WASHINGTON: Canadian teenager Brooke Henderson captured her second consecutive LPGA Portland Classic title on Sunday, firing a one-under par 71 to win by four strokes and complete a wire-to-wire triumph.
The 18-year-old world number two, who claimed her first major title at last month’s Women’s PGA Championship, finished on 14-under 274 for 72 holes at 6,476-yard Columbia Edgewater Country Club in Portland, Oregon.
“I didn’t putt very well. It was kind of a weird day of golf,” Henderson said. “But I made a couple putts down the stretch.
“To be repeat champion here is very cool.”
American Stacy Lewis was second on 278 after a final-round 69 with Norway’s Suzann Pettersen third on 279 and American Austin Ernst sharing fourth with Colombia’s Mariajo Uribe, who challenged Henderson much of the day before closing with back-to-back double bogeys.
Henderson won her first LPGA title at this event last year. An eight-stroke victory made her the third-youngest winner in LPGA history and earned her an immediate spot on the tour.
At the Women’s PGA last month, Henderson birdied the first playoff hole to deny top-ranked Lydia Ko of New Zealand her third consecutive major title in a row.
Next week, Henderson could win her second major title in a row at the US Women’s Open.
“I’m just really looking forward to next week,” Henderson said.
Henderson, who began the final round with a two-stroke lead over Uribe, sandwiched birdies at the second and fourth holes arounds a bogey at the third.
But the South American birdied the par-5 fifth and seventh and pulled level for the lead with a birdie at 11.
Henderson birdied the par-5 12th while Uribe took a bogey there and even though the Canadian made bogey at the par-3 13th she was still ahead by one.
Uribe fell two back with a bogey at 15 before her collapse on the last two holes while Henderson closed with five pars, escaping 17 with a par after finding the rough by sinking a 15-foot putt from the fringe.
A group sharing sixth on 281 included South African Lee-Anne Pace and Americans Lee Lopez, Christina Kim and Cheyenne Woods, the 25-year-old niece of Tiger Woods who achieved a career-best LPGA finish.
The 18-year-old world number two, who claimed her first major title at last month’s Women’s PGA Championship, finished on 14-under 274 for 72 holes at 6,476-yard Columbia Edgewater Country Club in Portland, Oregon.
“I didn’t putt very well. It was kind of a weird day of golf,” Henderson said. “But I made a couple putts down the stretch.
“To be repeat champion here is very cool.”
American Stacy Lewis was second on 278 after a final-round 69 with Norway’s Suzann Pettersen third on 279 and American Austin Ernst sharing fourth with Colombia’s Mariajo Uribe, who challenged Henderson much of the day before closing with back-to-back double bogeys.
Henderson won her first LPGA title at this event last year. An eight-stroke victory made her the third-youngest winner in LPGA history and earned her an immediate spot on the tour.
At the Women’s PGA last month, Henderson birdied the first playoff hole to deny top-ranked Lydia Ko of New Zealand her third consecutive major title in a row.
Next week, Henderson could win her second major title in a row at the US Women’s Open.
“I’m just really looking forward to next week,” Henderson said.
Henderson, who began the final round with a two-stroke lead over Uribe, sandwiched birdies at the second and fourth holes arounds a bogey at the third.
But the South American birdied the par-5 fifth and seventh and pulled level for the lead with a birdie at 11.
Henderson birdied the par-5 12th while Uribe took a bogey there and even though the Canadian made bogey at the par-3 13th she was still ahead by one.
Uribe fell two back with a bogey at 15 before her collapse on the last two holes while Henderson closed with five pars, escaping 17 with a par after finding the rough by sinking a 15-foot putt from the fringe.
A group sharing sixth on 281 included South African Lee-Anne Pace and Americans Lee Lopez, Christina Kim and Cheyenne Woods, the 25-year-old niece of Tiger Woods who achieved a career-best LPGA finish.
