Ten weeks after becoming the first Native American to play in the U.S. Women’s Open, Gabby Lemieux (Shoshone/Paiute) produced her best finish as a professional golfer with a tie for second place in the Epson Tour’s Four Winds Invitational on Aug. 14 in South Bend, Indiana.

Lemieux shot an even-par 72 in the final round and earned a spot in a three-way playoff with China’s Yan Liu and Finland’s Kiira Riihijarvi. Liu won the tournament with a birdie on the first playoff hole.

Lemieux, 26, earned a $16,000 paycheck, her top payout since she joined the minor league tour of the LPGA in 2018. She is 44th on the Epson Tour’s money list.

Lemieux entered the final day of the three-day tournament two shots behind Liu. With four birdies on the front nine, Lemieux surged past Liu and put herself in a solid position to win her first tournament as a professional. She led by two shots through 11 holes, but her momentum was halted with bogeys on Nos. 12, 15 and 16. Birdies by Liu and Riihijarvi on No. 18 and a par by Lemieux set up the playoff.

“With 18 holes of being in the lead group, I’ve never been in that position ever in my professional career,” Lemieux said in a story on epsontour.com. “There were a lot of nerves, but I told myself one shot at a time, take it nice and slow and joke around as much as I can.”

After an opening round 71, Lemieux shot a 66 in the second round, which included seven birdies.

The tie for second came at an ideal time for Lemieux, who missed cuts in her previous five tournaments on the tour. The tour’s next stop is in Idaho, her home state.

“I think this is a good momentum boost for the next two tournaments. I’m going to stay light and happy, and hopefully, maybe something will come out of it,” Lemieux said.

In June, Lemieux qualified for her first U.S. Women’s Open. She shot 82-81 and did not make the cut.

The Epson Tour Championship is scheduled to be held in Florida Oct. 6-9 at LPGA International’s Jones Course in Daytona Beach.