Golf: Bristow in breakthrough win in US

Cathryn Bristow won the Pennsylvania Classic by three shots. Photo / Getty Images

New Zealand golfer Cathryn Bristow has won her first tournament title as a professional with victory in the Pennsylvania Classic on the Futures Tour in the United States.

It is thought to be the first time a New Zealand female professional has won on US soil.

The 26-year-old Auckland left-hander triumphed in the truncated Pennsylvania Classic today after posting a final round of three-under-par 69.

That left her with a tournament card of nine-under 135 after 36 holes in an event scheduled for 54 holes but reduced after torrential rain flooded the Felicita Mountain Resort course on the second day.

She had a three-shot cushion on the American trio of Jane Rae, Jennifer Johnson and Sydnee Michaels.

Bristow, who turned professional last year after graduating from the University of Oregon with a degree in psychology, pocketed close to $US20,000 for her maiden win on the professional circuit.

The Futures Tour is a feeder circuit for the LPGA Tour, on which Bristow made a handful of starts last season when she became only the third New Zealand female to make an LPGA appearance, after Marilyn Smith and Marnie McGuire.

The New Zealander's success is comfortably her best result on the Futures Tour, with her previous best being a 16th placing at the Island Resort Championship in Michigan in June.

She has now made seven of 13 cuts this season, with tournament earnings of nearly $US25,000.

Today's cheque also propelled her up the tour's moneylist, from 88th to inside the top 20. The leading 10 at season's end earn promotion to the LPGA Tour.

The next Futures Tour event is the Eagle Classic at Richmond, Virginia, starting on Saturday (NZT).

- NZPA