BELMONT, Mich.—Carlota Ciganda emerged victorious at the Meijer LPGA Classic on Sunday, securing her first LPGA Tour title in over eight and a half years. She clinched the win in dramatic fashion, birdying the final two holes, while Lexi Thompson’s opportunity to break her own lengthy winless streak slipped away due to two bogeys late in her round.
Ciganda delivered a precise approach on the par-4 17th, leaving her with a tap-in birdie, and sealed her win on the par-5 18th with a four-foot comeback putt. This effort kept her from a potential playoff with her playing partner, Hye-Jin Choi.
“It’s an incredible feeling, especially after so many years,” the 35-year-old Spaniard expressed. “I always believed I could win again, but doubt starts to creep in as time passes and you age.”
Starting the final day in a six-way tie at Blythefield Country Club, Ciganda managed a 5-under 67, marking her fourth consecutive round in the 60s. She concluded the tournament at 16-under 272, just shy of the major KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in Texas.
“The ambiance here is reminiscent of northern Spain, my home,” Ciganda shared. “I adore the tree-lined fairways and the tranquility. It’s a great course to play aggressively.” This victory marks Ciganda’s third on the LPGA Tour, following her last triumph at the 2016 Lorena Ochoa Invitational. Additionally, she has eight Ladies European Tour wins, the most recent being the Spanish Women’s Open last December.
Hye-Jin Choi showed resilience with a final round of 68, having also scored in the 60s throughout the tournament. Despite a bogey on the 17th, she managed to birdie the 18th, concluding her week with a positive note. “I saw an opportunity to win,” Choi noted, “but I’ll always think about that bogey on the 17th.”
South Korean Somi Lee delivered an impressive 65 to finish in third place at 14 under. Meanwhile, Lexi Thompson settled for a tie in fourth with Celine Boutier (67) and Nanna Koerstz Madsen (70) after a round of 70.
Once victorious at this very event in 2015, Thompson is still seeking the end to her own drought, with her last LPGA Tour win dating back to the ShopRite LPGA Classic in early June 2019. Despite a part-time schedule, this was her sixth start of the season. “This tournament is my absolute favorite,” Thompson declared, looking forward to competing at the upcoming major at PGA Frisco. “The fan support here is immense, and it’s this encouragement of women’s golf we truly cherish.”
Thompson hit a snag on the par-4 16th, misjudging her approach on the elevated green, which left her ball tumbling down a hill into the rough. A subsequent flop shot left her with a tricky par putt from 8 feet, which she missed. A missed 3-footer on the subsequent hole added to her frustrations. “Not quite the ending I envisioned,” Thompson admitted. “But despite not hitting my best form, I found something this week that worked.”
In the previous year’s edition, Thompson fell short in a playoff against Lilia Vu. With this win, Ciganda now ties Beatriz Recari for most LPGA Tour wins by a Spanish player. Former Arizona State standout, Ciganda is the oldest champion on the tour since Eun-Hee Ji’s triumph at 36 years old in the 2022 T-Mobile Match Play.
“For me, age is just a number,” Ciganda remarked. “I might not have the same energy as when I was 24, but I feel competitive and capable of winning out here. I cherish the thrill of competition from Thursday through Sunday.”