Carlota Ciganda ended her nine-year wait for her third LPGA Tour title with a dramatic victory at the Meijer LPGA Classic, as Lexi Thompson missed out on stopping her own long drought.
Ciganda started the day as part of a six-way tie for the lead heading into the final day at Blythefield Country Club, where she recovered from an early bogey to birdie three of her last holes and top a congested leaderboard.
The Spaniard followed a birdie at the par-three 15th by firing her approach to a foot at the par-four 17th, before holing from four feet at the par-five last to close a five-under 67 and cap an impressive win.
Ciganda ended the week on 16 under and a shot clear of playing partner Hye-Jin Choi, with the victory her first on the LPGA Tour since the Lorena Ochoa Invitational in November 2016.
“It feels amazing obviously after all these years,” Ciganda said. “I knew I could do it, but obviously once the years keep going and you start getting older you start doubting yourself.
Ciganda will be chasing major victory at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship next week, live on Sky Sports
“I think this year I have a great team around me. New caddie which is doing an amazing job, and I’m just very happy with my whole team. I just believe we can do this and it’s been a great year, but obviously winning is an amazing feeling.”
Choi finished with a 68 having cancelled out a penultimate-hole bogey with a birdie at the last, while Somi Lee was a further stroke back in third ahead of Thompson, Celine Boutier and Nanna Koerstz Madsen.
Thompson, who won the last of her 11 LPGA Tour titles at this event in 2019 and now plays a part-time LPGA Tour schedule, also started the final day tied for the lead before coming unstuck along the closing stretch.
The 30-year-old missed an eight-foot putt for par at the 16th and made bogey from even closer at the next, leaving Thompson – who finished runner-up in last year’s event – in a share of fourth.
Lexi Thompson mixed five birdies with three bogeys in her final round
England’s Bronte Law carded a final-round 68 to jump into a share of seventh, as overnight co-leaders Madelene Sagstrom and Sofia Garcia dropped into tied-14th after final-round 73s.
What’s next?
The women’s major season continues with the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, held at PGA Frisco, with coverage live on Thursday from 4pm on Sky Sports Golf. Get Sky Sports or stream no contract on NOW.
