BELMONT, Mich. (AP) — Carlota Ciganda birdied the final two holes to win the Meijer LPGA Classic on Sunday for her first LPGA Tour victory in more than 8 1/2 years, while Lexi Thompson had two late bogeys to dash her bid to end a long drought of her own.
Ciganda hit to a foot to set up her birdie on the par-4 17th, then made a 4-foot comebacker on the par-5 18th to avoid a playoff with playing partner Hye-Jin Choi.
“It feels amazing, obviously, after all these years,” the 35-year-old Spanish player said. “I knew I could do it, but obviously once the years keep going and you start getting older you start doubting yourself.”
Part of a six-way tie to start the day at Blythefield County Club, Ciganda shot a 5-under 67 — her fourth straight round in the 60s — to finish at 16-under 272 on the tree-lined layout in the final event before the major KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in Texas.
“I love coming here,” Ciganda said. “It reminds me of Spain where I’m from in the northern part of the Spain. Very similar. Lots of trees, peaceful. I love the golf course. Five par 5s, you can hit it hard here.”
Ciganda won for the first time since the 2016 Lorena Ochoa Invitational, a span of 8 years, 7 months, 2 days. She has three LPGA Tour victories and has won eight times on the Ladies European Tour, the last in December in the Spanish Women's Open.
Choi finished with a 68, also shooting in the 60s all four days. She rebounded from a bogey on 17 to birdie 18.
“I had a chance to win this tournament,” Choi said. “But the bogey on 17 hole was, yeah, just the one I’m thinking about.”
Fellow South Korean player Somi Lee was third at 14 under after a 65.
Thompson had a 70 to tie for fourth with Celine Boutier (67) and Nanna Koerstz Madsen (70).
Thompson, the 2015 winner at Blythefield, won the last of her 11 LPGA Tour titles in early June 2019 at the ShopRite LPGA Classic. She made her sixth start of the season in a part-time tour schedule.
“It’s my favorite event on the schedule,” said Thompson, also set to play in the major at PGA Frisco. “Fans are amazing and come out and support women’s golf and that’s what we want.”
The 30-year-old from Florida ran into trouble on the par-4 16th. She tried to leave the ball below the hole on the elevated green, but her approach rolled off the front and down a hill into rough. She hit a flop shot to 8 feet and missed the par putt. On 17, she missed a 3-footer.
“Not the finish I wanted coming down the stretch there,” Thompson said. “But coming into the week I wasn’t playing great golf and kind of latched onto something that got me through the week.”
Last year in the event, Thompson lost in a playoff to Lilia Vu.
Ciganda matched Beatriz Recari for the most victories by a Spanish player. The former Arizona State player is the oldest LPGA Tour winner since Eun-Hee Ji at 36 in the 2022 T-Mobile Match Play.
Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., had a 67 to finish as the leading Canadian at 10-under overall.
Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., had a 71 (4-under overall) and Hamilton's Alena Sharp shot 70 (2-under overall) on the day.
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The Associated Press
