Ariya Jutanugarn beats Lexi Thompson, In Gee Chun in play-off at LPGA Classic
Monday 12 June 2017 10:23, UK
Ariya Jutanugarn of Thailand won the LPGA Classic with a birdie on the first play-off hole to beat American Lexi Thompson and South Korea's In Gee Chun.
Having finished her final round on Sunday, Jutanugarn appeared to be out of the running for the title before Thompson buckled down the stretch and missed a four-foot putt to win in regulation, forcing her to return to the 18th tee with Jutanugarn and Chun for a play-off.
Jutanugarn found the rough with her drive but her approach was pin-high and she made a 25-foot birdie putt for her first victory of the season.
The 21-year-old, who earned $255,000 of the $1.7m purse for the victory, is now expected to move up in the rankings to become the world's No 1 women's player.
"I feel great, I feel like I broke through," she said. "I feel like I waited for my first win this year for a while.
"I knew it was a good putt," she said. "I didn't know it was going to go in."
Jutanugarn is the 13th different winner on the LPGA Tour this season, with her last victory coming at the 2016 Canadian Pacific Women's Open.
A five-time winner last year, she had three birdies over a four-hole stretch around the turn at Whistle Bear Golf Club, and closed with six straight pars for a 3-under-par 69 that left her at 17-under 271.
Thompson started the day with a one-shot lead and was up by four strokes after a birdie on the ninth hole. But she surrendered her advantage with four bogeys on the back, the final one coming when she three-putted on the 18th to finish the round at 72.
"I had like a five-footer, six-footer, and about a four-footer and missed them all," Thompson said of her last three holes. "If I made those I would have won, but that's golf I guess."
Chun finished the final round with a 70, while Jodi Ewart Shadoff (69) was one shot back in fourth place. Mi Hyang Lee (68) and Laura Gonzalez Escallon (67) were at 14 under.
