Mehaffey makes strong start on Symetra Tour debut

Olivia Mehaffey. Picture: Pat Cashman Photography

Amateur Olivia Mehaffey closed with back-to-back birdies to open with a three-under 69 in the Symetra Tour’s Carlisle Arizona Women’s Golf Classic at Longbow Golf Club in Arizona.

The Royal County Down Ladies and Arizona State University star birdied the 17th and 18th to turn in two-under, then followed a bogey at the fourth with birdies at the eighth and par-five ninth with Northern Irishman David Jones on her bag for this week only.

At three-under, she was tied for ninth, four shots behind Celine Herbin of France, whose seven-under 65 gave her a one-stroke lead over Janet Mao and China’s Ruixin Liu. Scores

Herbin (38) made six birdies and an eagle on the par-five 15th to top the leaderboard at the course where Mehaffey closed with a 10-under 62 to finish second in the Clover Cup on Sunday.

It’s the first time she has held an outright first-round advantage at an LPGA-sanctioned tournament in her career.  
“My eagle was a huge drive. We guessed 310-315 [yards], so a very good one and I had a little 6-iron to the flag,” said Herbin, who is making her first Symetra Tour start since the 2016 Guardian Retirement Championship. “I landed two feet [from the hole] and it was almost a tap-in eagle, always good to have those kinds of eagles.” 

In 2014, Herbin finished in a tie for 35th at the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament to first earn both LPGA and Symetra Tour membership as a 2015 rookie. Competing this week at Longbow Golf Club, the same place she made her first start in an LPGA-family event, really brings her LPGA (and Symetra Tour) careers full circle while sparking memories of when she started her journey on the United States-based Tours..

“It’s funny because 2015 was my first year on Symetra Tour and this was my first event, so I was quite happy to come back,” said Herbin, who tied for 40th in the 2015 Gateway Classic at Longbow Golf Club. “I had a good feeling of this course. I like it and have been enjoying it. Today, my game was consistent and I was happy with my putting.”

As she sleeps on the lead, Herbin will strive to continue the solid play in her first competitive event since the 2020 Ladies European Tour season-finale Andalucia Costa Del Sol Open De Espana. 

“I was quite looking forward to playing a tournament again after almost four months [off],” Herbin said. “I worked on my game during the winter and put in very good work, physically. Changed a few members of team with a new swing coach, new putting coach. All those things are going toward a good direction.”