When she missed a short birdie putt at the fifth hole on the final round of the Corning Classic, Leta Lindley grumbled to herself.
“I was a little disappointed. You can’t miss putts like that and expect to win,” Lindley said. “I thought, ‘Is it ever going to come? When it comes down to it, am I going to be good enough to make those clutch putts coming down the stretch or to win on 18?’ ”
On this day she finally was. Lindley (67) overcame that miss from 3 feet, rallied with four birdies on the back nine to finish regulation in a tie with Jeong Jang (68), then beat her in a one-hole playoff for her first career victory in her 295th professional start on Tour.
Jang and Lindley 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 feet and made the par putt to force the playoff.
Lindley won the draw and let Jang go first on the extra hole, No. 18 again, and this time Jang hooked her tee shot into the left rough. Lindley followed with a drive down the right side and nailed a 7-iron to 6 feet, easy birdie range. Jang made two birdies and an eagle on her first five holes to reach 11 under.
Jang, then 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.
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Tags: WOMEN AND GOLF by Jenn
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