Ciganda takes LPGA Traditional; 1st win in 8 years

BELMONT, Mich. — Carlota Ciganda birdied the ultimate two holes to win the Meijer LPGA Traditional on Sunday for her first LPGA Tour victory in additional than 8 1/2 years, whereas Lexi Thompson had two late bogeys to sprint her bid to finish a protracted drought of her personal.

Ciganda hit to a foot to arrange her birdie on the par-4 seventeenth, then made a 4-foot comebacker on the par-5 18th to keep away from a playoff with taking part in associate Hye-Jin Choi.

“It feels wonderful, clearly, in spite of everything these years,” the 35-year-old Spanish participant stated. “I knew I might do it, however clearly as soon as the years preserve going and also you begin getting older you begin doubting your self.”

A part of a six-way tie to begin the day at Blythefield County Membership, Ciganda shot a 5-under 67 — her fourth straight spherical within the 60s — to complete at 16-under 272 on the tree-lined format within the remaining occasion earlier than the main KPMG Girls’s PGA Championship in Texas.

“I like coming right here,” Ciganda stated. “It jogs my memory of Spain the place I am from within the northern a part of the Spain. Very related. Numerous bushes, peaceable. I like the golf course. 5 par 5s, you may hit it onerous right here.”

Ciganda received for the primary time for the reason that 2016 Lorena Ochoa Invitational, a span of 8 years, 7 months, 2 days. She has three LPGA Tour victories and has received eight occasions on the Women European Tour, the final in December within the Spanish Girls’s Open.

“I had an opportunity to win this match,” Choi stated. “However the bogey on 17 gap was, yeah, simply the one I am fascinated by.”

Fellow South Korean participant Somi Lee was third at 14 beneath after a 65.

Thompson had a 70 to tie for fourth with Celine Boutier (67) and Nanna Koerstz Madsen (70).

Thompson, the 2015 winner at Blythefield, received the final of her 11 LPGA Tour titles in early June 2019 on the ShopRite LPGA Traditional. She made her sixth begin of the season in a part-time tour schedule.

“It is my favourite occasion on the schedule,” stated Thompson, additionally set to play within the main at PGA Frisco. “Followers are wonderful and are available out and assist girls’s golf and that is what we wish.”

The 30-year-old from Florida bumped into hassle on the par-4 sixteenth. She tried to depart the ball beneath the opening on the elevated inexperienced, however her method rolled off the entrance and down a hill into tough. She hit a flop shot to eight ft and missed the par putt. On 17, she missed a 3-footer.

“Not the end I needed coming down the stretch there,” Thompson stated. “However coming into the week I wasn’t taking part in nice golf and type of latched onto one thing that bought me by means of the week.”

Final yr within the occasion, Thompson misplaced in a playoff to Lilia Vu.

Ciganda matched Beatriz Recari for essentially the most victories by a Spanish participant. The previous Arizona State participant is the oldest LPGA Tour winner since Eun-Hee Ji at 36 within the 2022 T-Cell Match Play.