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 8½ 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 enjoying associate Hye-Jin Choi.
“It feels wonderful, clearly, in spite of everything these years,” the 35-year-old Spanish participant mentioned. “I knew I may do it, however clearly as soon as the years hold 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 ultimate occasion earlier than the key KPMG Ladies’s PGA Championship in Texas.
“I like coming right here,” Ciganda mentioned. “It jogs my memory of Spain the place I am from within the northern a part of the Spain. Very comparable. Numerous timber, peaceable. I like the golf course. 5 par 5s, you may hit it exhausting right here.”
Ciganda gained for the primary time because the 2016 Lorena Ochoa Invitational, a span of 8 years, 7 months, 2 days. She has three LPGA Tour victories and has gained eight instances on the Women European Tour, the final in December within the Spanish Ladies’s Open.
“I had an opportunity to win this match,” Choi mentioned. “However the bogey on 17 gap was, yeah, simply the one I am desirous about.”
Fellow South Korean participant Somi Lee was third at 14 below 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, gained 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,” mentioned Thompson, additionally set to play within the main at PGA Frisco. “Followers are wonderful and are available out and assist ladies’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 go away the ball under 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 wished coming down the stretch there,” Thompson mentioned. “However coming into the week I wasn’t enjoying nice golf and type of latched onto one thing that bought me by means of the week.”
Final 12 months within the occasion, Thompson misplaced in a playoff to Lilia Vu.
Ciganda matched Beatriz Recari for probably 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.
“For me age is only a quantity,” Ciganda mentioned. “I do not really feel as contemporary as after I was 24, however I nonetheless really feel I can compete and I can win out right here. I like enjoying. I like Thursday to Sundays. I like competitors.”
