By: Carly Haines
The final round of the Great Lakes Championship at the Highlands was a picture-perfect day for some golf, and coming down the stretch made for an intense Sunday afternoon at The Highlands – The Heather.
Lauren Olivares started off five shots back from 36-hole leader, Jennifer Elliott, to start the final round. The Epson Tour rookie went into the day with a ‘nothing to lose’ mindset. The Mexico native began her round with a bogey, but once she snacked on an uncrustable Olivares loosened up and began to go low.
With three consecutive birdies on holes six through eight, The North Carolina State University alumna rounded the turn at 2-under par on the day.
“I think we talked last night, said Olivares. “We were like, we have nothing to lose. Just go out there, have fun, play your game, and just have fun.”
The Epson Tour rookie continued to sink deeper into the red draining birdie after birdie, highlighted by four consecutive coming down the stretch on holes 12-15. Olivares signed for a total of 12-under par for the tournament and was sitting in second place one shot behind Kaleiya Romero.
Romero was leading by one shot heading into the 54th hole, after a stellar run of making eight consecutive birdies in the middle stretch of her round. The fellow Epson Tour rookie let the nerves get the best of her missing her final four-footer to secure the victory forcing her and Olivares into a sudden-death playoff.
“Just another hole, another shot, explained Olivares. “That was my mentality, just practice, just another putt. We don’t have to make it bigger than that. Nothing to lose.”
The Mexico native and California Native headed back to No. 18 tee box, each with the opportunity to hoist their first trophy as a professional on the Epson Tour.
Olivares implemented discussion with her boyfriend who plays the role of caddie as well to keep her mind off golf, who also wanted them to wear matching outfits this afternoon. Purple shirts and pink socks with the mindset that athletes in the top 15 on the Race for the Card rankings have their caddies wear purple bibs throughout the season to recognize their impressive play. After Olivares hit a clutch shot on the par-4 18th to just inside five feet, the matching outfits quickly became a new tradition.
Olivares went on to make the putt for birdie and walked away with $37,500 and 500 points in Race for the Card standings, along with 500 points in the 2026 Pure Michigan Cup.
“I’m just so happy it happened here with all the people here supporting me, said Olivares. “I’m happy because my game felt pretty good so I was just waiting for the week to come.”
Fellow rookie, Mirabel Ting, followed closely behind also sitting in a tie for third place at 10-under, after firing a 4-under 68 on Sunday afternoon. Ting drained five birdies on the day, giving her confidence as she heads to Harris, Michigan to tee it up in the final chance to secure points in the Pure Michigan Cup.
Carla Bernat Escuder, Amari Avery and Jennifer Elliott round out the podium sitting in a tie for third. Bernat Escuder also signed for a 6-under 66, highlighted by four straight birdies on holes three through six. Avery’s round was highlighted by six birdies on the day. Elliott struggled managed to find four birdies during the final round, but struggled on the 54th hole resulting in a double-bogey. This is Elliott’s first top-5 on the Epson Tour and is looking forward to bringing that confidence into the final week of the Michigan stretch.
Players and the Epson Tour will now head to Harris, Mich. to play at the Island Resort Championship presented by Delta County Chamber set to begin on June 26th.
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