Former Troy Golfer Fátima Fernández Cano Earns First Professional Victory

TROY, Alabama – One of the most prolific women's golfers in Troy and Sun Belt Conference history, Fátima Fernández Cano, earned her first professional victory Sunday at the IOA Championship Presented by Morongo Casino Resort & Spa on the Symetra Tour.

Cano made her move over the final 10 holes of her second round. The Santiago de Compostela, Spain native dropped a flurry of seven birdies over that stretch to finish the round 7-under and vault into the lead at 9-under par following 36 holes.

"I feel like in a way it has been a long time coming," Cano said in an interview with SymetraTour.com. "I've been feeling really good about my game lately and I've been in contention many times out here between last year and this year. I finally got it done and I don't really have the words to express it. It's just a little bit overwhelming."

A four-time All-Sun Belt First Team selection during her time at Troy, Cano raced out to a quick 2-under in the final round before making the turn at 1-over par. She added two more birdies around a bogey in the first five holes after the turn. She then cemented her place at the top of the leaderboard with a birdie on the par-5 16^th. Cano was in control of her driver during the final round hitting all 14 fairways and her approach shots were clean as she hit 15 greens in regulation.

Cano flirted with victories in the first two Symetra events of the season with sixth and fourth place finishes after turning in six top 10 performances last season. She currently sits third in the Volvik Race for the Card; the Symetra Tour annually awards LPGA membership to its top 10 players on each official season money list.

"It means so much to me so see all my hard work from over the years come together. I knew I was right there; I have had a few top-five finishes but this win really changes it for me," Cano told SymetraTour.com. "I was able to see where my game can be but know there is still work to be done. I'm excited to my name at the top of the Volvik Race for the Card with Ruixin and Janie but making sure I stay in the present and works towards each week one at a time."

Cano played in an NCAA Regional in all four seasons with the Trojans with three on Sun Belt champion squads and another as an at-large selection. She is second on Troy's career stroke average list (73.89) and is responsible for three of the four lowest single-season stroke averages in school history.

Troy University Athletics

Former Troy Golfer Fátima Fernández Cano Earns First Professional Victory

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