Jutanugarn wins LPGA Tour Championship

Nov 19, 2017 - 9:53 PM Ariya Jutanugarn of Thailand has won the LPGA's Tour Championship in Florida with birdies on her last two holes to take advantage of a two-foot missed putt by Lexi Thompson.

American Thompson had a one-shot lead when she missed the short par putt on the 18th hole.

That dropped her into a three-way tie, and then Jutanugarn holed an 18-foot birdie putt on the final hole for a five-under 67 to finish at 15-under, enough for a dramatic one-shot victory on Sunday at Tiburon Golf Club in Naples.

Australian duo Sarah Jane Smith and Minjee Lee started the final round within striking range of the lead but carded rounds of 75 to slide down the leaderboard in tied for 35th and tied for 39th.

Their countrywoman Katherine Kirk carded a 69 to jump into a tie for 25th.

Thompson needed to win to claim the LPGA Tour player of the year award but finished tied for second with compatriot Jessica Korda.

The consolation for Thompson was winning the $1 million bonus for the CME Race to the Globe and the Vare Trophy for the lowest scoring average.

The points-based player of the year was a tie between So Yeon Ryu and Sung Hyun Park. It was the first time the award was shared since it began in 1966.

"I don't really know what happened there," Thompson said. "It just happens. I guess it's golf. I guess we all go through situations we don't like sometimes."

Jutanugarn birdied four of her last six holes to claim a $US500,000 cheque for first prize.

"I had no expectation at all," Jutanugarn said. "I really did not think about the outcome."

Michelle Wie, trying to win for the first time since the US Women's Open in 2014, had a share of the lead until she made double bogey on No.9. She then dropped two more shots on the back nine.

Even with seven birdies, Wie still only managed a 70. She tied for sixth with Park, who closed with a 69.

Source: AAP