Lexi Thompson beats In Gee Chun to win LPGA Kingsmill Championship in Virginia
Monday 22 May 2017 08:13, UK
American Lexi Thompson secured her first win of the year by decimating her rivals at the LPGA Kingsmill Championship in Williamsburg, Virginia.
By carding her third 6-under-par 65 of the tournament, Thompson finished five shots ahead of South Korea's In Gee Chun, carding an astonishing 20-under 264 - a tournament record.
It was a welcome result for Thompson, who was playing in her third event since her devastating defeat at the ANA Inspiration, when she was hit with a four-shot penalty and eventually lost in a playoff in the year's first major.
The 22-year-old led from start to finish over the weekend and recorded six birdies in her bogey-free final round to bag her first trophy on the LPGA Tour since the 2016 Honda LPGA Thailand.
Thompson said: "I was a little off off the tee and kind of steered it around the golf course, but I'm not complaining with a 65, that's for sure.
"I just felt very in control of my game and a lot more relaxed in between shots and my caddie was a big help with that."
It was the third runner-up finish of the season for Chun, whose bogey-free 67 left her four shots in front of the third-place finisher Angela Stanford.
Stanford had four birdies and an eagle, at the par-5 15, in her closing round of 66 to finish one shot ahead of Danielle Kang, who finished alone in fourth place at 10-under 274.
Carlota Ciganda of Spain carded a 67 to finish in a tie for fifth with Sei Young Kim (71) of South Korea at 275.
Americans Ryann O'Toole (69) and Gerina Piller (69) were another shot back in a tie for seventh with Sweden's Madelene Sagstrom (70).
World No 1 Lydia Ko of New Zealand, trying to maintain her 82-week run at the top of the rankings, stumbled to a 73 and finished in a four-way tie for 10th.
