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Leta Lindley wins the LPGA Corning Classic

June 5th, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed

leta lindley wins the lpga corning classic

Leta Lindley birdied the first hole of a playoff with Jang Jeong to win the LPGA Corning Classic on Sunday, her first career victory in her 295th professional start on the U.S. women’s golf tour.”I am just so overwhelmed,” said Lindley, who took two years off to give birth to her two children. “I can’t hardly believe it. I’ve been dreaming about this day forever.”

Lindley, who lost a two-hole playoff with Chris Johnson at the 1997 McDonald’s Championship, won $225,000 (€142,930) to boost her earnings for the year to $332,814 (€211,418).

Jang and Lindley, with her husband caddying and her young son and daughter watching on television, began the final hole of regulation tied at 11 under. Lindley, in the group ahead of Jang, made a two-putt par from the front edge of the green to place the pressure on Jang.

Jang’s drive at 18 sailed into the right rough and, blocked by an overhanging branch just ahead, she had to punch her second shot out and it landed in a greenside bunker. With only her right foot in the sand, Jang blasted to 6 1/2 feet and made the par putt to force the playoff.

Jang, who fell to 0-3 in playoffs, drove first on the extra hole, No. 18 again, and this time hooked her tee shot into the left rough. Lindley followed with a drive down the right side and hit her second shot within easy birdie range.

Jang rallied again with an even better sand shot that set up a tap-in par. After Jang made it, Lindley calmly stepped up and sank her winning putt.

Yoo Sun-young (66) and Kim Mi-hyyun (66) finished in a tie for third at 10 under.

Meredith Duncan (68) was alone in fifth, one shot ahead of Becky Morgan (67), and Kim Song-hee (70). Erica Blasberg, tied with Jang for the lead at the start of play Sunday at 7 under, shot 7-over 79 to finish tied for 37th.

Two years ago, Jang led here by three shots after three rounds, faltered with a 76 and finished seventh. On Sunday, she seemed intent on erasing that painful memory, making two birdies and an eagle in her first five holes to reach 11 under.

Jang, who tied for third in the SemGroup Championship and tied for second at Kingsmill in her previous two starts, made bogey at No. 9 and Lindley tied for the lead with birdies at Nos. 10, 11 and 12.

Jang birdied No. 16 to regain the lead, and just moments later Lindley hit sand wedge from 94 yards to 5 inches for a tap-in birdie at 17 to tie it again.