Canada's Augusta James wins first Symetra Tour title


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FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — Canada's Augusta James won the Chico's Patty Berg Memorial on Sunday for her first Symetra Tour title, and Laurie Rinker took The Legends Tour competition.

The 22-year-old James, a former North Carolina State player making her fourth start on the tour, closed with a 5-under 67 for a four-stroke victory over Laura Kueny and Brianna Do.

"It's a fantastic feeling," said James, named Augusta after being born on the first day of the 1993 Masters. "I'm really happy and really excited that my hard work is paying off."

James finished at 10-under 278 at Cypress Lake Country Club. She earned $22,500 to jump from 58th to first on the money list with $23,684. The final top 10 will earn 2016 LPGA Tour cards.

"It's great to move to the top spot because my goal is to get one of the top 10 spots so I can play on the LPGA Tour next year," said James, the Canadian Women's Amateur winner last year. "However, I've been told that as soon as you start thinking about money, your golf game suffers."

James holed a 40-foot birdie putt on the 13th hole.

"You don't plan on making 40-foot putts in the sense that if you do make them they are a bonus," James said. "It's tough to make 40-foot putts, but I stood over that putt and felt really confident. I liked the line, I liked the speed and pace and was happy to see it drop."

Kueny and Do each shot 72.

In The Legends Tour event, the 52-year-old Rinker shot an even-par-72 for a three-stroke victory over Rosie Jones and Barb Mucha. Rinker finished at 5-under 139 in the 36-hole event.

"It's always great to win," said Rinker.

She's a four-time winner on the tour after winning twice on the LPGA Tour.

Mucha had a 71, and Jones shot 73.

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