Lindberg wins major on eighth playoff hole
RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. — Pernilla Lindberg plunged into Poppie’s Pond with her parents and fiance/caddie Daniel Taylor, celebrating her first professional victory in about the biggest way possible in women’s golf.
“I can’t believe that I can call myself a major champion,” Lindberg said.
It wasn’t easy.
The 31-year-old Swede needed a major-record eight sudden-death holes over two days to finish off Inbee Park in the ANA Inspiration, ending it Monday morning with a 30-foot birdie putt on the par-4 10th.
“I just know I’m a grinder, and I just felt: ‘This is mine. I’m going to do this,’ ” Lindberg said. “I just knew I could, and I just kept fighting away. I couldn’t believe when that last putt went in.”
Park’s 20-footer to match missed to the left.
They played four holes Monday after going until it was too dark to see — and then played some more — Sunday night.
Lindberg won in her 250th start on the LPGA, Ladies European and Symetra tours, sharing the moment with father Jan and mother Gunilla. They introduced her to golf at Bollnas Golf Club about 150 miles north of Stockholm.
On Sunday, Jennifer Song dropped out with a par on the third playoff hole, and Park and Lindberg decided to take one more trip down the par-5 18th in fading light. With portable lights and the scoreboard helping illuminate the green, Park holed a 6-footer for par and Lindberg made a short putt to match. They finished at 7:21 p.m., 15 minutes after sunset.
Play resumed at 8 a.m. on No. 10, with Lindberg leaving a birdie putt an inch short from a little lower on the green than her winner later on the hole. They made upand-down pars on the par-3 17th, with Park holing a tricky 8-foot downhill putt and Lindberg staying alive from a foot closer.
Lindberg then reached the 18th in two but was on the far left side and was only able to get her eagle putt within 7 feet. Park laid up and hit a wedge to 8 feet. They both missed.