For the 13th time in her professional career, Stacy Lewis is an LPGA Tour champion. The 12-year LPGA Tour veteran outlasted numerous challengers to win the 2020 Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open at -5, holing a 23-foot birdie on the first playoff hole to beat Emily Kristine Pedersen, Cheyenne Knight and Azahara Munoz.
It was Lewis’ first victory since the 2017 Cambia Portland Classic and the first playoff win of her career, having previously gone 0-3 in extra holes. It was also her first win since giving birth to daughter Chesnee in October 2018. Within minutes of her victory, Lewis was on FaceTime with husband Gerrod Chadwell and Chesnee, who were back home in Texas watching their wife and mom hoist yet another trophy.
“I have been trying to get a trophy from the day she was born. That's been my goal,” said Lewis with a massive smile on her face. “I just called them, got to FaceTime with them. My husband said she was hitting the TV screen with her plastic golf clubs when I made that putt. So it's just pretty cool. I can't wait to get home with them in a week or so and celebrate. But he reminded me that with our Diamond Resorts tournament, we get to take her to Disney World now.”
Lewis got off to a hot start with birdies at holes 2 and 3, but her round nearly came unraveled with a double bogey at No. 11. After getting back on track, Lewis had two opportunities to seal the win in regulation, missing birdie putts at 16 and 17 that would have gotten her to -6. Instead, she settled for pars and reached the playoff with a two-putt par from 30 feet at No. 18.
“I was just very much in control and then hit a bad shot on 11 and it leads to double, and then really hit some good shots after that,” said Lewis. “Made the birdie on 14. 15 was a mess. 16, I should have gotten up and down. 17, I probably should have made that putt. It was frustrating that I had my chances, but at the same time with all the stuff that went on there in that back nine, I still had a chance to win the golf tournament. So I stayed very positive for me throughout the day, and just proud of the way I hung in there.”
Knight, who captured her first LPGA Tour victory at the 2019 Volunteers of America Classic, birdied the 16th hole to reach the playoff. She had a 10-foot birdie putt to extend the playoff but sent her attempt past the hole to give Lewis the victory.
“I'm really happy the way I hung in there today. The conditions were really tough,” said Knight. “It's all a learning experience. I kind of struggled starting the restart, so I feel really good about my game.”
Munoz began the fourth round with a one-stroke lead over Lewis but played her first nine in 4-over 40 to make the turn four strokes off the lead. With the field in front of her faltering, her back nine was a display of beautiful short-game prowess that kept her firmly in the competition. After blasting out from a green-side bunker to just inches from the hole at No. 16, she tapped in for birdie to reach -5 and get back into contention for her first win since 2012.
“It was a tough day and I didn't have a good start,” said Munoz. “I got pretty unlucky on No. 6. I got a plugged lie in the bunker, so I had to take an unplayable. But I fought really hard. I made some really nice putts coming in and all you can do.”
Pedersen started the day five strokes off the lead but jumped into the playoff with a solid 3-under round on Sunday that featured four birdies and one bogey. The Danish player lost her LPGA Tour card heading in the 2020 season and came up just short regaining Membership.
“I didn't know, actually, until 17, I didn't know I was up there kind of. So that made it kind of interesting,” said Pedersen. “I missed a few 3-, 4-foot putts up there, so that was a bit of a shame. But it happens, and I haven't played good in a while, so I'm happy to play some decent golf.”
Pedersen’s countrywoman Nanna Koerstz Madsen shot the tournament’s low round with a 6-under 65 on Sunday. She finished tied for fifth at -4 with Danielle Kang, who was seeking her third consecutive LPGA Tour victory. Jennifer Song has the solo lead at -8 through eight holes but played her last nine holes at +5 to tie for seventh at -3.
The Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open is the first of two consecutive events in Scotland. Next week, the Tour heads to Royal Troon for the season’s first major, the AIG Women’s Open.
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