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Ally McDonald earns first LPGA Tour title after tight tussle with Danielle Kang

Ally McDonald
Image: Ally McDonald landed her first LPGA Tour title

Ally McDonald celebrated her 28th birthday with her maiden LPGA Tour title after holding off Danielle Kang to win the LPGA Drive On Championship.

Final leaderboard

LPGA Drive On Championship

McDonald's composed three-under 69 earned her a one-shot victory over world No 5 Kang amid much appreciation from local residents at Lake Reynolds Oconee, finally breaking into the winners' circle in her fifth season on Tour.

The Solheim Cup star maintained her overnight lead with a steady, outward 35, and she then began the back nine with three consecutive birdies to extend her advantage to a commanding four strokes.

Image: McDonald's closing 69 earned a one-shot win

But a two-shot swing at the 13th added to the test of nerve for McDonald, who watched Kang hole for a birdie three before missing her own putt for par, and her lead was whittled down to one when Kang made it three birdies in four holes at the 14th.

The third member of the final group, Bianca Pagdanganan, was struggling to convert birdie chances and parred the first 16 holes to leave herself too far back to challenge, while McDonald suddenly vaulted three clear at the top when she birdied 16 after Kang had bogeyed the previous hole.

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McDonald erred again when she three-putted the 17th, while Kang gave herself a great look at birdie from mid-range but left the chance short, ensuring that McDonald had the luxury of a two-shot lead to take up the final hole.

Kang knew she needed to close with an eagle to have a chance to force extra holes, but her final drive leaked right and into a tricky lie near a bunker which took going for the green in two out of the equation, although it needed some convincing from her caddie, Ollie Brett.

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Image: Danielle Kang kept the pressure on over the final day

McDonald, meanwhile, nailed a perfect drive, laid up and clipped a wedge to six feet to put one hand on the trophy, but she had a huge scare moments later when Kang's third pitched 10 feet past the flag and spun hard, shaving the edge of the cup on its way back.

Pagdanganan completed a birdie, birdie finish to secure a podium finish on 14 under, and Kang tapped in for her birdie to leave the stage clear for an emotional McDonald to safely two-putt for the winning par.

LPGA Tour Golf

Carlota Ciganda birdied three of the last four holes for a 69 and a tie for fourth on 13 under, while Mel Reid enjoyed another solid week and closed with a four-birdie 69 to finish just outside the top 10, seven shots behind the champion.

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