Celine Borge Earns First Tour Win at Tuscaloosa Toyota Classic

Norwegian golfer Celine Borge came away with her first career EPSON Tour victory over the weekend at the Tuscaloosa Toyota Classic at the Ol' Colony Golf Complex. Borge finished the tournament at 15-under par and claimed $30,000 in earnings as the winner.

Additionally she moved from No. 16 to No. 5 in the Ascensus Race for the Card standings, the competition to qualify for the LPGA Tour.

“I tried not to focus on that,” said Borge. “If I play good enough, I will get my LPGA Tour card when I’m good enough.”

Borge entered Sunday tied for seventh but shot a 9-under 63 to defeat Hyo Joon Jang by one stroke. The Korean shot a 5-under and turned in seven birdies in her final round.

Swedish competitor Linnea Ström finished by herself in third at 13-under and converted on six birdies on Sunday.

Borge is the 12th player of the 2022 season to get their first Epson Tour victory and bested her her prior best finish, second place at the 2022 Guardian Championship in Prattville, Alabama. She has earned $87,546 this season and $142,227 during the course of her Epson Tour career.

"I just tried to stay focused on every shot and do my best on every shot. I didn't look at the leaderboard either, and so I just tried to do my best on every shot," said Borge.

16-year-old Birmingham native Molly Davidson competed in the event as an amateur on a sponsors exemption. She finished the 54-hole event at even par and in a tie for 47th place.

"It was just a great experience to be able to play with these pros and just truly blessed to have this opportunity," Davidson said. "It says a lot. Makes me feel good that I'm up there with them."

The Epson Tour and The Tuscaloosa Toyota Classic organizers will plan to meet at the end of October to discuss the possibility of bringing the event back for a second year.

"Certainly all indications from our standpoint," said Tim Kramer, the tour's senior director of tournament business affairs. "We'd like to be back in Tuscaloosa next fall and I think it certainly seemed to be well-received by the people in the event this year."