JASPER, Ind. — Angela Stanford capitalized on Trish Johnson’s late Saturday collapse in the Sultan’s Run to win the LPGA Senior Championship.
Five consecutive strokes entering the day and four strokes late on the final hole, the 45-year-old Stanford had an 18th-par seven-under 65 and eventual one-stroke victory over 57-year-old Johnson.
“When I saw the leaderboard approaching 18, I saw Trish was at minus 13,” Stanford said. “I think at that point I was really upset because I felt like I didn’t have a chance, which is probably why it was.
After making four birdie straight, Johnson had a triple-bogey on the 17th, and Stanford quickly birdied the 18th to make it a swing with four shots. Johnson drifted at 18, missing a 12-foot putt. The English lady shot 71.
“You can’t say much more than that, it’s just a terrible ending,” Johnson said. “Obviously it was very disappointing. Literally throwing away the championship, but life goes on. There are worse things.”
Stanford finished ranked 10-under 206 for their first Legends Tour win. She birdied six of the first 13 holes of the bogey-free round.
Carrie Webb closed with a 69 to take third place at 8 under. Silvia Cavalieri is third with a 6-U69.
Seven-time winner on the LPGA Tour, Stanford is heading to California to play the US Women’s Open next week in Pebble Beach.
“I’m going to leave with more confidence than I did before I came here, that’s for sure,” Stanford said. “I think I just figured out a few things and got my mind right this week. I’ve been having some trust issues lately and this week has been thinking about how to go back to basics.”