American Bailey Tardy became the first Rolex First-Time Winner of the 2024 LPGA Tour season with an impressive victory at the Blue Bay LPGA in Hainan, China, yesterday.
After four days of superb golf at Jian Lake Blue Bay Golf Course, the 27-year-old claimed her first LPGA Tour victory with a tournament record total of 19-under par 269. Tied for the lead at the start of the final round with compatriot Sarah Schmelzel and two-time Major winner Lydia Ko of New Zealand, Tardy signed off with a superb 65 to finish four shots ahead of Schmelzel who closed with 69.
Tardy kick-started her closing round with an eagle at the par-five 8th hole, draining a 51-foot putt. Following a bogey on hole 10, she made two birdies in a row to reach 17-under par and move four shots clear. Two more birdies on the 15th and 17th holes took Tardy to 19-under-par, which broke the 72-hole scoring record by six shots.
“I got off to a little slow start on the front nine and then just really stayed patient out there. I just knew it was going to be a tough day. The leaderboard was stacked and the conditions were windy, so just really proud of how I handled myself,” said Tardy, who became the second American winner of the 2024 season following Nelly Korda at the LPGA Drive On Championship.
Tardy’s breakthrough win came in her second season on the LPGA Tour and was her second professional victory, following the 2021 Copper Rock Championship on the Epson Tour. She turned professional in 2019, foregoing her last season of eligibility at the University of Georgia.
Tardy played on the Epson Tour until 2022, when she finished second at the LPGA Q-Series to gain LPGA Tour membership for the 2023 season. She had a rough start to her rookie year but enjoyed a tied fourth finish in the U.S. Women’s Open at Pebble Beach.
Tardy recalled: “It was a lot of self-reflecting trying to figure out if I was even good enough to be on the LPGA, if I wanted it enough. Life on the road is not for everybody, and so I just didn’t know if this was the profession for me.
“Now that I’m an LPGA winner, I’m so happy I stuck to it! This is a dream come true.”
Japan’s Ayaka Furue matched Tardy’s closing 65 to surge up into third place on 14-under-par, one shot ahead of Ko who closed with 71 to settle for joint fourth with Canadian rookie Savannah Grewal and 2016 champion Minjee Lee of Australia.
Ko was chasing her 21st LPGA Tour career victory, which would have enabled her to reach the 27 points necessary for induction into the LPGA Hall of Fame.
Following the conclusion of the first Asian swing of its 2024 season, the LPGA Tour will head back to the United States for the Fir Hills Seri Pak Championship on March 21-24 at Palos Verdes Golf Club in California.
