July 18, 2011

BLOOMFIELD, Conn. -- Former Wildcat Brittany Johnston captured her first career LPGA Futures Tour event on Sunday, taking home the ING New England Golf Classic. Coming back from four strokes off the lead at the start of the final round, Johnston used four birdies on the final six holes to edge Alison Walshe by one stroke to take the title.

"I totally didn't expect this, but it just fell into place," said Johnston, who shot rounds of 70-64-65 to win at 11-under 199. "I'm proud of myself for hanging in there today. I had to go out there and just keep playing."

Johnston, who graduated in 2008, holds the 11th-best stroke average in NU program history with a 78.48 average over 127 rounds. Her 3-under 69 at the 2006 Rio Verde Collegiate Invitational stands in a tie for the fourth-best individual round in program history.

In her fourth year in the professional ranks, Johnston is beginning to enjoy recent success, registering her two best finishes on the tour in 2011. Before Sunday's win, her best finish came in the 2011 Florida's Natural Charity Classic where she finished tied for 15th.

"Maybe I'm rising in my potential a little late, but my dad, who's my coach, has always believed I was capable of winning," Johnston said. "Last week during the Open (Championship in Colorado Springs, Colo.), I realized that I was on the range with the top 156 players in the world, and it felt like I belonged."

For more on Johnston's victory, click here.

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