Jodi Ewart Shadoff of England led wire to wire on the LPGA Mediheal Championship and held on by a single stroke to win her first profession LPGA title on Sunday in Somis, Calif.
Ewart Shadoff, a 34-year-old tour veteran, posted a 1-under 71 Sunday to complete at 15-under 273, a course document at The Saticoy Club.
After making two bogeys and a birdie on her entrance 9, birdies on the par-4 twelfth and par-5 14th gave Ewart Shadoff simply sufficient cushion over the late-charging Yuka Saso of Japan (14-under 274). Saso birdied 4 of her closing 5 holes to shine off a final-round 66.
But clinging to the lead on the par-5 18th, Ewart Shadoff reached the inexperienced in three, lagged a birdie putt near the cup and made a tap-in to clinch the victory.
“That last 1-footer felt like 20 feet to me,” Ewart Shadoff mentioned.
Georgia Hall of England and Paula Reto of South Africa additionally threatened to chase down the chief.
Hall birdied 5 of her final seven holes throughout a bogey-free 65, and Reto was tied with Ewart Shadoff at 15 underneath earlier than consecutive bogeys on the par-4 sixteenth and seventeenth holes. She completed with a 69, tied for third at 13 underneath with Hall and Danielle Kang (67).
Hall’s 65 was the low spherical of the day.
“I’m playing really well and it’s really nice to be in contention, to feel that even a birdie on the last could put me tied first,” Hall mentioned. “So just really happy the way I played the whole week. Very consistent.”
Ewart Shadoff mentioned she needed to overcome loads of obstacles to comprehend her dream of successful an LPGA match.
“I’ve been through a lot in the past couple of years, specifically injuries … Last year was really tough. I found that a pretty significant mental challenge, to get through that,” Ewart Shadoff mentioned.
“There were times during last year where I didn’t think that I was gonna be playing this year. So to be stood here today, it’s really awesome I didn’t give up on myself. I just have a lot of people to be grateful for. Everybody on my team who’s stood by me and made me believe in myself when I really didn’t.”
Ewart Shadoff is the twenty fourth completely different participant to win on tour this season and the tenth first-time winner of the yr.
–Field Level Media