ATLANTA - Former Georgia State women's golfer Joanna Klatten recorded her first professional win at the Women's Victorian Open earlier this week in Melbourne, Australia. Klatten claimed her maiden victory with a final score of 8-under par after championing a sudden-death playoff with LPGA member Haeji Kang.
Klatten, of Paris, opened the tournament with a 74 and then improved on day two with a four-stroke turnaround. After stumbling with an eight on the par-three 10th during the second round, she shot 11-under over the last 25 holes of the tournament to finish at the top of the leaderboard. Klatten's bogey-free final 18 holes included three birdies and an eagle to result in a 5-under 68 round, giving her a two shot lead over the rest of the field.
While Klatten was in the clubhouse celebrating what she thought was her first professional win, Kang, down by two strokes, eagled the par-four 18th to force a playoff. Both golfers putted for par on the first playoff hole sending them back to the 18th for more sudden death. Klatten missed her birdie putt and tapped in to settle for par. With the pressure on, Kang missed her putt for par giving Klatten the title as the 2012 Women's Victorian Open Champion.
Klatten currently plays professionally as a member of the Ladies European Tour. In addition to her triumph at the Victorian Open, other notable performances include an 11th place finish at the Open de Espana Femenino and a 12th place finish at the DeutscheBank Ladies Swiss Open.
As a member of the Georgia State women's golf team from 2005-07, Klatten is the only women's golfer in Panther history to make a trip to the NCAA Championships where she finished in a tie for 43rd place. Additionally, she was named All-CAA first team her senior year and also earned placement on the All-Tournament and All-Rookie teams.
The current Georgia State women's golf team is in the midst of preparing for its spring season which begins Feb. 12 at the UCF Challenge in Sorrento, Fla.
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