Trekking path to LPGA, Arevalo forges 11-shot win

With a putter that was on fire all three rounds, Abby Arevalo on Wednesday closed out with a six-under-par 66 to rule the Stallion Mountain Las Vegas Championship of the Cactus Tour and take a step closer toward a lifelong dream of making the Ladies Professional Golfers’ Association (LPGA).

“That’s always been the ultimate goal,” Arevalo said after tallying a 197 for an eye-popping 11-shot win over Corinne Viden of Sweden and American amateur Morgan Goldstein, who submitted a 68 and 70, respectively. It was her first victory since turning pro early last year.

“I really didn’t realize how low I went today until after,” Arevalo said as she was dialed in all round where she drained seven birdies against a bogey.

After a sterling stint with San Jose State where she earned a psychology degree and helping Team Philippines to the Southeast Asian Games gold medal in 2019, the 21-year-old Arevalo is taking the longer route to make it to the US LPGA or the lucrative Japan circuit.

“I know that I can do it, and I am determined to put in the work to achieve it,” Arevalo, who won the Philippine Ladies a few months before the pandemic began, said.

She next plays in the Women’s All-Pro Tour’s Natchez stop in Mississippi next month before trying her luck in the first stage of the LPGA Qualifying in August and then the Japan Tour in September. INQ