Prato, Ala. (AP)-16-Lexi Thompson became the youngest player to win an LPGA Tour event.
Florida ended with a two-under 70 Sunday to win by five strokes at the Navistar LPGA Classic at Tiffany Joh.
Thompson broke a record for winning a multi-round tournament organized by Paula Creamer, who won the 2005 Marlene Hagge 18th was 18 and 14 days when she won a single round of Sarasota Open in 1952.
Thompson, who turned 16 in February, led by five strokes entering the final round and built to seven to ten-hole Robert Trent Jones Trail Capitol Hill complex. Then came the adolescent period on the major pressure-packed day when she bogeyed the next two holes, while John climbed to within three shots.
Thompson erase any doubt of a collapse with birdies on numbers 16 and 17.
Florida ended with a two-under 70 Sunday to win by five strokes at the Navistar LPGA Classic at Tiffany Joh.
Thompson broke a record for winning a multi-round tournament organized by Paula Creamer, who won the 2005 Marlene Hagge 18th was 18 and 14 days when she won a single round of Sarasota Open in 1952.
Thompson, who turned 16 in February, led by five strokes entering the final round and built to seven to ten-hole Robert Trent Jones Trail Capitol Hill complex. Then came the adolescent period on the major pressure-packed day when she bogeyed the next two holes, while John climbed to within three shots.
Thompson erase any doubt of a collapse with birdies on numbers 16 and 17.
"I was just focusing on the golf course today and do my best," she said. "That's all I could do. I was a little nervous on the first tee, I will not lie. If you are not nervous, you do not care."
Calm under pressure most of the day, Thompson and his father, the younger brother of Scott, could not restrain a smile as they approached the 18th green with a victory and a place in the history of the LPGA in hand .
The young educated at home in Coral Springs, Fla., tapped for couples, embraced his father and got a festive sprinkling of bottled water on the head of John.
Now the question is, can it be given LPGA members? Thompson will have to petition for an exemption from the requirement of the age of 18.
Already been granted by the LPGA qualifying school for her petition, and won the first phase of 10 beats in July.
John, who opened the day seven shots back, after the bridge over 68 with four birdies directly from 12 onwards. His previous best finish was 12 CN Canadian Open women's.
Angela Stanford shot a 66 to explode in third place at 11 under, the display of three sub-70 rounds after an opening 73rd Brittany Lang (67) and Karen Stupples (68) were 10 under.
Meena Lee, who opened the day in second place and five strokes back, closed with a 73 and tied with Stacy Lewis at 9 under.
Thompson has a bit of pressure relief, Joh laughing after his tee shot rolled inches to the right of the par-3 hole No. 16.
"I look forward to all the reaction," Thompson said. "I was very excited. It 'was a great shot."
She made birdie to push its advantage back to four shots, while recognition of the fans with a quick smile and a hint of his visor.
Thompson closed with a tap-in for par and a final without drama.
She had flirted with the story before. Thompson shared the 2009 Navistar LPGA lead after two rounds, as an amateur in 14 years. In May, he entered the final round of the LPGA in Mobile Avnet tied for the lead, but fell to 19 with a closing 78.
This time it was built as a cushion back-to-back bogeys on Nos. 11 and 12 only to reduce their lead to five strokes of Lang and Lee. Thompson recovered with tap-ins for par on the next hole and No. 15 and slid from there.
Thompson came in the first nine holes with a birdie and a bogey. Only once, she flirts with serious trouble when his approach shot sailed well over the hole and a couple of feet down in the bunkers.
No problem. He turned back to normal two and then made a birdie putt of 8 feet in the hole 8.
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