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The Sun
16-06-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Carlota Ciganda ends long LPGA title drought with win at Meijer LPGA Classic
SPANISH stalwart Carlota Ciganda returned to the LPGA winner's circle after a lapse of more than 8½ years with a gritty victory at the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give in Belmont, Michigan. Having started the final round in a six-way tie for the lead, Ciganda birdied the final two holes at Blythefield Country Club for a closing 67 and 16-under-par 272 total. The 35-year-old finished one shot clear of Korean Hye-Jin Choi, who closed with a 68. This was Ciganda's third LPGA title and her first since November 2016, when she won the Citi Banamex Lorena Ochoa Invitational in Mexico by two strokes. Her LPGA title drought had lasted eight years, seven months and two days. 'It feels amazing obviously, after all these years. I knew I could do it, but once the years keep going and you start getting older, you start doubting yourself,' said Ciganda, who has won eight times on the Ladies European Tour including last year's Spanish Open. Ciganda's two closing birdies came from close range, from one foot after a superb approach at the par-four 17th, and from four feet at the par-five 18th after finding the green in two. The final hole birdie avoided a playoff with playing partner Choi, who also made four but had crucially dropped a shot at the 17th. Ciganda noted that she loved the traditional, tree-lined Blythefield layout, as it reminded her of courses in her native Spain. 'It reminds me of where I'm from in the northern part of Spain. Very similar – lots of trees, peaceful. I love the golf course,' said the Arizona State alumna. Ciganda has now matched Beatriz Recari for the most LPGA victories by a Spanish player and is the oldest player to win this season at age 35 years and 14 days. 'For me, age is just a number. I don't feel as fresh as when I was 24, but I still feel I can compete and I can win out here. I love playing. I love Thursday to Sundays. I love competition,' said Ciganda, who is a seven-time European Solheim Cup team member and a three-time Olympian. American star Lexi Thompson showed that she is still a force to be reckoned with despite only playing a part-time schedule, contending for the title until two late bogeys on 16 and 17. The 11-time LPGA winner settled for joint fourth place on 13-under-par 275 with France's Celine Boutier and Denmark's Nanna Koerstz Madsen. 'It's my favourite event on the schedule. The fans are amazing and come out and support women's golf, and that's what we want,' said Thompson, who won this event in 2015 and lost a playoff to compatriot Lilia Vu last year. Another Korean, Somi Lee, shot a superb closing 65 to climb up into third place on 14-under-par 274. The stars of the LPGA Tour will now head to Texas for the third Major of the 2025 season, the KPMG Women's PGA Championship at Fields Ranch East at PGA Frisco.
The Sun
16-06-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Carlota Ciganda ends long LPGA title drought
SPANISH stalwart Carlota Ciganda returned to the LPGA winner's circle after a lapse of more than 8½ years with a gritty victory at the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give in Belmont, Michigan. Having started the final round in a six-way tie for the lead, Ciganda birdied the final two holes at Blythefield Country Club for a closing 67 and 16-under-par 272 total. The 35-year-old finished one shot clear of Korean Hye-Jin Choi, who closed with a 68. This was Ciganda's third LPGA title and her first since November 2016, when she won the Citi Banamex Lorena Ochoa Invitational in Mexico by two strokes. Her LPGA title drought had lasted eight years, seven months and two days. 'It feels amazing obviously, after all these years. I knew I could do it, but once the years keep going and you start getting older, you start doubting yourself,' said Ciganda, who has won eight times on the Ladies European Tour including last year's Spanish Open. Ciganda's two closing birdies came from close range, from one foot after a superb approach at the par-four 17th, and from four feet at the par-five 18th after finding the green in two. The final hole birdie avoided a playoff with playing partner Choi, who also made four but had crucially dropped a shot at the 17th. Ciganda noted that she loved the traditional, tree-lined Blythefield layout, as it reminded her of courses in her native Spain. 'It reminds me of where I'm from in the northern part of Spain. Very similar – lots of trees, peaceful. I love the golf course,' said the Arizona State alumna. Ciganda has now matched Beatriz Recari for the most LPGA victories by a Spanish player and is the oldest player to win this season at age 35 years and 14 days. 'For me, age is just a number. I don't feel as fresh as when I was 24, but I still feel I can compete and I can win out here. I love playing. I love Thursday to Sundays. I love competition,' said Ciganda, who is a seven-time European Solheim Cup team member and a three-time Olympian. American star Lexi Thompson showed that she is still a force to be reckoned with despite only playing a part-time schedule, contending for the title until two late bogeys on 16 and 17. The 11-time LPGA winner settled for joint fourth place on 13-under-par 275 with France's Celine Boutier and Denmark's Nanna Koerstz Madsen. 'It's my favourite event on the schedule. The fans are amazing and come out and support women's golf, and that's what we want,' said Thompson, who won this event in 2015 and lost a playoff to compatriot Lilia Vu last year. Another Korean, Somi Lee, shot a superb closing 65 to climb up into third place on 14-under-par 274. The stars of the LPGA Tour will now head to Texas for the third Major of the 2025 season, the KPMG Women's PGA Championship at Fields Ranch East at PGA Frisco.
The Star
16-06-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Spaniard Carlota Ciganda ends long LPGA title drought with gritty win at Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN - JUNE 15: Carlota Ciganda of Spain reacts on the 18th green after winning the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give 2025 at Blythefield Country Club on June 15, 2025 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Photo by- LPGA BELMONT, Michigan, USA: Spanish stalwart Carlota Ciganda returned to the LPGA winner's circle after a lapse of more than eight-and-a-half years with a gritty victory at the Can Belmont, Michigan. Having started the final round in a six-way tie for the lead, Ciganda birdied the final two holes at Blythefield Country Club for a closing 67 and 16-under-par 272 total. The 35-year-old finished one shot clear of Korean Hye-Jin Choi, who closed with a 68. This was Ciganda's third LPGA title and her first since November 2016, when she won the Citi Banamex Lorena Ochoa Invitational in Mexico by two strokes. Her LPGA title drought had lasted eight years, seven months and two days. "It feels amazing obviously, after all these years. I knew I could do it, but once the years keep going and you start getting older, you start doubting yourself," said Ciganda, who has won eight times on the Ladies European Tour including last year's Spanish Open. Ciganda's two closing birdies came from close range, from one foot after a superb approach at the the par-four 17th, and from four feet at the par-five 18th after finding the green in two. The final hole birdie avoided a playoff with playing partner Choi, who also made four but had crucially dropped a shot at the 17th. Ciganda noted that she loved the traditional, tree-lined Blythefield layout, as it reminded her of courses in her native Spain. 'It reminds me of where I'm from in the northern part of Spain. Very similar – lots of trees, peaceful. I love the golf course,' said the Arizona State alumna. Ciganda has now matched Beatriz Recari for the most LPGA victories by a Spanish player and is the oldest player to win this season at age 35 years and 14 days. "For me, age is just a number. I don't feel as fresh as when I was 24, but I still feel I can compete and I can win out here. I love playing. I love Thursday to Sundays. I love competition," said Ciganda, who is a seven-time European Solheim Cup team member and a three-time Olympian. American star Lexi Thompson showed that she is still a force to be reckoned with despite only playing a part-time schedule, contending for the title until two late bogeys on 16 and 17. The 11-time LPGA winner settled for joint fourth place on 13-under-par 275 with France's Celine Boutier and Denmark's Nanna Koerstz Madsen. "It's my favourite event on the schedule. "The fans are amazing and come out and support women's golf, and that's what we want," said Thompson, who won this event in 2015 and lost a playoff to compatriot Lilia Vu last year. Another Korean, Somi Lee, shot a superb closing 65 to climb up into third place on 14-under-par 274. The stars of the LPGA Tour will now head to Texas for the third Major of the 2025 season, the KPMG Women's PGA Championship at Fields Ranch East at PGA Frisco. - Ladies Professional Golfers Association
The Sun
16-06-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Ciganda ends LPGA title drought with Meijer Classic win
SPAIN 's Carlota Ciganda ended her eight-and-a-half year title drought with a one-shot victory at the Meijer LPGA Classic in Michigan on Sunday. The veteran Spaniard, who had been part of a six-way tie for the lead after Saturday's third round, closed with a five-under-par 67 to clinch her first win since winning in Mexico in 2016. Ciganda snatched the lead to move to 16 under after back-to-back birdies on the 17th and 18th holes, edging her just in front of South Korea's Choi Hye-jin, who shot a closing 68 to finish on 15 under. Lee Somi was third after a dazzling seven-under-par 65 to finish on 14 under, ahead of three players tied on 13 under including France's Celine Boutier and US star Lexi Thompson. But the day belonged to Ciganda, whose round included seven birdies with two bogeys. 'Winning is always very special,' Ciganda said afterwards. '(The last) was in Mexico in 2016. I wanted to win in the US and I think winning against all these really good players -- it's very special. 'I think a lot of mental work that I put in on these months and years. I think when you win it's when you realize all the hard work pays off.'
Al Arabiya
16-06-2025
- Sport
- Al Arabiya
Spaun wins US Open at Oakmont for his first major title. Ciganda ends LPGA victory drought
J.J. Spaun turned a sloppy mess of a US Open at wet and nasty Oakmont into a thing of beauty at the end Sunday with two stunning shots that carried him to his first major championship. First came his driver on the 314-yard 17th hole onto the green for a birdie that gave him the lead. Needing two putts from 65 feet on the 18th to win, he finished his storybook Open by holing the longest putt all week at Oakmont for birdie and a 2-over 72. That made him the only player to finish under par at 1-under 279. It gave him a two-shot victory over Robert MacIntyre of Scotland. And it made Spaun, the 36-year-old Californian who resembles the late Pittsburgh Steelers great Franco Harris, a major champion in only his second US Open. He finished last year at No. 119 in the world with only one PGA Tour title in his career. MacIntyre birdied the 17th and split the fairway on the 18th for a key par, a 68, and the clubhouse lead. Three groups later, Spaun delivered what looked like the winner – a powerful fade that rolled onto the green like a putt and settled 18 feet behind the cup. And then the final putt – no one made a longer one all week. Carlota Ciganda birdied the final two holes to win the Meijer LPGA Classic for her first LPGA Tour victory in more than eight and a half years, while Lexi Thompson had two late bogeys to dash her bid to end a long drought of her own. Ciganda hit to a foot to set up her birdie on the par-4 17th, then made a 4-foot comebacker on the par-5 18th to avoid a playoff with playing partner Hye-Jin Choi. Part of a six-way tie to start the day at Blythefield County Club, Ciganda shot a 5-under 67 – her fourth straight round in the 60s – to finish at 16-under 272 on the tree-lined layout in the final event before the major KPMG Women's PGA Championship in Texas. Ciganda won for the first time since the 2016 Lorena Ochoa Invitational, a span of 8 years, 7 months, and 2 days. The 35-year-old Spanish player has three LPGA Tour victories and has won eight times on the Ladies European Tour, the last in December in the Spanish Women's Open. Choi finished with a 68, also shooting in the 60s all four days. Fellow South Korean player Somi Lee was third at 14 under after a 65. Thompson had a 70 to tie for fourth with Celine Boutier (67) and Nanna Koerstz Madsen (70). Thompson, the 2015 winner at Blythefield, won the last of her 11 LPGA Tour titles in June 2019. Stanford sophomore Paula Martin Sampedro of Spain won the Women's British Amateur with a 2-and-1 victory over Texas sophomore Farah O'Keefe at Nairn Golf Club in Scotland. The victory gets the Spaniard into the Women's British Open next month. Riley Smyth won the Great Lakes Championship for her second Epson Tour victory of the year. She closed with a 6-under 66 for a one-stroke victory over Erika Hara and Isi Gabsa at The Highlands in Harbor Springs, Michigan. Smyth also won the season-opening Central Florida Championship. Shaun Norris closed with a 6-under 66 to force a playoff and beat Yusuke Sakamoto on the second extra hole with a birdie to win the Hana Bank Invitational, his eighth career title on the Japan Golf Tour. Palmer Jackson, who played his college golf at Notre Dame, closed with a 7-under 64 for a six-shot victory in the Raiffeisenback Golf Challenge, his first Challenge Tour victory. Sayaka Takahashi closed with a 2-under 70 for a one-shot victory over Eri Okayama in the Ai Miyazato Suntory Ladies Open on the Japan LPGA. Dongeun Lee won the DB Group Korea Women's Open on the Korea LPGA with a 3-under 69, one shot ahead of Shihyun Kim. Peter Baker won his eighth Legends Tour title with a 6-under 66 for a six-shot victory in the Costa Navarino Legends Tour Trophy in Greece.
