QUITO, Ecuador – Purdue women's golfer Daniela Ballesteros proved to be one of the best golfers from South America, as the Boilermaker captured the South American Amateur Open by four strokes over the weekend (Jan. 12-15). Ballesteros ended the 72-hole tournament at 1-under par (72-73-68-74–287), the only golfer in the field to finish in red figures.
A native of Lima, Peru, Ballesteros became the second woman from Peru to win the prestigious tournament.
Quito Golf Club, the par-72 course in the capital of Ecuador, was a tough test for the best amateur golfers in South America. The tournament saw just four rounds in the 60s throughout the 72-hole event, including Ballesteros' third round 68 (-4) that separated her from the rest of the field.
Ballesteros got off to a hot start by making birdies on her first three holes. She settled for an even-par 72 to find herself in third after the opening round. A second round 73 (+1) moved the Purdue junior into second at the halfway point, just one shot off the lead held by Colombia's Maria Bohorquez.
The third round, usually known as 'moving day,' was the day Ballesteros vaulted to the top of the leaderboard with her 4-under 68. A bogey-free opening nine included a pair of birdies, as Ballesteros got into red figures for the tournament. She bogeyed the 10th to get back to even but rallied with three birdies over the final eight holes, pushing her to 3-under through 54 holes. With the only under-par round of the day, Ballesteros built a six-shot cushion heading into the final round.
Ballesteros never relinquished her comfortable lead, making three birdies on her way to a final round 74 (+2). Limiting miscues on the difficult course, the Purdue junior parred six of the last seven holes to become champion of the South American Amateur Open by four strokes.
Ballesteros and Boilermakers begin their spring season in two weeks, heading down to Palm Harbor, Florida for the Big Ten Match Play event (Jan. 31 – Feb. 1).
A native of Lima, Peru, Ballesteros became the second woman from Peru to win the prestigious tournament.
Quito Golf Club, the par-72 course in the capital of Ecuador, was a tough test for the best amateur golfers in South America. The tournament saw just four rounds in the 60s throughout the 72-hole event, including Ballesteros' third round 68 (-4) that separated her from the rest of the field.
Ballesteros got off to a hot start by making birdies on her first three holes. She settled for an even-par 72 to find herself in third after the opening round. A second round 73 (+1) moved the Purdue junior into second at the halfway point, just one shot off the lead held by Colombia's Maria Bohorquez.
The third round, usually known as 'moving day,' was the day Ballesteros vaulted to the top of the leaderboard with her 4-under 68. A bogey-free opening nine included a pair of birdies, as Ballesteros got into red figures for the tournament. She bogeyed the 10th to get back to even but rallied with three birdies over the final eight holes, pushing her to 3-under through 54 holes. With the only under-par round of the day, Ballesteros built a six-shot cushion heading into the final round.
Ballesteros never relinquished her comfortable lead, making three birdies on her way to a final round 74 (+2). Limiting miscues on the difficult course, the Purdue junior parred six of the last seven holes to become champion of the South American Amateur Open by four strokes.
Ballesteros and Boilermakers begin their spring season in two weeks, heading down to Palm Harbor, Florida for the Big Ten Match Play event (Jan. 31 – Feb. 1).