Get used to hearing the name Annie Park. She's going to make a mark on the LPGA Tour in 2016.
The USC student locked up her LPGA card for next season on Sunday with her third Symetra Tour win of the year in just nine starts. Park won the Prairie Band Casino & Resort Charity Classic at Firekeeper Golf Course in Kansas by three shots over Margarita Ramos of Mexico at 13-under 203 in the 54-hole event.
The 20-year-old Park shot 7-under 65 to close, turning around a three-shot 36-hole deficit.
With the win, Park cashed another $15,000 to jump from fourth to second on the money list with a total haul of $66,125. The top 10 players on the season-ending money list earn LPGA status.
''It has been a lifelong dream of mine to play on the LPGA since I started golf when I was 8 years old,'' Park said. ''I looked up to Annika Sorenstam and I knew I wanted to be like her when I grew up. I'm speechless and I can't wait to play on the LPGA next year.''
Park has been dominant this season, winning the Toyota Danielle Downey Classic in July in Rochester, N.Y., then in August at the PHC Classic in Milwaukee.
''My first two wins were pretty unexpected and I'd say this one was, too,'' said Park, who became the 10th player in Symetra Tour history to win three times in a season.
Park may not have seen any of the wins coming, but having shot par or better in her last 23 Symetra Tour rounds will help anyone to a great summer. Just ask Jason Day.
For the remainder of the season, Park will continue to play but will try to balance her senior year with her budding golf career.
“My goal is to finish my 20 units of school for this semester,” said Park, a communications major. “I also want to graduate in May of 2016 so hopefully I can balance both golf and school next year.”
