Kris Tamulis watches her tee shot on the 17th hole during the Yokohama Tire LPGA Classic in Prattville, Ala., on Aug. 30.Butch Dill/The Associated Press
Kris Tamulis won the Yokohama Tire LPGA Classic on Sunday for her first LPGA Tour title.
Tamulis played 29 holes Sunday in the twice-delayed tournament, the 186th of her LPGA Tour career. She finished a third-round 67 and closed with a 65 to beat Yani Tseng and Austin Ernst by a stroke.
The 34-year-old former Florida State player had a 17-under 271 total on The Senator Course and didn't show the strain of being in contention with so little margin for error.
"It was amazing," Tamulis said. "I was definitely not expecting this today."
Tseng had rounds of 71 and 67, and Ernst shot 68-69 with the weather clearing up after delays totalling nearly seven hours the previous two days. Both parred the final hole with a chance to force a playoff.
Hamilton's Alena Sharp finished in 12th place at nine under while Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., tied for 13th at eight under.
Tamulis birdied four of the first six holes in the final round before finally making her only bogey of the last three rounds. She hadn't finished better than fourth on the tour.
Tamulis was all smiles at the end. She made a short birdie putt on the 17th hole, cheerfully telling two fans "28 of 29 completed today." Then, a long birdie putt, hit seemingly perfectly on line, stopped inches shy of the final hole. Still smiling, she told her caddy the ball needed just "a little more oomph," then chatted with the teenager carrying the score placard.
She had about 45 minutes to sweat it out. Tseng and Ernst both had makeable birdie putts on 18, on opposite sides of the pin. Ernst's attempt went to the left. Tseng came closer, falling to her knees when her putt lipped out.
"When they both missed I was just shocked," said Tamulis, who chatted with volunteers and had a snack in air-conditioned comfort instead of watching or practising for a possible playoff. A friend kept her updated.
Tamulis had been fourth last year in Prattville and earlier this year at the Meijer LPGA Classic. She didn't make the cut at last week's Canadian Pacific Women's Open after posting two 73 rounds. Her rounds steadily improved from 71 to 68 to 67 and finally 65.
Inkster wins Legends – French Lick, Ind.
U.S. Solheim Cup captain Juli Inkster won The Legends Championship on Sunday, finishing with a four-under 68 for a two-stroke victory over Trish Johnson.
"If a 55-year-old can win, they can, too," Inkster said about her Solheim Cup team that will face Europe in Germany on Sept. 18-20.
The Hall of Famer had a five-under 139 total after opening with a 71 on French Lick Resort's Pete Dye Course.
The 31-time LPGA winner earned $37,500 (U.S.) for her first Legends Tour victory.
Maggert wins fourth of the year – Endicott, N.Y.
Jeff Maggert won the Dick's Sporting Goods Open on Sunday for his fourth Champions Tour victory of the year, closing with a six-under 66 to beat Paul Goydos by two strokes.
Maggert took the lead in the Charles Schwab Cup standings, 119 points ahead of Colin Montgomerie. Montgomerie skipped the tournament because of commitments in Europe.
Maggert finished at 14-under 202 at En-Joie. He won the Regions Tradition in May and the U.S. Senior Open in July, both major championships, and took the Shaw Charity Classic three weeks ago in Calgary.
Goydos shot a 68. Corey Pavin (69), David Frost (64), Peter Senior (65), Jerry Smith (67) and Ian Woosnam (70) tied for third at 10 under.