Story courtesy of Epson Tour. Photos by RRN's Caleb Gordon. Click the AUDIO button to hear Romero's comments.
HARRIS---The final round of the Island Resort Championship presented by Delta County Chamber was a picture-perfect day for some golf, and coming down the stretch made for an intense Sunday afternoon at Sweetgrass Golf Club.
Kaleiya Romero started off one shot back from 36-hole leader, Kelly Xu, to start the final round. The Epson Tour rookie went into the day with a redemption mindset, after coming up just short in last week’s Great Lakes Championship at the Highlands. The California native began her round 2-under through four holes, and although she made a blemish on the par-4, fifth, Romero headed into her final nine 3-under par.
Meanwhile, playing partner, Liqi Zeng continued to sink deeper into the red draining birdie after birdie, highlighted by four coming down the stretch on holes 12,14, 16, and 17.
Zeng was leading by one shot heading into the 54th hole, after a stellar run of making four birdies in on her closing nine, but Romero was right behind and sunk the birdie putt on the par-5, 18th to force the second consecutive playoff on the Epson Tour. Romero felt much more confident heading into this week’s playoff and proved to the fans she was ready to win.
The Pepperdine University alumna knocked her 5-iron shot from the fairway to just inside 10 feet for eagle. Romero dropping the putt and won the sudden death playoff to hoist her first Epson Tour victory. The putt for eagle sent Romero walking away with $33,7500 and 500 points in Race for the Card standings, along with winning the 2026 Pure Michigan Cup.
“Super happy, kind of relieved, said Romero. “Last week I was nervous. I think I haven't been in contention in a while just because I had taken a year off from competing. Yeah, so just to be back, to have another opportunity to try again and come out on top, it just means a lot and super happy.”
The Great Lakes Championship at the Highlands winner, Lauren Olivares, went on to take the second-place prize in the Pure Michigan Cup, after a solid T3 finish this weekend. Rounding out the podium in third for the Pure Michigan Cup was Lauryn Nguyen, who won the first event of the Michigan stretch, back at the FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship.
2025 Epson Tour Championship at Indian Wells winner, Anne Chen, was the second group to hit the playing pitch this morning, but all eyes were looking at her as she walked up the 18th fairway. A dual LPGA and Epson Tour athlete this season, started her round off with a birdie, which she thought was “slow”.
After working on her putting yesterday afternoon, Chen’s discipline started to pay off after sinking putt after putt. The Duke University alumna head into her final nine holes 4-under par. Chen continued to climb the leaderboard and was in complete “flow” state after her birdie, birdie, eagle on holes 12-14. On the par-4, 14th Chen hit a 3-wood off the tee into a “drivable” par-4 and sunk the long putt.
Heading into the 72nd hole, Chen had the chance for eagle but ultimately tapped in for birdie to set the new 18-hole tournament scoring record, previously held by herself in 2024 and Morgane Metraux in 2021.
Players and the Epson Tour will now take a week break before heading to South Bend, Ind. to play at the Four Winds Invitational set to begin on July 10th.
