The penultimate event of the LPGA tour season ends in a play-off, Pedersen wins again on the LET and Mickelson and Langer wrap up the PGA Tour Champions season.
On the 17th tee at the Pelican Women's Championship, both Nelly Korda and Lexi Thomspon were tied at 19-under-par. Two shots clear from clubhouse leader Lydia Ko, it seemed a two-horse race. But it was a dramatic final two holes during regulation play that threw the tournament open. An awkward chip shot approach to the 17th green saw Korda land in the bunker and then what followed was hard to watch – a three-putt for a triple bogey. Thompson was unable to capitalise on Korda’s misfortune and missed a short putt for par to also drop a shot.
Whilst the drama unfolded on the 17th green, Sei Young Kim drained a long putt on 18 for birdie and a share of the clubhouse lead.
Thompson stood on the final hole with a one-shot lead over Ko and Kim and two shots over Korda. Showing exactly why she is World Number one, Korda holed a 21-foot birdie to get back to 17-under-par, whilst Thompson was unable to hole out from four feet for par and a bogey also saw her finish on -17.
A four-way play-off
Only one hole was needed in the four-way play-off as Korda converted another birdie from nearly the same spot on 18 and Thompson missed again from a similar position. To come from a triple bogey to back-to-back birdies showed great mental strength from Korda.
Commenting on her comeback, she said:
“I honestly lost hope. I was like, ‘Okay, just try to make a solid par because 18 is a really tough hole. If you have a chance for birdie, then try and go after it.’ But my caddie [Jason McDede] really kept me in the moment and I didn't give up. Thank God I didn't.
“Jason was like, ‘I want you to take one minute and just think positive thoughts, no negativity.’ So, I just thought about the putts I made, particularly No. 6. I made that right-to-left birdie putt, so I thought about that and just seeing the ball go in the hole.”
Four wins on the LPGA tour this season
Korda joins Rolex Rankings No. 2 Jin Young Ko, who shot a final-round 66 to finish in a tie for sixth, as the only players with four wins on the LPGA Tour this season.
“I always say that every event has a different meaning and every event has a special meaning to me, but obviously my first major, the gold medal, winning in front of my parents for the first time in [Lake] Nona, coming back, having all these expectations on me, not playing for a while and winning here, winning at Meijer [LPGA Classic] after missing the cut at the U.S. Open, being so down. Every win is special.”
Thompson put on a brave face when she spoke to media after the play-off, but there’s no doubt that this will be another difficult loss for the World Number 13, she said:
“Had an amazing week. Played solid golf. So many players played amazing golf, Nelly as well, obviously,” said Thompson. “Played a lot of good golf, made a lot of good putts, and just wasn't meant for me in the end.”
We now head into the final event of the LPGA tour season, the CME Group Tour Championship. The tournament was won by Jin Young Ko last year – it remains to be seen whether she can claim her fifth victory of the season or whether Nelly Korda can maintain her winning momentum into the tour final.
Pedersen wins again in Saudi Arabia
Team Pedersen were crowned Aramco Team Series - Jeddah winners on Friday. The individual title was secured by 17-year-old Pia Babnik. Read the full final day report here.
Another Danish winner on the European Tour
A final bogey-free round of 68 was enough for Dane Joachim B. Hansen to win his second European Tour title at the AVIV Dubai Championship.
The 31-year-old started the final day at Jumeirah Golf Estates with a share for the lead and with a birdie on the first, he never looked back. He finished one-shot clear of Francesco Laporta and Bernd Wiesberger at 23-under-par.
His first win came in 2020 at the Joburg Open, but this win was extra-special as he was able to celebrate with his family who had travelled out to support him, he said:
"It means a lot, especially with family here and friends this time, there was nothing in Joburg. When I saw Jeff Winther win in Mallorca I was very jealous because he had all the family and friends celebrating and I really wanted that. I'm really glad I get to experience that."
The win also moves Hansen to 43rd on the Race to Dubai Rankings and secures his place in the field for this week's season-ending DP World Tour Championship, Dubai.
Kokrak comes from behind
A final-round 65 saw Jason Kokrak finish on 10-under-par and win his third PGA Tour title in 13 months at the Hewlett Packard Enterprise Houston Open.
At the halfway point the American was nine shots off the lead but with a five-under-par third round and four-under-par final round he shot up the leaderboard to finish two-shots clear from the rest of the field.
In a week when the 36-year-old had contemplated withdrawing because he felt he wasn’t hitting the ball well, he was asked if he’d thought of victory after he’d finished his second round with a triple-bogey seven. He said:
“Well, I just didn't know how far away the leaders were going to get. So the golf course was a little windy, it's a big ballpark, there's some long holes, there's some birdie holes. At the end of the day, I didn't think I would have as good of a chance coming into today as I did, so a couple guys came back towards me and gave me a shot.
“All I can do and all I can control is myself and what I can control around the golf course. I made do and limited my mistakes. I believe I went bogey-free today, but I'm not 100 percent sure. Nonetheless, I played some really good golf the last 27, 36 holes.”
This week it’s The RSM Classic at Sea Island Resort, Georgia.
PGA Tour Champions season comes to a close
On the PGA Tour Champions, Phil Mickelson won the season finale Charles Schwab Cup Championship and Bernhard Langer secured his sixth Charles Schwab Cup after finishing top in the season’s points list.
Talking about his fourth PGA Tour Champions victory in just six starts, Mickelson said:
"I'm hoping to use the opportunity to play and compete here as a way to keep my game sharp and have a few special moments on the regular Tour like I had this year in May. If I could have a couple more of those, that's really what motivates me to work hard, to get in the gym in the offseason, put in the time and the effort to have those special moments."
Langer, who played in 39 events this season with 24 top 10s and 2 victories was a deserved winner of the Charles Schwab Cup, he said:
"I'm literally overwhelmed with emotion. It was an up-and-down week for me. I had back issues earlier in the week, could barely swing the club. I was this close to pulling out and ground through it and made it and started playing a little better, so that was just incredible."
It will be interesting to see what unfolds in the 2022 season.
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