Maria McBride captured her first LPGA Legends Championship title on Saturday, closing with a 3-under 68 to win by one stroke over Angela Stanford at Harrison Lakes Country Club.

McBride entered the final round tied for the lead with Leta Lindley at 4-under par, but the Swede got off to a bumpy start, carding a double bogey on the second hole after a penalty around the green. She bounced back with two birdies and a bogey over her final four holes of the front nine to make the turn at 3-under for the championship.

Playing alongside McBride, Stanford got off to a similar start. The U.S. Solheim Cup Captain made a bogey on No. 2 before a double bogey on the par-4 4th. She immediately answered with a birdie on the 5th and added another birdie on No. 9 to make the turn at 3-under, keeping pace with McBride.

After the turn, McBride and Stanford turned up the heat, trading birdies as the championship became a two-player race. McBride made back-to-back birdies on Nos. 10 and 11 before adding another on No. 14. Stanford responded with a strong stretch of her own, making four birdies over her first five holes on the back nine. Both players then made par on Nos. 15-17, setting up a dramatic finish with the title still within reach for both.

McBride and Stanford arrived at the 18th tee tied at 6-under. Stanford’s drive flared slightly right, but bounced just enough to stay in play, leaving her in the rough. McBride, meanwhile, piped her drive down the middle of the fairway, giving herself a favorable lie and an opportunity to reach the green in two.

From the rough, Stanford played her second shot short of the green and then put her third shot onto the green. Her birdie putt slid by, and she putted in for par to finish the tournament at 6-under. McBride’s second shot landed just off the green at the fringe, and she two-putted for birdie to close with a 68 and secure her first LPGA Legends Championship title.

Corina Kelepouris and Moira Dunn-Bohls made the biggest moves up the leaderboard on Saturday. Kelepouris started the final round tied for seventh but carded the low round of the day, a 4-under 67 featuring six birdies and two bogeys, to finish alone in third at 5-under. This was Kelepouris’ second consecutive appearance at the

event, improving upon her T11 finish from last year.

Dunn-Bohls also shot a 4-under 67 on Saturday, moving from a tie for 11th into fourth place at 4-under. Her final round featured six birdies and two bogeys, including two bogeys on par-5 holes. This was her eighth appearance at the LPGA Legends Championship and her third top-five finish at the event.

Like many players this week, McBride will now turn her attention to the U.S. Senior Women’s Open, which gets underway August 20 at Barton Hills Country Club in Ann Arbor, Mich. She will look to carry the momentum from her first LPGA Legends Championship victory into another championship test.

Maria McBride Claims First LPGA Legends Championship Title

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