Nicole Smith finishes third at Northeast Delta Dental International 2012
American Nicole Smith fired an overall 213 in the Northeast Delta Dental International 2012 to finish tied for the third position on the leaderboard.
Smith came close to a victory at one of the most prestigious events on the Symetra Tour, held at Beaver Meadow Golf Course, Concord, New Hampshire, but she could not stand her ground in the last round as she messed up her score by posting a 73.
The American star got off to a very sensible start in the opening round, as she shot a 67. She was more than happy when she saw that she was the only contender with the lowest score at the end of the first round.
Smith, however, failed to continue her magic form in the second round as she recorded a 73. Other players in the roster, who desperately sought to subdue the first-round leader, found an opportunity and ramped up pressure by scoring well.
Jenny Gleason of the United States was the player who capitalised on the opportunity given by Smith. Gleason shot a 69 and 68 in the first and second round respectively, solidifying her position on the leaderboard.
Smith, whose confidence surged after she posted a flawless 67 in the opening round, made yet another dent in her position when she carded a 73 in the third round as well. She tumbled from tie second to the third spot, letting Gleason and American Esther Choe trample her.
Gleason, who expressed her joy after hoisting her first Symetra Tour title for the season, looked surprisingly calm the whole way round.
She spoke to the media at the end of the round, saying she is extremely thrilled and wants to give credit to her solid work ethic. Although she displayed a grim performance in the third round, posting a good score in the first two rounds played its part in helping her win the match.
Gleason outrivaled Choe by shooting a birdie on the first hole of playoff.
“I'm happy with the outcome,” the American said. “I learned a lot today, which was fun. Kudos to Esther and everyone else, they gave it a good run. I knew to get it close that you had to land it short of the pin”.
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