After coming close several times before, Ariya Jutanugarn finally is a champion on the LPGA Tour.
The 20-year-old from Thailand holed a five-foot par putt on the final hole to shoot even-par 72 and win the Yokohama Tire LPGA Classic by one stroke over Stacy Lewis, Morgan Pressel and Amy Yang of South Korea at the Senator Course on the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail in Prattville, Ala.
“It was so tough,” said Jutanugarn, who held a two-stroke lead before making two bogeys down the stretch last month in the ANA Inspiration, the first LPGA major of the season. “On the last three holes, I didn’t know anything, I couldn’t control anything.
“My hands were shaking, my legs were shaking, it was hard to putt, (but) I’m very proud right now.”
Jutanugarn, whose only previous pro victory came in the 2013 Lalla Meryem Cup on the Ladies European Tour, took the lead with a 63 in round three and again held a two-stroke lead with two holes left. She made a bogey on the 17th hole pulled out the victory by saving par at the last despite missing the green in regulation.
The four-ranked Lewis, seeking her first victory since she won three times in 2014, closed with a bogey-free 68, while Yang birdied the first four holes before cooling off to shoot 67, and Pressel birdied two of the last three holes for a 68.
Caroline Hedwall of Sweden birdied the last hole for another 68 and was two shots back in solo fifth, while Candie Kung of Fountain Valley and USC carded a bogey-free 66 to wind up another stroke back in a tie for sixth with Ryann O’Toole of San Clemente and USC, who totaled 72, Minjee Lee of Australia, who had two double bogeys in a 72, and Hee Young Park of South Korea, who came in at 67.
Gerina Piller challenged until taking a double bogey-7 on the 17th in a 70 that left her four strokes behind in a tie for 10th with Brittany Lang, who had a 67, and So Yeon Ryo of South Korea, who finished at 72.
