Day 5 - Pernilla Lindberg wins ANA Inspiration in 8th playoff hole

April 02, 2018

Sweden's Pernilla Lindberg held her nerve to claim her first major title on Monday, winning the ANA Inspiration on the eighth hole of a thrilling playoff duel with South Korean star Park In-bee.

Lindberg, who had led for all four rounds of the tournament, drained a 25-foot birdie putt on the par-four 10th to set up her victory over seven-time major winner Park at the Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California.

The 31-year-old's birdie left Park needing to make an awkward 10-footer to force an extra playoff hole, but the 2013 champion missed to hand Lindberg the win.

"I just know I'm a grinder. Towards the end yesterday I felt 'This is mine, I'm going to do this'," said Lindberg, who has registered only a handful of top-10 finishes on the LPGA Tour after more than 180 tournaments.

"I just knew I could so I just kept fighting away. I couldn't believe it when that last putt went in," added Lindberg, whose previous best finish at a major was a share of fifth at the 2015 US Women's Open.

Lindberg celebrated her victory with the traditional dive into the Poppie's Pond hazard at the 18th green -- and was joined in the water by her parents, Jan and Gunilla.

"The only reason I'm playing golf is because of them," Lindberg said.

"It's so great that they were here. I've probably given my dad I don't know how many heart attacks over the past few days.

"But I'm so happy they're here and I get to celebrate this with them."

The playoff had extended into Monday after Lindberg and Park finished in near-darkness on Sunday, unable to land a decisive blow through four extra holes.

Their duel resumed at just after 8:00am local time Monday on the par-four 10th, with Lindberg coming within a couple of inches of draining a monster birdie putt that would have completed victory.

Lindberg had to settle for a par however which left Park a 25-foot birdie putt for the championship.

The 29-year-old seven-time major winner's effort rolled up short however, leaving her with a tap-in which she duly converted.

Play then moved to the par-three 17th, but in a sign of mounting tension, both players fluffed their tee shots.

Park's seven iron off the tee kicked into the bunker at the front of the green before Lindberg then squandered an opportunity to capitalise by sending her tee shot into the deep rough.

Both players then chipped onto the green to leave themselves with long putts to make par.

Park ramped up the pressure on Lindberg by draining her putt from 15ft, leaving Lindberg a 12-footer to stay in the match.

The Swede rose to the challenge magnificently, rolling in the putt to take it to a seventh playoff hole at the 531-yard par-five 18th.

After both players found the fairway off the tee, Lindberg then ripped her second shot onto the green to leave herself with a long eagle putt.

Park opted for a conservative approach, laying up and then hitting a perfect wedge to eight feet with her third.

Lindberg steered her eagle attempt wide to around six feet, but Park missed her birdie chance to hand the Swede the chance to drain her putt for victory.

Lindberg's rock-solid putting game deserted her however and she missed to send it back to the 10th tee for the eighth extra hole.

Park appeared to have taken the advantage after hitting her second shot to around 10 feet.

But Lindberg sank her long birdie putt to leave the Korean needing to make hers to save the match, and when her effort missed Lindberg -- ranked 95th in the world -- had won.

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Round 4 - Park & Lindberg to continue playoff on Monday

April 01, 2018

Pernilla Lindberg and Park In-bee will resume their ANA Inspiration playoff on Monday morning after the duo ran out of daylight on the 18th hole at the Mission Hills Country Club.

The pair will head to the tee on the par-four 10th at 8am (1500 GMT)to play a fifth extra hole as the California desert tournament will be decided by a playoff for the second straight year.

"I have nothing to lose tomorrow," Lindberg said. "I've been out there for a long time today, so I'll be ready to put my head on the pillow."

The pair played the par-five, 18th hole four extra times as American Jennifer Song was eliminate on the third extra hole.

All three golfers finished with a four round total of 15-under 273 and then remained deadlocked through the first two playoff holes. Song was eventually ousted when Lindberg and Park both made birdies.

Organizers used floodlights to illuminate the green at 18 as the playoff dragged on in Rancho Mirage, California, 16 kilometres southeast of Palm Springs.

Under the glare of the bright lights and long shadows, Park drained a five foot putt for par on the fourth playoff hole. That meant Lindberg had to make her two foot putt to stay alive which she did easily.

The players chose to go back to the tee for the fourth playoff hole but were not given the option for a fifth as LPGA officials informed them they would have to return the next day.

Park and Song both fired five-under 67s on Sunday after they started their round four strokes back of leader Lindberg.

This is unfamiliar territory for the 31-year-old veteran Lindberg who birdied the 72nd hole to get into the playoff. Not only is she trying to capture her first career title but she needs to do it in a major championship against one of the Tour's most consistent winners in Park.

On Saturday, Lindberg broke the 54-hole tournament scoring record for her first career lead heading into the fourth round of a tournament.

The Swede started Sunday with a three-shot lead over second place Amy Olson of the US, who closed with an even-par 72.

If the duo remain tied through the fifth extra hole they will move to the par-three 17th and then 18 again.

Round 3 - Pernilla Lindberg takes 3-shot lead in ANA

March 31, 2018

Pernilla Lindberg had the hot putter at the ANA Inspiration on Saturday, grabbing a three-shot lead after playing-partner and second round co-leader Park Sung-hyun came unglued after being put on the clock.

The 31-year-old Swede fired a two-under 70 in the third round to reach 14-under 202 as she aims to capture her first title in eight seasons on the LPGA Tour.

"I felt calm out there. I had fun," said Lindberg who rolled in four birdies in her round. "I've been on Tour long enough to still be in a lot of heated moments.

"I just keep collecting experiences each and every year. I've played a lot of golf in my life, and I just feel like the pieces are kind of falling together."

Lindberg birdied her first hole of the day en route to breaking the 54-hole tournament scoring record at Mission Hills golf course in Rancho Mirage, 16 kilometres southeast of Palm Springs.

She has never held a 54-hole lead in a regular Tour event let alone a major like the ANA. The Swede takes a slim lead into the final round ahead of Amy Olson of the US, who shot a 68 to reach 11-under 205.

Park (74) is four back at 10-under in a pack of players that also includes Park In-bee, Moriya Jutanugarn, Jennifer Song, Jodi Ewart Shadoff and Charley Hull at 10-under par.

Lindberg started her round tied with Park at 12-under.

Park, who shot 10 strokes higher on Saturday than her second round 64, hung in there until officials put the pair on the clock for slow play on the back nine.

That's when everything change for Park who had three bogeys and a double bogey in her next five holes.

She needed multiple shots just to get out of a bunker on the par-four 15 and finished with a double bogey six.

"It was a rough day out there today," Park said. "I'm just going to focus on what I need to do for tomorrow."

Lindberg is paired with Olson in Sunday’s final round. Olson was a rookie in 2014 and like Lindberg is in unfamiliar territory as she hopes to win for the first time on Tour.

"I've never been in this position before, but I'm excited about it," Olson said. "I definitely look at it as an awesome learning experience. You can't really learn until you've been there. So, I'm really excited about that."

Round 2 - Park & Lindberg tied at 12-under

March 30, 2018

Sung-hyun Park fired an eight-under-par 64 to thrust herself into contention at the top of the leaderboard at the ANA Inspiration on Friday as she chases a second major after a dazzling rookie season.

The 24-year-old star from South Korea shrugged off an opening bogey to card seven birdies and an eagle at Mission Hills in Rancho Mirage, California, to claim a share of the second round lead.

Park, who last year won the US Women's Open at Trump National in her first year on the LPGA Tour, heads into the weekend on 12 under alongside Sweden's Pernilla Lindberg after 36 holes, leading by three from Jessica Korda of the United States on nine under.

Lindberg, the first round leader, followed up her opening 65 with a five-under-par 67 while Korda remained in the hunt with a 68.

But the day belonged to Korea's Park, who made the cut of every event she entered in her rookie LPGA season, and was also the first rookie in history to make it to world number one in the rankings.

Friday's highlight was an eagle two on the par-four 15th, when she holed out from around 100 yards.

"Today the shots were awesome," Park said afterwards. "I just felt really good about my driver. The shots fell in just as I wanted them to.

"There were a couple things that I missed, but overall just had a great round."

Park, who has made a slow start to 2018, with three finishes outside the top 10 and a missed cut at the Kia Classic last weekend, said she had rediscovered the poise that helped her win her maiden major at the US Open last year.

"I was super focused at the U.S. Open, and felt just as focused for today's round," she said. "It was a bummer to not make the cut last week and I felt pretty disappointed. But I feel like it was a really good comeback today."

Park's rise has been all the more remarkable for the fact that she remains one of the few players on tour who does not have a permanent coach.

"I really enjoy the time alone to practice alone," Park said. "If it comes to the point where I need a coach, I will consider that. But right now, I just feel really good about my game."

Lindberg meanwhile was happy to be sitting alongside Park after a flawless bogey-free round which saw five birdies.

The 31-year-old said she is thriving after reuniting with caddie Daniel Taylor, who is also her fiance.

"He caddied for me for a good five, almost six years, and then we took a break only on the golf course last year when he caddied for a couple of other players," Lindberg said.

"I felt like it was great for both of us, but I really missed him on the bag. There's no-one that knows me, my game better than him. I just trust him so much. It was really me kind of begging him to come back on my bag this year."

With Korda three back from the lead, a pack of four players -- English duo Charley Hull and Jodi Ewart Shadoff, Japan's Ayako Uehara and the USA's Amy Olson -- were tied for fourth place on seven under, five adrift of the lead.

Round 1 - Pernilla Lindberg grabs ANA lead with 65

March 29, 2018

Sweden's Pernilla Lindberg closed with back-to-back birdies to grab the first-round lead at the ANA Inspiration with a seven-under par 65.

Lindberg had seven birdies without a bogey at Mission Hills in Rancho Mirage, California, powering past Japan's Ayako Uehara and Spain's Beatriz Recari who shared second place on 66 in the first LPGA major of the season.

American Jessica Korda, South Korea's Jang Ha-na and Swiss amateur Albane Valenzuela were tied on 67.

Lexi Thompson -- who endured a rules nightmare last year that cost her a four-point penalty and a likely victory at Mission Hills last year -- headed a group of six players on 68.

Thompson was delighted to get a solid first round under her belt on a course she loves, but which inevitably brings back unwelcome memories of last year.

"I don't know if I would say it's a relief," she said. "I was just really looking forward to just playing this week. I love coming here, and the course can't be in any better shape. Probably the best I've seen it, and the greens are perfect.

"Overall I played really well today. So just going to take that into the next three days," said Thompson, who added she was touched by the fan support she received.

There was little to celebrate in defending champion Ryu So-yeon's return. The South Korean, who eventually beat Thompson in a playoff to lift the trophy last year, failed to make a birdie in a three-over 75.

Lindberg teed off on 10 and had three birdies on her outward run. Her four coming in included back-to-back birdies to cap her round.

"I just set a number for myself in my head every day," she said. "Today, I kind of kept adjusting that all day when I kept making birdies, and I even kind of upped my own number.

"That's what I'm going to do every day."

Uehara set the early pace, shaking off an opening bogey to take the clubhouse lead with eight birdies on the day.

"The beginning I had a three-putt, and I kind of played tight," said Uehara, who relaxed as she strung together three birdies around the turn and finished with two straight birdies.

Recari's six birdies included three in a row at 10th, 11th and 12th.

"From the beginning I felt very confident," Recari said after her bogey-free round. "I knew my strategy. I'll stick to it. Whenever I was in trouble I was actually in a good spot, and I was able to get up-and-down quite easily."

Korda burst out of the blocks with four straight birdies to start her round. She finished with eight birdies.

Korda is relishing golf, and life, after jaw surgery to correct a severe overbite.

"I didn't realize how much it affected me until I got the surgery done," said Korda, who won the Honda LPGA in Thailand in February, her season debut. "I'm just a happy person now. I wake up, no headaches. I get to wake up pain free every day and that's amazing to me."

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