July 23, 2017

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Former South Carolina women’s golfer Nanna Madsen has been promoted to the LPGA Tour following her third win on the Symetra Tour this season.

Madsen posted a four-round mark of 266 (-22) to claim a seven-shot victory at the 2017 Danielle Downey Credit Union Classic Sunday in Rochester, N.Y. The Denmark native, whose performance this weekend marked the lowest 72-hole total in Symetra Tour history, notched victories earlier this year at the Symetra Classic (Apr. 28-30) and Fuccillo Kia Classic of NY (June 2-4).

With the win, Madsen earned a “Battlefield Promotion” to the LPGA Tour. She immediately gained category 13 status on the LPGA priority list due to her third Symetra Tour win this year, and the former Gamecock also improved her chances of being a captain’s pick for Europe’s Solheim Cup Team. The 2017 Solheim Cup between the Europeans and United States is set for Aug. 18-20 at the Des Moines Golf and Country Club in West Des Moines, Iowa.

Madsen, who will tee it up at the inaugural Ladies Scottish Open this weekend, carded an opening-round 66 (-6) Thursday to grab the 18-hole lead. She remained atop the leaderboard at 11-under 133 through two days of action, and a third-round 67 (-5) established a five-shot lead for her with 18 holes left to play. Madsen tallied seven birdies in Sunday’s final round, including two of her first three holes. She made the turn at 3-under 33 before notching birdies on Nos. 10, 14, 15 and 18.

Madsen played for the Gamecocks in the fall of 2014, making four tournaments appearances. She finished inside the top-10 in each of her four events and collected her lone collegiate medalist honors at the 2014 Mercedes-Benz Collegiate. Madsen, who declared professional status at the end of 2014, closed the fall with a runner-up showing at the Landfall Tradition after totaling a 6-under 210.

Former Carolina golfers Katelyn Dambaugh (2013-17) and Sarah Schmelzel (2012-16) were also in action at the Downey Classic this weekend. Dambaugh tied for 6th (278, -10) to earn earn her fifth top-20 Symetra Tour finish this season, while Schmelzel tied for 42nd with a four-round mark of 285 (-3).