Lewis holds off Thompson at Mobile Classic
MOBILE, Ala. — Stacy Lewis won the Mobile Bay LPGA Classic on Sunday for her second LPGA Tour title, holding off hard- charging teen Lexi Thompson by a stroke.
Lewis, the University of Arkansas grad who held a five- stroke lead early in the day, reclaimed the edge with a birdie on No. 16, while the 17- year- old Thompson parred the final hole and had to wait.
Lewis parred out. Her week was so solid that her finishing 3- under 69 was her worst round en route to a 17- under 271 total. The former Arkansas star also won the 2011 Kraft Nabisco Championship.
“I feel like I’ve been close ever since then just to winning and people say I haven’t been winning, just kind of knocking on the door,” said Lewis, who won $ 187,500. “It’s nice to get it out of the way.
“I fought. I’m exhausted. I’m glad I didn’t have to play more holes.”
Thompson found redemption from her finalround fall in Mobile a year ago. She didn’t flinch under the pressure given a second shot, closing with rounds of 66 and 65, tying her career low in a bogey- free round.
“l wouldn’t take last year’s Sunday round back for anything, because I learned so much out of
that,” Thompson said. “I learned what not to do. It was a really big learning experience.”
Thompson said she didn’t check out the scores on No. 18. “I looked away,” she said.
Lewis secured the win with a twoputt par from the edge of the green. Karine Icher of France closed with a 68 to finish third, two strokes back.
It ended up as a duel of two young Americans, though.
Thompson signaled that this one would be different from 2011 with a long chip- in for birdie on the par- 3 second hole.
She was seeking her second straight Alabama win after becom- ing the youngest LPGA Tour winner in September at the Navistar LPGA Classic. She got her tour card a few weeks later.
“I wouldn’t take back any shot that I hit,” Thompson said. “I hit it pretty good. Just really relaxed out there. I’m just a lot more experienced with learning from bad rounds like last year.”
Thompson signed autographs, while Lewis strolled toward the green and said she didn’t “see any of her 18th hole.” Lewis raised both arms after sinking her short clinching putt, seemingly more relieved than exuberant in the moment.
Lewis spent her teen years in a back brace with scoliosis, then had surgery that corrected her spine with five screws and a steel rod.
Lewis had birdied holes 15- 17 each of the past two days, when she was a combined 9 under on the back nine.
“I just didn’t quite have it today,” she said, “but I found a way to get it done.”
Se Ri Pak had the previous low score in the tournament’s first three years at 13 under in 2010.
Zurich Classic
AVONDALE, La. — Jason Dufner beat Ernie Els with a birdie on the second hole of a playoff Sunday in the Zurich Classic to win for the first time in 164 starts on the PGA Tour.
After entering the fourth round with a two- shot lead, Dufner shot a 2- under 70 at TPC Louisiana. Els had a 67 to match Dufner at 19- under 269.
After both players missed birdie putts within 8 feet on the par- 5 18th, they went back to the 18th tee for the second extra hole, which Dufner won by hitting the green in two strokes and tapping home a short birdie putt after Els’ birdie attempt from the fringe narrowly missed.
Dufner lost playoffs last year to Mark Wilson in the Phoenix Open and Keegan Bradley in the PGA Championship for two of his three career runner- up finishes.
Ballantine’s Championship
SEOUL, South Korea — Bernd Wiesberger of Austria shot a finalround 4- under 68 to earn his first European Tour victory with a fivestroke win at the Ballantine’s Championship on Sunday.
The 26- year- old Wiesberger made four birdies on his way to claiming the win to become only the third Austrian to win on the European Tour after Markus Brier and Martin Wiegele.
Wiesberger finished at 18 under, five strokes ahead of Richie Ramsay of Scotland, who shot a 65 to equal the course record.