Lauryn Nguyen Triumphs Amid Challenging Weather at Epson Tour Championship

MARSHALL - Cool temperatures, gusty winds, and persistent rain created difficult conditions for competitors at the annual FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship. However, for those familiar with such weather, it can be an advantage. Lauryn Nguyen, who honed her skills at Northwestern University in Chicago, leveraged her experience to secure her first professional victory just hours away from her college campus on a challenging day in Marshall.

Nguyen claimed the title at the 13th annual FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship held at The Medalist on June 14. She finished the tournament at 12-under-par after posting a 70 in the final round, which included a three-hour rain delay. "Conditions were really tricky. So I just took it one shot at a time and that kept me in a good position," Nguyen stated. "I've hit thousands of balls in the rain and the wind. Don't know if that gave me an edge today, but good to know I had that experience of playing in conditions like this."

Having previously contributed to Northwestern's NCAA National Championship victory last year, Nguyen is making an impressive mark in her rookie year on the Epson Tour. With three top-10 finishes already, this championship awarded her a $30,000 prize. "This is super special," she remarked. "Didn't know what to expect my first year on the tour. I was just looking to learn the ropes, so it's really cool to be able to have some good finishes and to come out with a win.”

In second place was seasoned player Jenny Coleman, who finished at 9-under par, highlighted by a stellar 5-under 67 on Saturday. Rookie Mirabel Ting secured third place with a total of 8-under, following a solid 4-under 68 performance on Sunday.

This year marked the FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship's inaugural event at The Medalist after 12 years at Battle Creek Country Club. Jim Wise, Vice President of Marketing at FireKeepers Casino Hotel, expressed enthusiasm about the venue, stating, "It's really been a pleasure being at The Medalist this weekend...We believe attendance set a record this weekend. And, we had a great course that was challenging for the players."