Mel’s maiden LPGA title
MEL Reid shot a final-round 67 to claim her maiden LPGA Tour title at the ShopRite LPGA Classic.
Reid finished on a tournamentrecord 19 under par to win by two strokes from American Jennifer Kupcho at Seaview in New Jersey.
It is another huge landmark in the career of the 33-year-old from Derby, who is a six-time winner on the Ladies European Tour and threetime European Solheim Cup team member.
The need to prove herself on the toughest golf circuit in the world was what motivated her to quit Europe for the USA and she has had to wait quite a while for this first LPGA title.
To make it even sweeter, it came only two weeks after Reid led by two strokes going into the final round of the Cambia Portland Classic last month, only to finish in a tie for fifth.
“I’m just over the moon, so emotional. So happy for myself and my team, there is a lot more to it than just me hitting a golf ball,” said Reid.
“I read a tweet yesterday and it was probably one of the only bad tweets that I got saying ‘she’ll choke’. It gave me a bit of motivation.
“I know it sounds stupid but it was probably the best thing I could have read. I was definitely not letting that happen.
“The older you get in this game you do create a few scars but being 33 years old and lifting this trophy when I had some young players behind me, it goes to show, I guess, that I like adversity.
“I’ll always be a fighter and try and fight my way through things. I’m so happy and relieved that I got it done.”
Reid led by one overnight and started the final round superbly, with birdies at the first and third. Dropped shots gave the field hope but a run of four birdies in five holes around the turn saw her take command.
After coming up short with her approach on the par-three 15th, she faced a crucial moment with a 15-foot putt for par, with the field closing, but held her nerve.
“I punched a four iron, but that missed on the right. It was a tough hole today and we didn’t get a great lie in the rough,” said Reid, who hit 13 greens in regulation on the fourth round.
“We played the percentage play, a little chip and run, and it came out a little bit hotter than I thought. That putt was missing right all day and I just willed the hell out of it to catch the right edge.
“That was a huge moment for us and probably the first time I showed emotion the whole tournament because I knew what a big putt it was. Making par there, that’s when I knew if I don’t do anything stupid this is mine.”
Reid showed nerves with a bogey at the 17th but finished strongly with a birdie at the par-five 18th and her 72-hole total of 265 was her best on the LPGA Tour.