|
 Lincicome, who eagled the par-five 18th to force the playoff, won
with a par at the same hole to claim her second victory at the
LPGA's opening major at Mission Hills in Rancho Mirage.
She also eagled the final hole for her previous victory six years
ago, but this time she needed to work overtime after carding a
closing 69 to finish tied with Lewis (70) at nine-under 279, one
stroke ahead of compatriot Morgan Pressel.
Overnight leader Kim Sei-young of South Korea struggled in strong
winds on the back nine and faded to tie for fourth, two shots
behind. She went eight consecutive holes without a par on the back
nine.
Long-hitting Lincicome had little pressure playing the 18th hole in
regulation because she did not give herself any hope of victory and
rifled a five-iron to six feet to set up the eagle chance.
She said she felt considerably more heat in the playoff.
“The first time it felt fairly easy because I thought I was so far
out of the tournament that I never had a chance,” she told Golf
Channel after tapping in her winning putt from a foot.
“I’m standing here physically shaking like a leaf. That’s how nerves
get to you.”
Lincicome said her approach at the 18th to set up eagle was almost a
carbon copy of her shot that set up victory six years ago.
"It took the same slope like it did in 2009, which is pretty crazy.
To roll down to almost the same spot it was in 2009 is really
crazy," she added. "Today just must have been my day."
Lincicome also shot a final round of 69 to finish nine under par in
2009.
[to top of second column] |
Lewis was dejected after throwing away the playoff with a bogey,
though there was an element of poor fortune after her second shot
stopped in a sand-filled divot and contributed to a bad approach
shot to the green.
“It was just bad luck really, getting it right in the middle of a
divot there,” she said. “It was just a hard lie. I played great golf
this week so it’s really hard to be too upset.”
Dual major champion Lewis had three chances to win at the 18th,
missing a birdie putt from about 12 feet in her final round and then
failing twice more in the playoff from similar distances.
She dropped her putter in disbelief when her attempt at the second
extra hole shaved the cup moments after Lincicome had also missed by
a whisker on a similar line.
(Reporting by Andrew Both in Cary, North Carolina; Editing by Peter
Rutherford)
[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2015 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
