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Tuesday 28 January 2020

Sagstrom wins Gainbridge LPGA for 1st LPGA Tour title

BOCA RATON, Fla. (AP) — last week in the season- round. "I didn't know how I
Madelene Sagstrom won opening Diamond Resorts was going to handle it or if
the Gainbridge LPGA at Tournament of Champions, it was going to go my way
Boca Rio on Sunday for her losing to Gaby Lopez on or not, so my whole goal
first LPGA Tour title, birdie- the seventh extra hole in a today was just go out and
ing the par-3 17th to tie for Monday finish. stay patient and do what I
the lead and winning with Sagstrom bogeyed two of have done the other days."
a par when Nasa Hataoka the first five holes, then re- Sagstrom won in her 69th
missed a 3-footer on the bounded with birdies on career LPGA Tour start.
last. Nos. 8, 10 and 11 — chip- She's the 12th Swede to
Sagstrom finished with a ping in on 10. win on the tour, and the
2-under 70 for a 17-under "It doesn't matter how you first since Pernilla Lindberg
271 total at rain-softened start," Sagstrom said. "If you in the 2018 ANA Inspiration.
Boca Rio Golf Club. just continue fighting, things Sagstrom won three times
"I put something on the In- can go your way. And I just on the Symetra Tour in 2016
stagram in the beginning told myself, `Keep fighting, and led the money list to
of the week, saying I'm de- keep fighting.'" graduate to the big tour.
termined that 2020 is going Sagstrom made a 4-footer Danielle Kang was third at
to be the best season yet. for birdie on 17, then saved 15 under after a 69. She
I didn't know it was go- Madelene Sagstrom holds her trophy after winning the Gain- par from 5 feet on 18, parred the final eight holes.
ing to be this good right bridge LPGA golf tournament at Boca Rio, Sunday, Jan. 26, 2020, The 27-year-old Swede and "I kept hitting it to 30, 35
away," Sagstrom said. "But in Boca Raton, Fla. former LSU star opened with feet," Kang said. "And
no, I have worked really Associated Press a 72, shot a career-best 62 they're not easy to make.
hard over many years now, on Friday to take a one- So, it's hard to two-putt, to
and I think that the biggest Sagstrom birdied the 17th for the following many tour- stroke lead and doubled be honest."
change or the biggest jour- and lost with the bogey on naments coming ahead," her advantage Saturday Celine Boutier shot 70 to fin-
ney I have had is within my- the par-4 18th. Hataoka said. "Missing the with a 67. ish fourth at 13 under. Sei
self and my mental game." "It kind of helps me out with win gives me more moti- "I have never been in a situ- Young Kim was 11 under
Hataoka shot 69. The Japa- the beginning two tour- vation to keep on going ation like this before, so ob- after a 73, The tournament
nese player birdied Nos. 15 naments, being there at for the next many tourna- viously it was all new to me," was the first official event in
and 16 to take the lead, the top, gives me a little ments coming." Sagstrom said about tak- Boca Raton since the 1989
then fell into a tie when strength to keep on going She also finished second ing the lead into the final Oldsmobile LPGA Classic.q