At the LPGA's season-closing CME Group Tour Championship wrapped up yesterday, both Lexi Thompson and Ariya Jutanugarn wrote their names in the history books.
At the LPGA's season-closing CME Group Tour Championship wrapped up yesterday, both Lexi Thompson and Ariya Jutanugarn wrote their names in the history books.
With a bag of COBRA clubs including a brand new, KING F9 SPEEDBACK driver, Lexi Thompson shot 2-under par in Sunday's final round to take the championship title, four shots ahead of Nelly Korda. The win marks her 10th career victory and the sixth consecutive year that she's won at least once - the longest streak ever recorded in LPGA Tour history.
Finishing tied for fifth at 12-under, Ariya Jutanugarn was also making history of her own the week as she picked up the other two big prizes that were up for grabs; The yearlong Race to the CME Globe prize - and the $1 million bonus that comes with it - and the Vare Trophy for winning the season's lowest scoring title. The World Number One finished 2018 with a scoring average of 69.415 to pip Minjee Lee (69.747) to the top spot.
Jutanugarn momentarily lost the lead in the projected CME Globe standings on Sunday when Brooke Henderson carded three birdies in the first seven holes to steal the top spot - but that didn't last for long. Jutanugarn answered with five birdies on the back nine, rolling in a 15-footer for birdie at the last to clinch the LPGA's biggest prizes of the year.
Thomson led the field in Florida after Friday's round and maintained it until the very end. Just two shots ahead of Korda after the 12th hole, the next hole provided the shift in momentum that Thompson needed to secure her win. Thompson made birdie at the par-4 13th whilst Korda made bogey, suddenly opening a four-shot gap with five holes left to play - and the rest is history so to speak. Thompson finished her round with a birdie at the 17th to card a closing round of 70, 2-under par and to win the championship title in Florida.
Nelly Korda similarly rolled in a birdie putt at the par-5 17th but it was too little too late. She finished the day at 1-under and in second place for the tournament at 14-under.
Close behind the pair at 13-under were Brittany Lincicome and So Yeon Ryu who tied for 3rd, whilst Ariya Jutanugarn, Lydia Ko, Marina Alex and Carlota Ciganda tied for 5th at 12-under.
Charley Hull recorded another top 20 finish in America, tieing in 15th at 6-under par.
Image credit: Michael Reaves/Getty Images
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