Australia’s Hannah Green grabs emotional play-off win in LA Championship
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Hannah Green of Australia posing with the trophy after winning the LA Championship.
PHOTO: AFP
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LOS ANGELES – Hannah Green could not hide her tears after ending her LPGA title drought on Sunday, winning the LA Championship with a par at the second play-off hole over Lin Xiyu and Aditi Ashok.
The Australian claimed her third LPGA title – she last won on tour in the Portland Classic and in a Major at the Women’s PGA Championship in 2019.
When her short par putt dropped for the win at the par-three 18th at Wilshire Country Club, she could not hold back her emotions.
“It’s been a long few years,” said the teary 26-year-old from Perth, who had nine top-10 finishes in 2022, including a runner-up finish in the LA Open, which was played on the same course.
“I played really well last year but getting across the line has been really difficult.”
Green had just two birdies and 16 pars in her two-under 69, rattling in a long birdie putt in regulation at the 18th to join the play-off with China’s Lin and India’s Ashok on nine-under 275.
Lin grabbed her share of the 72-hole lead with impressive back-to-back birdies at the 17th and the 18th to cap a four-under 67 while Ashok bounced back from a bogey at the 17th to birdie the final hole in her 67.
They returned to the 18th for the play-off, Ashok’s 12-foot birdie attempt lipping out as Lin made a 10-footer and Green sank a four-foot birdie to extend the play-off.
Playing the 18th one more time, Green was safely on the green as Lin was in the right greenside bunker and was unable to get up and down for par.
Ashok, a four-time winner on the Ladies European Tour, remains in search of a first LPGA title, as does Lin.
Green admitted that she had little expectation of lifting the trophy as she tried to keep her patience through 14 pars to start her round.
“I’m really proud of myself for hanging in there because I really didn’t think that I’d be in it with how I was playing and making so many pars,” she said. “I knew you didn’t need a low score today to win. My caddie just said stay patient. You always try to do that.”
Ayaka Furue tied for the low round of the day, a six-under 65, to finish at eight-under 276 and tie for fourth with China’s Yin Ruoning (67).
Nelly Korda (67) tied for sixth at seven under with Cheyenne Knight, who stumbled to a 73 after sleeping on the 54-hole lead,
