Cheyenne Knight - © Chuck Burton for LPGA

After her last putt on the 18th, Cheyenne Knight was immediately surrounded by family and friends who splashed water on her and hugged her. She raised her hands to the sky, acknowledging her spiritual support as much as those who are physically here with her on Earth.

After her victory, Cheyenne Knight has long relied on her faith to get through the good times, like being named SEC Player of the Year 2017 for the University of Alabama, as well as through tough times.

In 2008, his older brother, Brandon Burgett, was killed when the truck he was driving was hit by a drunk driver who was on the wrong side of the road. She said she felt her brother's presence with her as she walked around the Old American Golf Club, and even through what had been a tough season for a rookie on the LPGA Tour.

Pointing to 120th place on the official Money List, the Texan was in danger of going back to pass her cards to improve her LPGA status. With this victory, she joined the top 100 of the Race to CME Globe, leaping into the top 50, making sure to play her next two seasons on the LPGA circuit.

“I prayed I always knew that even though I didn't understand back then, I knew God was in charge,” said Cheyenne Knight. “I think I had a second caddy and I know he's looking at me from the sky, so proud of me. It's amazing, but I can't put it in words. "

This faith has even manifested itself today in a strange way. Burgett's football number was 33, which Cheyenne Knight considers his lucky number. She even has it on her yardstick book so she can see it before every strike.

His last lap at the VOA Classic? Two 33s for a final score of 66, another tribute to his brother who left too early. A beautiful sign of a week that had to be for Cheyenne Knight.

Bittersweet feelings for Green and Altomare

Brittany Altomare and Jaye Marie Green narrowly missed their first win on the LPGA Tour, finishing tied for second at (-16). For Altomare, its performance has added to a consistent year. The 28-year-old has had just three bogeys for the duration of the tournament, including only two in the last round, and finished with her second second-place result in this season. It was her 22nd cut in a row and she said she was just waiting for her turn in the winner's circle.

 It has been narrow a few times, it's just a little frustrating. I feel like I'm stepping on the accelerator and someone is pressing even harder. We'll see one day or another, ”said Altomare.

Green performed in the final group with Cheyenne Knight and witnessed his hometown crowd support for the winner from Texas. " It was very cool. I was really in the zone so I didn't really notice what was going on around me. It was good, Green said. “She's from here and she played well to keep her card and then she won, that's cool. "

Despite this outcome, Green said she came away with a lot of bright spots and a new goal for the end of the year. My brother (and caddy, Matt Green) and I were talking. He said, "Jaye, you played well, you just didn't lose, you didn't lose anything, she just won, don't worry," Green tells us. He said to me: "I think it allows you to be in the CME or close to the CME" and he said to me: "I think that it is a good objective to pursue". I said, “You're right, we're going to get there. "

CME Group Cares Challenge: 1 point for St. Jude

The CME Group Cares Challenge is a season-long charitable giving program that turns aces into donations. The CME Group will donate $ 20 for every hole-in-one made on the LPGA Tour in 000, with a guaranteed minimum donation of $ 2019 to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, which is a Chief of a world leader in understanding, treating and combating childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases.

Chella Choi completed a 130-yard hole-in-one on the 16th par-3 of the VOA Classic on Saturday, for a total of $ 20 raised this week. There have been 000 aces this season and a total of $ 25 has been donated so far in 500.

The LEADERS TOP-10 competition

The TOP-10 LEADERS competition awards a bonus of $ 100 to the LPGA player with the most top-000s until the end of the event which will conclude at the CME Group Tour Championship. In the event of a tie in the top-10 total, the prize will be awarded to the player with the most official wins, followed by most second places, third places, etc. until the tie is broken.

With his T8 classification at the VOA Classic, Jeongeun Lee6 is tied with Brooke Henderson, Jin Young Ko and Hyo Joo Kim with 10 top-10. Ariya Jutanugarn and Nelly Korda are tied for fifth place at 9 top-10.

• 18 holes: 63 (-8), Dori Carter, second round, 2017; Stephanie Meadow, first round, 2019
• 36 holes: 131 (-11), Sung Hyun Park, 2018
• 54 holes: 199 (-14), Gerina Piller, 2016; Jaye Marie Green, 2019
• 72 holes: 266 (-18), Cheyenne Knight, 2019

To consult the leaderboard: click here

To go further, consult our previous article on the competition:

VOA Classic: Stephanie Meadow at the head, the tricolors out of the cut