Swedish rookie Ingrid Lindblad claimed a one-shot victory over Japan’s Akie Iwai to collect a first title on the LPGA Tour at the JM Eagle LA Championship.
The pair entered the final day at El Caballero Country Club tied for the lead alongside American Lauren Coughlin. By the par-5 11th, Lindblad had hit six birdies. What followed were seven consecutive pars to card her third 68 of the week. A bit of luck at the 13th helped keep her streak when she struck a tree but her ball then bounced onto the fairway.
Iwai kept Lindblad on her feet throughout the final round, birdieing the 16th to share the lead. Her bogey on the final hole however was costly. Lindblad capitalized, seizing her chance to secure her first LPGA Tour title in only her third start.
What’s impressive about her 21 under finish is her triumph comes against the likes of defending champion Hannah Green as well as Jin Young Ko, Minjee Lee and World No. 1 Nelly Korda, who all have Majors to their names.
The 25-year-old Swede may have received her card less than a year ago, but she also has an Epson Tour title to her name after winning the Tuscaloosa Toyota Classic. This win, she confessed afterwards, was good preparation for the jump to the LPGA Tour.
“I think the Epson Tour prepared me a little bit for it,” Lindblad said. “I think that was a really good step after college, to not go straight out here, trying to get your feet wet a little bit.”
“You should never not expect it, right?” Lindblad went on to add, relishing her win. “But obviously got it done in a couple starts. Just kind of crazy.”
America’s Lauren Coughlin, Germany’s Esther Henseleit, and Japan’s Miyu Yamashita all finished a shot further back from Iwai on 19 under. Green shot a final-round 67 to end on 16 under, sharing ninth place with Thailand’s Jeeno Thitikul while Korda settled for a T16 finish alongside Scotland’s Gemma Dry and Australia’s Stephanie Kyriacou at 14 under.
What is the next event?
The next event on the LPGA Tour schedule is The Chevron Championship taking place between 24-27 April at The Woodlands, Texas in the U.S..