AMERICAN ANGELA STANFORD, 40, CAPTURES FIRST MAJOR CHAMPIONSHIP
40-year-old American Angela Stanford has won the LPGA’s final major championship, The Evian Championship, in France for her sixth career win and first career major championship. Stanford had a roller coaster four-hole stretch from 15-18, going eagle, double-bogey, birdie and par to finish at 12-under par for the tournament, one stroke ahead of a group of four players tied for second.
Stanford, a 2001 LPGA rookie, won her first major in her 436th career LPGA start. She is now a six-time LPGA winner with 206 starts between her last win at the 2012 HSBC Women’s Champions and this week.
When Stanford’s win was sealed, she said, “I have no idea what just happened. I'm grateful. And so happy for everybody at home, everybody that's all cheered for me and never gave up on me. I mean, God is funny. He catches you off guard just when you think that maybe you're done. It's amazing.”
American’s Amy Olson, Mo Martin, Austin Ernst and the Republic of Korea’s Sei Young Kim finished one stroke back of Stanford at 11-under par.
CAREER-BEST WEEK FOR OLSON
Vying to make her first career LPGA victory a major championship, third-round leader Amy Olson (T2) held a one stroke lead walking to the 18th tee. The 26-year-old American’s storybook ending was not to be, however, as she found the rough off the tee and ended up three-putting for double-bogey to drop two shots and fall short of a breakthrough victory by one stroke.
“Obviously it's really -- it's disappointing to finish like that, but I had a great week,” Olson said. “I have so many positive things to take away from it. I'm very pleased. This is my best finish I believe in a major, so that's always a positive.”
Olson’s runner-up finish is her fifth career top-10 on the LPGA and is far and away her career-best showing, prior to today her best finish was T7 at the 2014 LPGA Lotte Championship. Olson’s 11-under par 273 also ties her career-low 72-hole score.
JUTANUGARN WINS 2018 ROLEX ANNIKA MAJOR AWARD
Ariya Jutanugarn, of Thailand, won the 2018 Rolex ANNIKA Major Award, which recognizes the player who has the most outstanding record in all five major championships during the current LPGA Tour season. Jutanugarn received the honor thanks to her win at the U.S. Women’s Open, her second career major championship victory, and ties for fourth place at the ANA Inspiration and the Ricoh Women’s British Open.
The 22-year-old, who joins Michelle Wie (2014), Inbee Park (2015), Lydia Ko (2016) and So Yeon Ryu (2017) as winners of the prestigious award, was recognized in a ceremony on the 18th green at The Evian Championship, concluding an exciting season of majors in 2018
"I feel great, I feel really honor to join the list of winners because of all the big names," said Jutanugarn. "I watch Annika since I was young. She is my idol as always. I'm really like, 'Look how she is doing?' And I really want to follow her footsteps. She inspire me a lot. And I really want to thank her for like all the great everything for the LPGA. It's amazing for me."
PLAYER NOTES
Rolex Rankings No. 76 Angela Stanford (-12, 272)
Stanford is the first American to win The Evian Championship since it became a major championship in 2013; An American has won at least one major championship in every season since 2013
Stanford is the 21st different winner of the 2018 LPGA season and the sixth American, joining Brittany Lincicome, Jessica Korda, Michelle Wie, Annie Park and Marina Alex
At 40 years, 9 months and 29 days, Stanford is the oldest winner on the LPGA since Catriona Matthew won the 2011 Lorena Ochoa Invitational at age 42; Cristie Kerr won the 2017 Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia at 40 years and 17 days
With her winner’s check of $577,500, Stanford is now the 11th player in LPGA history with over $11 million in career earnings
Stanford’s first major championship victory came in her 436th start
Stanford is a six-time U.S. Solheim Cup Team member (2003, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015)
Stanford attended Texas Christian University, where she was a four-time All-American
Stanford is now qualified for the 2019 Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions
OF NOTE
Angela Stanford is the first American winner of The Evian Championship since it became a major championship in 2013; Juli Inkster (2003), Paula Creamer (2005) and Natalie Gulbis (2007) won the event prior to The Evian Championship becoming a major championship.
An American has won at least one major championship in every season since 2013.
Austin Ernst and Amy Olson each recorded their best career finish in a major with the T2 result.
With Rolex Rankings No. 2 Ariya Jutanugarn finishing 36th at The Evian Championship, projections show Sung Hyun Park will remain at No. 1 in the rankings.
Defending champion Anna Nordqvist finished T44 in her title defense.
RACE TO THE CME GLOBE
With her win, Stanford earns 625 points and moves from 50th to 19th in the Race to the CME Globe with 1,382 points.
LEADERS TOP 10 COMPETITION
With her 10th top-10 finish of the season, Brooke Henderson moves up into a tie with Jin Young Ko in the LEADERS Top 10 competition. Ariya Jutanugarn continues to hold the top spot with her Tour-leading 13 top-10 finishes. Following in second with 11 top-10 finishes is Minjee Lee.
The LEADERS Top 10 competition awards a $100,000 bonus to the LPGA player with the most top-10 finishes through the completion of the Blue Bay LPGA (Nov. 7-10). In the event of a tie in total top-10 finishes, the award will go to the player with the most official wins, followed by most second-place finishes, third-place finishes, etc., until the tie is broken.
CME GROUP CARES WEEKENDS EAGLES
CME Group Cares Weekends is a season-long charitable giving program that turns eagles into donations. For each eagle recorded during weekend play (Saturday and Sunday) throughout the 2018 LPGA Tour season, CME Group donates $1,000 to the program’s total donation count. At the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship, the stakes are even higher, as the donation has been raised to a generous $5,000 per eagle. The money raised will go toward a charitable pool and be split evenly between Wounded Warrior Project® and Bright Pink®.
The weekend at The Evian Championship saw eight eagles, including one from champion Angela Stanford on the par-5 15th hole during Sunday’s final round. That translates to $8,000 raised, and $259,000 raised on the year.
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