Hannah Green claimed her third win on the LPGA Tour in a dramatic play-off that saw her edge out Xiyu Lin and Aditi Ashok in the JM Eagle LA Championship.
The Australian had appeared to be coming up just short at Wilshere Country Club, but a stunning 25-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole was enough to force a three-way playoff with Lin and Ashok.
Ashok fell by the wayside after the first playoff hole after seeing her birdie putt lip out on the par 3 18th. However, Lin and Green had no such issues, making birdies. Back on the 18th for the second playoff hole, Lin's challenge hit difficulties as she found a bunker. After eventually leaving herself an 18-foot putt for par, it proved too much.
On the other hand, Green was left with a two-foot putt for par, which she made to lift her first trophy on the Tour since the 2019 Cambia Portland Classic. Following the victory, an emotional Green explained how much the win meant to her. She said: “It’s been a long few years. I was playing well last year but getting across the line's been really difficult. I’m proud of myself. I’m really happy.”
Green began the final round two shots off the lead, and it had looked as though she would once again be thwarted in her efforts to win after only managing par on her first 14 holes. Finally, she birdied the par 5 15th to put her in a four-way tie for the lead. Even then, there was still plenty of work to do, not least with the dramatic putt that earned her entry into the playoff.
The rest is history, though, and Green, who missed the cut in last week's Chevron Championship, explained that experiencing the winning feeling again could be the catalyst for a resurgence. She said: “I think honestly this one is really important because I feel like this is just going to kick start remembering how to - like learning to win. It’s tough to win golf tournaments. Sometimes you can play your best golf and it not be good enough. You’ve just got to hang in there. I think this is honestly just as big as the first two.”
This week, Green represents Australia in the Hanwha LIFEPLUS International Crown in San Francisco.
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