MOBILE, Alabama: Jennifer Johnson won the Mobile Bay LPGA Classic on Sunday for her first tour title, birdieing four of the final six holes for a one-stroke victory over Jessica Korda and Pornanong Phatlum. The 21-year-old American closed with a 7-under 65 for a tournament-record 21-under 267 total on The Crossings course at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail’s Magnolia Grove complex.
A 15-foot birdie putt on the 17th hole secured the win.
“Before I hit my birdie putt on 17, I saw that Pornanong was tied with me at 20 and I didn’t want a playoff,” Johnson said, adding that’s when she decided: “I’m going to make this thing.”
She two-putted for par on the final hole, tipped her cap and headed toward the practice range to hit a few balls in case of a playoff.
But Pornanong was already done and the lead was safe even with Korda’s closing birdie. Pornanong, a 23-year-old from Thailand, closed with a 63. Her previous best finish was third at the Kia Classic.
Johnson had only one previous top-10 finish, an eighth-place tie at the 2011 Navistar LPGA Classic.
“I’m a little shocked,” Johnson said. “I didn’t even realize I shot 65. The whole back nine, I don’t know what was happening.
“The birdie putt on 17, that’s when I started thinking a little more about winning the tournament.”
She went home after missing her second cut of the year at the Kingsmill Championship and switched to what she calls her “spaceship putter,” so named because of its appearance. “I went and saw my coach right away in Florida and worked some things out, I put the spaceship putter in the bag and now the putts are going in,” she said.
Pornanong three-putted the opening hole for bogey for the third straight day, but rebounded nicely.
“I just concentrate on my game and do what I have to do and try my best,” she said. “Putting very good today, so like I just didn’t have pressure on myself.” Korda finished with a 68 that included three bogeys and seven birdies.
Five players finished two strokes behind, including Hall of Famer Karrie Webb and third-round leader Chella Choi. Swede Anna Nordqvist followed up a course-record 61 with a 69. South Korea’s Jiyai Shin shot a 63 and birdied the final three holes, while Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn had a 65 to join the group at 19 under.
Defending champion Stacy Lewis was three shots behind her playing partner, and got to pass the torch to Johnson.
“It was fun there at the end, because Jennifer was making putts and I don’t think she realized what she was doing,” Lewis said. “I told her when I hugged her, ‘I think you just won yourself a golf tournament.’ And she (said), ‘What?’ It was really cute.”
