Lindberg beats Park in epic play-off for first major

There was yet another boost for European golf yesterday when Swede Pernilla Lindberg won her first major by beating Inbee Park on the eighth hole of a play-off at the ANA Inspiration.

The duo finished on 15-under in regulation on Sunday and could not be separated after four suddendeath holes before darkness fell, taking it into a fifth day for the first time in tournament history.

And the protagonists gave the spectators who turned up at the Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California, at 8am further value for their money by contesting four more holes before Lindberg holed a 25-footer for the win.

Few expected the 31-year-old to beat the former world No1, who is a seven-time major champion, and indeed Jennifer Song, the American who ducked out of the shoot-out. This was Lindberg’s first professional win.

“I remember writing some goals in high school about the dream scenario to win a major and leave a mark in history,” Lindberg, the world No95, said. “It felt like too big a dream to come true but it has.

“I just know I’m a grinder. I said yesterday, I just felt this is mine. I’m going to do this. I just knew I could, and I just kept fighting away. I couldn’t believe it when that last putt went in.

“But the first thing I said when I holed that last putt was I know Inbee’s going to hole hers too, so I started thinking about the 17th hole [the next play-off hole] again, but she didn’t. It was mine.”

It was a successful major for England, with Charley Hull, the 22-year-old from Woburn, finishing in a tie for sixth place, just two off the play-off.