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SPORTS Tuesday 3 april 2018
Pernilla Lindberg wins ANA Inspiration on 8th extra hole

By JOHN NICHOLSON and the scoreboard help- championship and leave
AP Sports Writer ing illuminate the green, a mark in history. But at the
RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. Park holed a 6-footer for same time it felt like too big
(AP) — Pernilla Lindberg par and Lindberg made a of a dream to come true,
plunged into Poppie's short putt to match. They but it has."
Pond with her parents and finished at 7:21 p.m., 15 She jumped from 95th to
fiance-caddie Daniel Tay- minutes after sunset. 34th in the world ranking.
lor, celebrating her first pro- Play resumed at 8 a.m. Park won in 2013 at Mis-
fessional victory in about on No. 10, with Lindbergh sion Hills and is a seven-
the biggest way possible in leaving a birdie putt an time major champion. The
women's golf. inch short from a little lower 29-year-old Hall of Famer
"I can't believe that I can on the green than her win- won the Founders Cup two
call myself a major cham- ner later on the hole. weeks ago in Phoenix for
pion," Lindberg said. They made up-and-down her 19th tour title, a day
It wasn't easy. pars on the par-3 17th, with after revealing she was 50-
The 31-year-old Swede Park holing a tricky 8-foot 50 about retiring before re-
needed a major-record downhill putt and Lindberg turning from a long break
eight sudden-death holes staying alive from a foot that started after Women's
over two days to finish off closer. British Open in August.
Inbee Park in the ANA In- Lindberg then reached the "I'm a little bit disappointed,
spiration, ending it Monday 18th in two — the first time but I'm really happy the
morning with a 30-foot bird- one of them went for it in way I played this week," Pernilla Lindberg, of Sweden, holds up her trophy after winning
ie putt on the par-4 10th. the six times they played Park said. on the 10th hole during the eighth playoff round to win the LPGA
"I just know I'm a grinder, the par 5 in the playoff and Jessica Korda and Ariya Ju- Tour ANA Inspiration golf tournament over Inbee Park, of South,
and I just felt: 'This is mine. regulation — but was on tanugarn finished a stroke Korea at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, Calif.,
I'm going to do this,'" Lind- the far left side and was out of the playoff.q Monday, April 2, 2018.
berg said. "I just knew I only able to get her eagle Associated Press
could, and I just kept fight- putt within 7 feet. Park laid
ing away. up and hit a wedge to 8
I couldn't believe when feet. They both missed.
that last putt went in." "I didn't make many mis-
Park's 20-footer to match takes, but I just couldn't
stopped on the edge of make the putts," Park said.
the cup. "The morning greens were
"The putt Pernilla made on a little bit slower than I an-
the last was a champion's ticipated. I hit a couple
putt," Park said. "I'm really putts short.
happy for her. This one was I had a couple of opportu-
not an easy major win for nities."
her, as well. I mean, eight- Lindberg, Park and Song
hole playoff, I've never birdied the 18th in regula-
done something like that tion. Song got to 15 under
before, either." first with a 5-foot putt, Park
They played four holes followed with a 4-footer in
Monday after going until it the next group and Lind-
was too dark to see — and berg matched her in the
then played some more — final group. Park and Song
Sunday night. shot 5-under 67, and Lind-
Lindberg won in her 250th berg had a 71.
start on the LPGA, Ladies Lindberg is the fourth play-
European and Symetra er to lead wire-to-wire in
tours, sharing the moment the event and first since
with father Jan and mother Pat Hurst in 1998, and the
Gunilla. They introduced fifth to win the tournament
her to golf at Bollnas Golf for her first LPGA Tour vic-
Club about 150 miles north tory. She's the sixth Swedish
of Stockholm. female major champion,
"It's so cool," Lindberg said. joining Liselotte Neumann,
"The only reason I'm playing Helen Alfredsson, Annika
golf is because of them. I'm Sorenstam, Anna Nordqvist
so happy they're here. I've and Jenny Lidback (born
probably given my dad in Peru to Swedish parents)
I don't know how many — and all of them also won
heart attacks over the last their first LPGA Tour title in a
few days." major.
On Sunday, Jennifer Song "I remember writing some
dropped out with a par on goals probably right when
the third playoff hole, and I got to high school," Lind-
Park and Lindberg decided berg said.
to take one more trip down "Writing about the dream
the par-5 18th in fading scenario, and it would be
light. With portable lights to obviously win a major