wanted it to, but I really gave myself chances out there,” said the 33-year-old Guce.
“Sometimes it doesn’t add up the way want but Isabella just played amazing. Sometimes you can play well and not have things go your way, so hopefully I can keep trending in the right direction and play well next week.”
Arevalo took it worse, sliding way down to T22 after a harrowing 75 to finish at 210 and collect $2,257.
With a few players grabbing a share of the lead throughout the day, over 20 players within three-shots of the lead at one point.
Fierro pulled away late in the round to pick up her first career Epson Tour victory and the $30,000 paycheck heading into tour championship week.
Fierro started her round fast, making back-to-back birdies to start her round. She would make two more birdies on the front nine, before making a double bogey on No. 9 and falling out of a share of the lead.
The double bogey did not faze the eventual champion, who bounced back with a birdie on No. 11 to get her within a shot of the lead. Fierro teed off on No. 17 one-shot back but would roll in a long birdie to tie the lead as she made her way to No. 18 tee box.
A mistake by Laura Wearn in the group in front of Fierro would give her a two-shot lead as she hit her approach into the green and that was all the breathing room she needed to claim her first professional victory.
“I think I am still shaking right now,” said Fierro.
“I was shaking like the entire day today; I had some much fun out there and I think it was just an amazing day in general. I hit the really good and had a really positive mindset, so it was great. I love making birdies, as a golfer I think everybody does, but I think the shaking was because I was excited, not because I was worried. I stayed in the present today and that really helped.”
With the win in Tuscaloosa, Fierro moved to No. 8 in the Race for the Card and has done so with a special stretch of golf.
